“Mass has ended. Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” Those words took on new meaning for me today as the final Mass at St. Patrick's came to a close. No more weddings. No more baptisms. No more first communions. No more funerals. No more parish. It shouldn’t be this way. Today, many eyes were crying not just Irish eyes. Today’s Mass was the final funeral to be held at St. Pat’s. It was for the church itself. The doors of St. Patrick’s RC Church on Sixth Avenue in Uptown Troy NY have been closed and locked for the last time. May she rest in peace.
To be clear, I am not a practical Catholic. I converted many years ago, becoming an Episcopalian. My father, however, is a practical Catholic. As a member of the Knights of Columbus, he has served on the Honor Guard for three closings already. All were parishes he attended at one point in his life. He could not serve this time. It has become too difficult, too emotional. St. Patrick’s is the parish his parents were raised and married in, where his siblings were baptized and his grandparents buried from. I attended today to represent my family and its historic connection to the parish.
Today we celebrated all that St. Patrick’s was and is and shall be no more. Practical Catholics have already made too many sacrifices. The “Called to be Church” program is taking too much away from inner city parishes all across the Capital District. The bishop claims to be concerned about that yet his actions prove differently. But then again, why should the bishop want to continue parishes that don’t fully participate in his appeals? It’s too bad that I can’t help but think that’s all he’s interested in.
1 comment:
I don't believe you have to be a practising Catholic to note the historic significance of the local church closings. St. Pats was founded by Irish immigrants, some our family's forebares. As the parish grew it enjoyed the addition of members of every creed, race and nationality, it was a community.
What has happened is a demonstration of mismanagement to the highest degree, not malice, just plain incompetence! Troy's population has been in decline for 50 years, it is an aging, saging shell of it's former glory, when it lead Albany in industry and growth.
People have moved away in droves to get a piece of the American Dream, a home with a yard in the burbs, and why not. The diocese failed to move with them. Planned consolidation of parishs should have been done continuously during this time, not this planned mass pogram against the City's remaining faithful. Why is the middle citys survivor church St. Anthony's? Is it because it is staffed by an order and not the Diocese? As I understand it the Bishop could close St. Anthony's but not appoint its pastor. It is the smallest of the 3 ST. Ps and St. Marys. no parking, no real community facilities, but logistically a good move for the Albany marauders. Why was over a million dollars spent on 2 roofs for churchs known by the raiders to be closing?
St. Patrick's was solvent with active church leadership and involved members. I would look east up the hill to find the asp that lead to its demise.
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