Sitting a some prime real estate, a church was chosen by the Boston diocese to be sold … but the locals said, “No!,” and they have now guarded the place for more than 1500 days. From NYT.

SCITUATE, Mass. — There are sleeping bags in the sacristy at St.
Frances Xavier Cabrini Church and reclining chairs in the vestibule,
but no one here gets too relaxed. “Please be ever vigilant!” a sign by
the door warns, and the parishioners who have occupied the church since
it closed more than four years ago take it as seriously as a
commandment.

Since the Boston Archdiocese closed St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church
in 2004, women have assumed leadership roles, including distributing
the Eucharist.

St. Frances was among dozens
of churches that the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston decided to
close and sell in 2004, not least because of financial turmoil made
worse by the abuse scandal in the clergy. But while most churches
closed without a fight, parishioners at St. Frances, a brick A-frame on
a wooded hill, and at four other churches rebelled.

For 1,533
days, the group at St. Frances has taken turns guarding the building
around the clock so that the archdiocese cannot lock them out and put
it up for sale. They call it a vigil, but by now it is more of a
lifestyle.