PAWTUCKET — Consolidation of three Pawtucket parishes, located within minutes of each other and each with over 100 years of history, comes with mixed emotions as it will be merged into a single parish on July 1.
Facing declining populations and growing financial challenges, more than 700 parishioners of Our Lady of Consolation, Sacred Heart and St. Joseph parishes petitioned the diocese to merge. The parishes will still continue to serve the faithful for many years to come, only as one single church and under a new name, Holy?Family.
Marianne Crisostomi, parishioner of Sacred Heart, expressed that the merger will be positive for the three churches but noted that naturally there will be a personal attachment to each parish.
“It’s a sign of the times,” said Crisostomi. “I think it will be good for the parish, but people will miss their churches.”
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence, has approved a request by the leadership and pastors of three Pawtucket parishes to merge forming, according to the diocese, a new, stronger Catholic faith community to be led by Father Robert P. Perron.
Crisostomi added that, “We have a really good pastor, so he will help us. He is a great person.”
Father Perron, appointed by Bishop Tobin to serve as the pastor of Holy Family Parish, currently serves as administrator of St. Joseph and Sacred Heart parishes. He will assume the new assignment effective July 1 of this year. Fr. Courtemanche, pastor of Our Lady of Consolation, will retire.
“Consolidating the spiritual and financial resources of these three parishes will enable the Church to better serve the people of Pawtucket,” said Father Perron.
“It is the people, not a building, that creates a strong and vibrant faith community. I look forward to serving the people of the new Holy Family community and would like to express my appreciation to all the laity and clergy who, through an exhaustive consultative effort, have helped to establish this new community of God’s people.”
According to a press release issued by the diocese, once heavily-attended each week by the faithful, the three churches have witnessed a steady decline in parishioners in recent years as families moved to suburban areas in Rhode Island.
The decline in parishioners, and subsequent financial challenges, forced the need for a review of the spiritual needs of the three faith communities. The intent of the creation of this new parish is to create one, strong faith community that better and more responsibly serves the spiritual needs of the faithful.
Parishioner Linda Teixeira of Our Lady of Consolation said that she thinks the merger will be good for the three parish communities.
“I think that all the different churches are in need of help,” said Teixeira. “The churches are coming together to work together.”
Father Perron explained that at a time when so many churches are consolidating, it is important that parishioners are informed and involved in decisions regarding their parishes.
“I tell them each step of what is happening because it is their church,” said?Father Perron.
A consultative process was conducted with parishioners and leadership of the three parishes. Nearly 709 parishioners of the three parishes signed a petition in support of the merger and 482 parishioners of the three parishes voted on the new name.
Monique Renaud has been a parishioner at St. Joseph church for 30 years and thinks that it will be fantastic to have all of the churches together.
“I think it’s great,” said Renaud. “We can all have our ministries and have them work together. It will be wonderful.”
A decision relative to the physical location of the new parish will be made June 4 at a meeting with parishioners of the three parishes. The recommendation will then be sent to the diocese for final approval.
Parishioner Louis Quadros has been going to St. Joseph church for 24 years and expressed that he is anticipating the merger of the parishes.
“I am looking forward to it,” said Quadros. “We just have to leave it in God’s hands and whatever He decides will be.”
Bishop Tobin expressed that the Diocese of Providence is confident that the merger will make the parish community stronger as it will now have the combined resources of three parishes.
“I take this opportunity to give thanks for the faithfulness of the People of God who have contributed to the rich and diverse cultural Catholic history in these three parishes,” said Bishop Tobin. “It is my prayer that the Holy Family will continue to guide, protect, and strengthen the faithful of this new parish in all their endeavors.”
DECREE
ERECTION OF HOLY FAMILY PARISH PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND
In the Name of God. Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Consolation, and St. Joseph Parishes, all located in the City of Pawtucket, R.I., have served the faithful in three separate parishes for many years. Sacred Heart and St. Joseph Parishes are territorial parishes, and Our Lady of Consolation Parish is a national parish initially ministering to Catholics of French Canadian descent.
Due to decreasing population, severe financial burdens, and changing ethnic demographics, a pastoral evaluation of the spiritual needs for the portion of the faithful was undertaken. After a lengthy process of discernment, the parish priests, the Parish Trustees, Parish Finance and Pastoral Councils, have recommended that the three parishes be suppressed in order to erect one vibrant worshipping community. On April 22, 2009, the Council of Priests heard the recommendation in keeping with the requirements of Canon 515,§2.
Therefore, having consulted the Council of Priests, and solicitous to protect the spiritual and canonical rights of the faithful, as well as respecting the intentions of the founders and donors; I hereby declare and decree that:
the Catholic faithful, heretofore members of Sacred Heart Parish, Our Lady of Consolation Parish, and Saint Joseph Parish, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, which have been canonically suppressed, are now members of a single parish under the title of the
HOLY FAMILY PARISH
Pawtucket, Rhode Island,
this newly erected parish will encompass the faithful and territory of the three suppressed parishes,
that the sacramental records of the three parishes be preserved and maintained at the rectory of the Holy Family Parish, and
that all the temporal goods, patrimonial rights, and the obligations of the three suppressed parishes are assumed by Holy Family Parish, a new public juridic person.
I take this opportunity to give thanks for the faithfulness of the People of God who have contributed to the rich and diverse cultural Catholic history in these three parishes. It is my prayer that the Holy Family will continue to guide, protect, and strengthen the faithful of this new parish in all their endeavors.
This decree shall be effective at 12:01 A.M., July 1, 2009.
Given in Providence, at the Chancery, on the 7th day of May 2009.
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin
Bishop of Providence
Monsignor John Darcy
Chancellor
