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“Quiet resignation” was the consensus of the congregants of Sacred Heart parish in Mount Vernon upon learning their parish would merge with Our Lady of Victory, also in Mount Vernon, next August.
“Overall, they are undoubtedly sad, they are disappointed that the parish is closing,” said Father Andrew Florez, temporary administrator of Sacred Heart. “They love their parish.”
But Father Florez said he has pointed out to his parishioners a number of silver linings in the merger, beginning with the short distance between the two churches—three blocks. Another is that Our Lady of Victory has a regional school, and its religious education classes are held in actual classrooms. When Sacred Heart School closed in 2011, catechism lessons were relegated to the rectory, “in little nooks and crannies,” where space was compromised, he said.
Sacred Heart is one of a number of parishes to be merged next year through the archdiocesan pastoral planning process, Making All Things New.
News of Sacred Heart’s merger was not surprising, Father Florez conceded, noting the archdiocese has spent “hundreds of thousands of dollars” throughout the past 10 years to keep the parish doors open. Furthermore, “we’re one of those parishes that is ‘aging out,’” he said, meaning, “we’re losing more parishioners than we’re gaining,” given the small contingent of young families on its roster.
The parish has three weekend Masses. A “good” weekend attendance would show a combined total of 300 in the pews, compared to the “average” of 150 to 200 at all three liturgies, according to Father Florez.
“And after 10 years, we still cannot pay our own monthly bills. So it’s quite understandable.”
Father Florez is working collaboratively with the pastor of Our Lady of Victory, Father Jefferson Bariviera, C.S., so that “it’s not us just trying to blend in with them, but a new parish forming from two older parishes,” he said. “I don’t want simply Sacred Heart’s parishioners to be absorbed into Our Lady of Victory’s parish and feel lost there.”
Sacred Heart’s parishioners are predominantly from the Caribbean islands and Africa, as well as from the southern United Sates, Father Florez said. Our Lady of Victory has a number of parishioners of Brazilian and Portuguese descent.
“I think it’s an unfortunate decision,” said Lynn Simpson, 66, a parishioner of Sacred Heart for 35 years and a cluster member. “It’s very territorial here. We’re a small, four-square mile community. Each church has its own demographics. The mix will not go well. My belief is that we’re going to lose Catholics.”
“We were a great cluster,” she added. “We all collaborated well. But when it came down to the final meeting, it wasn’t as comfortable as it had been initially. Everybody wanted their church to stay open.”
On Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the parishes of St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Stephen of Hungary, respectively, will merge with St. Monica parish. St. Monica’s is the designated parish church. After next August, Masses and the sacraments will no longer be celebrated on a regular weekly basis at St. Elizabeth’s and St. Stephen’s. They will, however, remain churches that may be used on special occasions.
St. Elizabeth’s is at 211 E. 83rd St. St. Stephen’s is at 414 E. 82nd St. St. Monica’s is at 413 E. 79th St.
While he understands the complexities involved in Making All Things New, Msgr. Patrick McCahill, pastor of St. Elizabeth’s and moderator of the archdiocesan Deaf Center headquartered there, said it is his hope that “the service to the deaf is not lost” at St. Elizabeth’s, which has served the group for nearly 35 years.
The Deaf Center provides religious and social services for deaf people in the archdiocese.
St. Monica’s, he said, is unable to suitably accommodate meetings, gatherings and Masses for the deaf community.
“We’re not a problem as far as money is concerned for the diocese,” Msgr. McCahill added of St. Elizabeth’s. “We pay our bills and we have some modest resources, so it’s puzzling.”
Kalman Chany, 57, chairman of the cluster group and a trustee of St. Elizabeth’s, has been a parishioner for more than 35 years. “People are still in a state of shock,” he said. “Our parishioners are disappointed.”
Even non-Catholics in the community who see the deaf signing to each other outside the church before and after Masses are among those who are asking, “‘How can they do that to the deaf?’” Chany said.
“Stability is a very important thing with deaf people,” Msgr. McCahill concluded. “Having the same program at the same time in the same place,” he said, is crucial.
Joseph Zwilling, director of communications for the archdiocese, said Cardinal Dolan and Auxiliary Bishop John O’Hara, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Strategic Pastoral Planning, “are both very aware of the needs of the deaf community and are committed to working with them to develop a plan so that the important ministry can continue.”
In lower Manhattan, Most Precious Blood parish, established in 1891, will merge with the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, both of which are located on Mulberry Street. While St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral is the designated parish church, Masses and sacraments will continue to be celebrated at Most Precious Blood, which houses the National Shrine of San Gennaro.
“I’m all for it,” said Thomas Smyth, a doorman who lives directly across the street from Most Precious Blood Church. Because of his work schedule, Smyth frequents Mass at Old St. Patrick’s, he said after the 7 p.m. Mass there on All Souls Day.
“There are burdens to be shared and there is a lot of burden on the Catholic Church in New York City,” Smyth continued. “Everybody’s well aware of that. People can look at this very ominously, but I don’t.”
Just as Peter was assured “this Church will never end,” Smyth said, “that carries over to these little churches not only in New York City,” but in all the outer boroughs.
He is hopeful. “There’s an open-mindedness that’s very strong here,” Smyth said.
Msgr. Donald Sakano, pastor of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, said Most Precious Blood is a church he knows and has affection for. “It’s actually part of the history and the culture of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral.”
Most Precious Blood, at 109 Mulberry St. and St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, at 263 Mulberry St., “form sort of ‘bookends’ to a very vibrant, culturally rich, historic, fun, street,” he added.
Both congregations have much to offer one another, “to see our true purpose as launch pads for evangelization and bringing spiritual formation to people of our community, starting with Mulberry Street,” Msgr. Sakano said.
The neighborhood receives numerous visitors, according to the pastor. In that regard, “there are a lot of things we can do there” as well, he said.
“I think people are generally looking forward to it. I feel good about it. I want our 200th anniversary celebration (on Nov. 22, 2015) to embrace both churches.”
