[swat535]

The Church building is only considered Holy when Christ is considered present for Eucharist. Should it be removed along with the Altar, it only becomes a building, to Catholics at least. This is why abandon Churches can be converted to other things, in Montreal there are examples of these buildings.

OP is correct here by saying that the Church is the people. It’s just that the word has two meanings, the church building and the Church of Christ.

It’s also why sometimes you hear Christians say things like “your family is also your Church”

[lo_zamoyski]

According to canon law, a Catholic church must be desacralized (or deconsecrated) in order to be licitly used for other, though not just any, purposes[0].

[0] https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/when-a-church-is-de...