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WHITEHALL

Closed church's cross saved by parishioners

Every cross tells the story of Christ's sacrifice. However, some crosses tell further stories, as well: for example, the cross that once topped Our Lady of Angels Church in Whitehall.

Our Lady of Angels closed in 2000. It was scheduled for demolition in 2008, the land on which it stood slated to become a parking lot. Its cross, which had not been removed, had been damaged by years of environmental wear and tear and was further dented when the building fell.

Then a group of determined parishioners formed a committee dedicated to restoring the cross. 

Committee member Paul D'Amico attended Our Lady of Angels Church as a child. "We thought it was lost," he recalled of seeing the damage done to the cross. "The committee was doubtful as to whether or not it could be fully restored."

Lost and found
The group brought the broken cross to Monahan's Metal Works in Queensbury. Though they were doubtful, Joe and Daniel Monahan decided to try to make the repairs. 

In time, apprentices from the Local No. 83 of the Sheet Metal Workers' Union worked with their instructors to straighten out the cross and repair it to the best of their ability. Except for a couple of scrapes and nicks, the cross was restored better than the committee had expected. 

"We are very fortunate," Mr. D'Amico concluded.

Rev. Michael Flannery is pastor of Our Lady of Hope in Whitehall, the parish formed by the merger of Our Lady of Angels and Notre Dame des Victoires parishes. He shared the committee's feelings.

New home
"I was thrilled to hear that the cross had been salvaged and was optimistic we could use it and give it a place of dignity," he said.

Father Flannery said the cross is a symbol of the memories parishioners have of Our Lady of Angels Church.

"It marked a place where so many people from Whitehall had worshiped for so many years and it is a remembrance of a church that meant something to so many of them," he said. "It shows the appreciation they had of the old church building and just their overall ties to the parish community."

After getting a fresh layer of gold paint, the cross was finished. In an Aug. 22 dedication ceremony, it was placed in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery.

(09/03/09) [[In-content Ad]]

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