Irondequoit Church Closings, by Rachad Hollis, R News, July 31, 2009

Irondequoit Church Closings

By Rachad Hollis
R News
July 31, 2009

http://www.rnews.com/content/top_stories/477026/irondequoit-church-closings/?RegionCookie=2004

Parishioners are learning of a plan that may close two Catholic churches in Irondequoit. One of the churches being recommended for closure is St. Salome where some members learned the news at Saturday afternoon mass.

It was an emotional day at the St. Salome Catholic Church.

"It’s a beautiful church, and we had so much done with it, and I can’t believe it,” said church member Barber Bell-Moore.

"It’s going to be hard on the many people in this parish who have lived all their lives here and I am sure it will be also at St. Thomas, but it will be good for the Irondequoit community as a whole,” said church member Robert Beachman.

Church leaders discussed the closings of St. Salome and St. Thomas the Apostle during the Saturday afternoon mass.

Pastoral Associate Donna Moll said the churches have been declining in attendance, and the current financial situation has naturally affected all of the Catholic churches in Irondequoit. For months the pastoral planning group has been looking at options to stay afloat.

“The plan is that we are going to have one parish, so that all of Irondequoit will be together, and there will be a new name for the parish," said Moll. "Essentially all five parishes will cease to exist as parishes and there will be only one parish."

“I’m sure they will understand the reason behind it, but I know a lot of people are going to feel really bad that this church is going to be dissolved, so to speak,” said church member Trish Nicandri.

"I lived in the neighborhood for years, but I wasn't going to church for a while and I came back in 1998," said church member Barber Bell-Moore. "They have been real good to me and I just feel terrible."

Currently St. Salome has close to 350 members who attend on the weekends. Parishioners will soon have to call another church home.

"Maybe I will go to St. Ann’s because Christ The King is too big for me," said Bell-Moore. "The parking is bad and I can’t get around too well, especially in the winter time."

'It’s going to be difficult to make the change, I’m sure, because change is always difficult," said Moll. "But we have a lot of wonderful people here, who have very deep faith and very sincere belief in the goodness of God, so we will be working with that premise and with people and with prayer."

The Irondequoit Catholic community is hoping the consolidation of staff and ministries will ensure a stronger Catholic community for the future.