By Amanda Christman
Standard Speaker
February 1, 2009
http://www.standardspeaker.com/articles/2009/02/01/news/hz_standspeak.20090201.a.pg1.hz01_church_s1.2269050_top2.txt
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| The Rev. John C. Ruth, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in West Hazleton, talks with a reporter after Saturday’s Mass where it was announced that the church would be closing. |
As the Diocese of Scranton announced its plans this weekend to consolidate parishes, bittersweet feelings surfaced in the Hazleton area.
Individual audio messages from Bishop Joseph Martino, directed to church clusters, were played at weekend Masses, starting Saturday afternoon.
And amidst anger and frustration there were messages of hope after finding that nine churches in greater Hazleton would close no later than July 2010.
The churches that will close include Holy Trinity Slovak, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Ss. Peter and Paul’s and St. Ladislaus, all in Hazleton; St. Francis of Assisi, West Hazleton; St. Mary’s, Lattimer; St. Nazarius, Pardeesville; Sacred Heart, Harleigh, and St. Joseph’s, Nuremberg.
In his message, Martino said that due to finances, dwindling numbers of active parishioners and a shortage of clergy, churches had to restructure.
He said the diocesan planning commission and church cluster groups worked for months before the commission came to him with a final decision. Martino said he took time to reflect on the recommendations, study them and pray.
He said he realizes the decisions will create sorrow and anger.
“I know that you love your church but I know you love God and your faith more,” Martino said. He urged Catholics to stay “anchored in prayer” and remember that God has a plan for his church.
The announcement that St. Francis would close was met with sighs at the 4 p.m. Mass.
“Disappointed. Sad, very sad,” Carmella, who declined to give her last name, said upon leaving the church.
Carmella has been a member of St. Francis for 35 years. The church, she said, becomes a part of the family, but she hopes that as a family the parishes can unite and become stronger in faith.
Dominic Pino, 17, an altar boy at St. Francis, said he thought the church would stay open. He said it will be hard to leave the building but believed people would use their faith to move past this difficult time.
Floyd Roby, whose wife is a parishioner at St. Francis, waited in his vehicle to pick her up after Mass. Roby said he believes people are “fed up” with all the changes in the diocese over the past few years.
In 2005, Catholic elementary schools began to close in the diocese, which was followed in 2007 by the closing of Bishop Hafey Junior/Senior High School and other diocesan high schools.
Holy Trinity German Catholic Church closed in January 2008 due to financial problems. Also last year, four parishes that made up the Roman Catholic Community of Freeland merged into the new Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception parish, in the former St. Ann’s Church.
Last summer, the Diocese of Allentown closed 47 churches in its five-county area due to similar problems.
The Rev. John Ruth, pastor at St. Francis, urged the congregation to unify and continue God’s work. Ruth said about 500 to 600 people are registered with St. Francis.
Ruth said it is still unknown what will happen to the buildings that will close, as well as where priests will be assigned. He said Martino usually announces priest assignments in the spring.
When asked how he plans to deal with the range of emotions from his parishioners, Ruth said the best thing to do is listen and recognize the feelings people have. Ruth also said parishes should celebrate their memories and forge unity between consolidating parishes.
The Rev. Thomas Cappelloni, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church in Hazleton, told parishioners at 5 p.m. Mass that while there’s some relief, the news “is very bittersweet. ... There are three other parishes, their hearts are very sad.” Our Lady of Grace will absorb Sacred Heart, St. Mary’s and St. Nazarius parishes.
Cappelloni told his parishioners that it would be their responsibility “to embrace” the parishioners of those churches, “to welcome them in every way we possibly can.”
Parishioners at St. Joseph Church in Nuremberg weren’t caught off guard when it was announced the church would close. They knew of the probability since last year, when a preliminary recommendation made by the diocese’s Pastoral Planning Commission was made.
And while the news wasn’t positive, there was a silver lining of sorts — the church would be open a year longer than what was originally expected.
“We’re grateful that it will not close this year,” said Cindy Felegie, Weston, mentioning that the parish had been slated to stop operating in July.
Felegie, who was baptized, administered her First Communion and married in St. Joseph, said it’s “sad” to see the closing of the church, which is more than 100 years old.
“But at least one of the churches will stay open,” she said, referring to nearby Sacred Heart in Weston.
Becky Nenstiel also agreed that she’s upset that St. Joseph’s will eventually shut its doors for good, but said she was happy to hear of the additional year.
Assistant city editor Tony Greco and staff writers Jill Whalen and Jim Dino contributed to this story.
Contact: achristman@standardspeaker.com
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