Published: December 29, 2007 01:55 am      

TOP 10: No. 3: Church closings test faith

Journey in Faith takes hard road through Falls

Cataract City Catholics knew the news was coming. That didn’t make it any easier to take.

From the pulpits of the city’s churches at Saturday night masses and then from Bishop Edward Kmiec himself, in a Sunday afternoon news conference Oct. 14, the faithful learned just how far the Western New York Diocese’s “Journey in Faith and Grace” would take them.

The massive restructuring of the local diocese, launched by Kmiec in June 2005, would mean the merger of parishes and the closing of six of the 14 Roman Catholic churches in the Falls area.

There was also a warning that another wave of parish closings and mergers may not be that far away.

Kmiec said he understood that the changes would be “difficult” for parishioners in the affected churches, but said mergers that had already taken place in other parts of the diocese had brought new life to their congregations.

“Many new faith communities have been formed following serious deliberation and some emotional pain,” the bishop said. “People are putting the needs of the diocesan church above their own preferences, demonstrating their great faith and devotion to the church and a forward-thinking attitude and approach.”

Church officials said they had no choice but to act to address a dramatic drop in the population of the Falls that has continued for several decades. Despite dwindling numbers of worshippers, no parishes here had ever been merged or closed before.

The most dramatic changes in the Falls came in the city’s South End, where five parishes were merged into one.

St. Stanislaus, Holy Trinity, St. George, Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Lebanon churches were combined into a single parish, using the facilities at St. Stanislaus.

The Rev. William M. Allegretto, pastor of Our Lady of Lebanon, said the merger sent a negative message to the community.

“It’s a sad time,” he said. “When you begin to abandon churches — to a city that knows abandonment all too well, it just diminishes hope that much more.”

St. John de LaSalle parish, in the LaSalle section of the Falls, which had been thought to be on the short list for church closings here, survived and merged with the St. Charles Borromeo parish. Church operations continue at the de LaSalle site, but the merged parish may eventually get a new name.

Prince of Peace parish and St. Leo parish were merged to form a new parish, possibly with a new name, though both church sites will still be used for masses.

Sacred Heart Parish was merged with St. Teresa Parish to form a new congregation, using the St. Teresa site. The parish’s name is expected to change.

Acknowledging that Sacred Heart was deeply involved in what is described as “social justice and outreach ministry,” the diocese urged the new, merged congregation to continue that work. That sentiment was shared by longtime Sacred Heart parishioner Audrey Perry.

“It’s not good sense to close it, not with Main Street coming back ... in the next few years,” Perry said. “They’re going to need that church right where it is. I’m heartbroken.”

St. Joseph parish and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish were merged to form a new parish, which will probably be renamed. Although the diocese said the merged parish would continue to use both church sites, that decision will be re-evaluated in three years.

St. Mary of the Cataract, in the shadow of Seneca Niagara Casino, will continue to operate as an independent parish.

In Lewiston and Youngstown, St. Bernard parish and St. Peter parish will remain open and independent sites.

Holy Family parish in Sanborn will remain open as long as the Barnabite Fathers can provide a pastor for the church. When the fathers are no longer able to do that, Holy Family Parish will merge into St. Peter parish in Lewiston.

Despite the pain of many parishioners and the bitter resentment of others, diocesan officials refused to say that the October mergers and closings would be the end of “Journey in Faith and Grace.”

“There may need to be some additional restructuring (in the Niagara Falls area) in another three to five years,” a diocesan spokesman said.