The former Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church building in Saint Clair, now maintained by Saint Clare of Assisi Parish, will close due to declining use and rising maintenance costs.
Additionally, Minersville’s two remaining Roman Catholic churches will merge as one parish, according to a press release issued Sunday by the Diocese of Allentown.
Parishioners at the affected parishes learned of the closure and merger, both of which take effect Wednesday, July 1, during Masses conducted at their respective churches over the weekend, according to the diocese.
The church building in Saint Clair has been used since 2008 for Mass one day per year, and for funerals of former Immaculate Conception parishioners. Attendance at that Mass has declined, and the number of funerals has significantly declined. Monsignor William F. Glosser, St. Clare of Assisi pastor, said the parish can no longer bear maintenance costs or raise sufficient funds to cover costs.
The closing recommendation of Glosser, made in consultation with his parish council, was reviewed by the Diocesan Council of Priests and the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Commission. They recommended the action to the Most Rev. Alfred Schlert, bishop of Allentown.
The church building’s closure, effective July 1, will have all sacred images, furnishings, vessels and altars removed and preserved for use by St. Clare of Assisi or another parish. All proceeds from the sale of the former church building, or of any items such as stained glass windows, will be retained by St. Clare of Assisi and will not go to the diocese.
Stronger presence
Meanwhile, the two parishes in Minersville will merging to create a stronger, more unified Catholic presence in the community.
The Parish Advisory Council and Parish Financial Committee of both St. Matthew the Evangelist and St. Michael the Archangel parishes have voted unanimously to support a merger.
Father Jason Stokes, pastor at both parishes, will lead the newly created parish, Holy Family Parish of Minersville. Both the St. Matthew and St. Michael church buildings will remain open. The merged congregation will use both churches for worship.
“Our new name, Holy Family, stresses that we are coming together as one new, vibrant parish family with two churches,” Stokes said in the press release. “I’m pleased that the parishioners have taken such an active role in this positive step for our worship community.”
Stokes’ merger recommendation was also reviewed by the Diocesan Council of Priests and the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Commission. They, in turn, recommended the action to Schlert.
In conjunction with the merger, the Finance and Advisory committees at St. Matthew recommended unanimously that the underused St. Francis of Assisi church building be closed. The church has been open in recent years only for one Mass per year, on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, and for funerals. However, there have been no funerals there since 2008.
The building is expected to need major repairs in the near future, and is no longer needed to serve the pastoral needs of the Catholic community in Minersville, Stokes said.