St. Ann’s Final Mass: ‘I Wish The Archbishop Could Have Sat Here To See The Hearts He Broke’

“The archbishop ripped out the soul of this borough,” said an older woman as she walked down the front steps of Saint Ann church in Bristol Sunday.

The woman was one of about 1,200 people who attended the church’s final mass with its Trinitarian priests as it merges with St. Mark parish, just blocks away.

The final service was marked with high emotions as many are fighting the July 1 closure, which was announced in late spring by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Father Tom Morris and Rev. Gerard Lynch gave their farewell messages to the gathered.

“Gerard and I will not say goodbye to you,” Morris said. “We will say until we meet again.”

Morris’ and Lynch’s words were met with standing ovations from the people in pews in the 108-year-old church.

“I wish the archbishop could have sat here to see the hearts he broke,” Bristol Borough Council President and lifelong Saint Ann’s member Ralph DiGuiseppe said during the final mass. Moments later, DiGuiseppe wiped tears from his eyes with a tissue.

The church will transition to a new archdiocese “worship center” starting on Tuesday. The Trinitarians who currently hold the keys will turn them over to the archdiocese. Starting next Sunday, a 10:30 a.m. mass will be held in the church with Rev. Dennis Mooney of St. Mark presiding. The church is also expected to hold baptisms, weddings and funerals. How long the archdiocese will keep Saint Ann’s open as a worship center remains to be seen.

“It’s all of our job as Saint Ann parishioners to attend that mass,” DiGuiseppe said of next Sunday’s services. “We need to stay Saint Ann strong.”

Members of the church told LevittownNow.com they don’t want to merge with Saint Mark’s parish, which is about a half mile away. Some cited the way their immigrant families were treated years ago and others said Saint Ann’s means too much to them.

Dom Toby Oriolo has been coming to Saint Ann church since he was born in 1928.

“This is sad. I was baptized here, married, had communion – everything,” he said, adding his wife Julia has also celebrated so many life memories in the church.

Oriolo wasn’t alone.

Bristol Borough resident Mike Rago handed out envelopes that included letters to Archdiocese of Philadelphia

The parishioners led by the DiGuiseppe family have collected more than 1,800 signatures asking the archdiocese to keep the church open but have yet to receive an official response. Many parishioners said they reached out directly to the Vatican.

The church has hired to Canon lawyers in Italy to appeal the church closure. DiGuiseppe said those lawyers will cost about $25,000 to $30,000. A bank account to help pay the costs has been set up at First Federal of Bucks County on Mill Street.

A Saint Ann appeal meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16 at Calvary Baptist Church on Green Lane in Bristol.

Along with Saint Ann’s closing, 15 other closures in the Philadelphia region were announced. The move came as the archdiocese is selling property amid decreased income and attendance.

Related:

• St. Ann Parishioners Ready to Take Closure Fight to Rome
• St. Ann Parish Files Appeal, Plans Walk on Monday