Catholics from nearby parishes welcoming St. Anne's members

Members of St. Anne's Church in Waterford celebrated their final Mass June 29, with parishioners and pastors from surrounding parishes in attendance.

St. Anne's has served Catholics for 116 years; it was established in 1887 as a national parish for French-Canadian immigrants.

In anticipation of the closure, parishes in Troy, Cohoes and Waterford have been reaching out to the people of St. Anne's to welcome them as new members.

Evangelizing

At St. Augustine's in the Lansingburgh section of Troy, for example, Rev. James Spenard, OSA, pastor, has been using his weekly bulletin as a means of evangelization and has encouraged his parishioners to let the people of St. Anne's know that they are welcome.

"We've been asking the question, 'What are we doing to make the people of St. Anne's know how welcome they are here?'" Father Spenard said. "I've been through the closing of a parish before. I can understand the hurt and loss that [the parishioners of St. Anne's] are feeling. Some of these families go back to the beginnings of the parish and its French connections."

Father Spenard went to St. Anne's a few weeks ago to concelebrate a Sunday Mass with Father Menihane and to tell parishioners they are welcome at St. Augustine's.

"I wanted to let them know that we are a community that cares and that, at St. Augustine's, their heritage would not be forgotten," he said.

Options

St. Anne's is part of a cluster that includes parishes in Troy, Waterford and Cohoes. St. Bernard's, in what is known as the Northside of Cohoes, is geographically the closest to St. Anne's.

"Parishioners at St. Anne's are very welcome to join us," said Rev. Lawrence McTavey, pastor. "We have a tradition at St. Bernard's that also includes the French-Canadian connection. It would be very convenient for parishioners to come here. We're so close, in fact, that from St. Anne's parking lot, you can see our church.

"This area has many parishes that are convenient for the folks there: St. Joseph's, Holy Trinity, St. Michael's, St. Augustine's and St. Mary's, which is also staffed by the Augustinians."

Making a choice

Kathleen Walsh, a parishioner of St. Anne's, has taught first and second grade at St. Augustine's School for the past 25 years.

"Many people have reached out to us," she told The Evangelist.

"For so many at St. Anne's, especially our elderly parishioners, this closure is very difficult. For them, it has been the only parish they have ever known. My mother is 90 years old, and she was baptized at St. Anne's. Father Spenard and the people at St. Augustine's have let us know that they genuinely care. They have shown real concern."

Clare McGarvey, a parishioner of St. Augustine's who lives close to St. Anne's, has been inviting everyone she meets to try out her parish.

"I attend daily Mass at St. Anne's and have asked a couple of parishioners if they'd be interested in coming to our parish," she said. "I think that people will slowly make a decision, maybe try out one parish or another, and then decide where they want to go. What is important is that they know they are welcome wherever they choose to go. We don't want anyone to not attend church. We want them to know we care about them as Catholics, as part of our faith community."

Connections

Rev. Daniel J. Menihane, OSA, pastor at St. Anne's, said that the 300 registered families there will find caring, concerned Catholics in nearby parishes.

"This community has been very generous," he said. "Many families know each other already, even though they are in different parishes. There always was a very strong French-Canadian connection in this community, and families have gone back and forth to the various parishes. People will make their decisions when the timing is right for them."

Father Menihane will relocate to St. Mary's in Waterford as assistant to Rev. David J. Kelly, OSA, pastor.

(7/03/03) [[In-content Ad]]