A merger between a pair of Catholic churches in the city’s Flint section was officially announced over the weekend. Notre Dame de Lourdes and Immaculate Conception parishes will merge in late June, to form the new St. Bernadette Parish, said Fall River Diocese spokesman John Kearns.
A merger between a pair of Catholic churches in the city’s Flint section was officially announced over the weekend.
Notre Dame de Lourdes and Immaculate Conception parishes will merge in late June, to form the new St. Bernadette Parish, said Fall River Diocese spokesman John Kearns.
The Rev. Richard Chretien, who has been pastor at Notre Dame and Immaculate Conception since 2003, will keep that role in the new parish.
St. Bernadette’s will hold its masses at the former Notre Dame Church on Eastern Avenue, about a half mile from Immaculate Conception. The Notre Dame location, which was extensively renovated in 1987, was chosen to house the new parish because it is
it is handicapped accessible and has a large meeting space for church functions. The diocese has not announced plans for the Immaculate Conception building.
A merger has been in the works for quite some time. A Parish Planning Task Force was formed in 2010 to consult with parishioners from both parishes about possible new names, and ideas on which location should be used.
A letter written by Bishop George Coleman was read at Notre Dame and Immaculate Conception during all masses last weekend. The diocese cited demographic changes in Fall River, an ongoing shortage of priests and decreasing parish participation as the primary reasons for the merger.
“I realize that this may be difficult for some,” Coleman said. “Changes in our diocese require us to examine how we can utilize our resources to best provide for the Catholic community now and in the future.”
Kearns said church participation has been declining for several years, making it difficult to support the two parishes financially.
In 2000, there were 1,200 households registered as parishioners at Notre Dame. That number has declined to 958 households in 2012. Immaculate Conception had 600 households in 2000 and 278 now. Average weekly attendance at masses declined from 798 in 2000 at Notre Dame to 485 currently. Immaculate Conception’s attendance has dropped from 670 to 480 during the same time period.
Chretien said he has spoken with a number of Immaculate Conception parishioners who are upset that their church will be closed in a few months. But he said the parishioners accept that a merger is needed.
“They’ve lived their entire faith lives in one community,” Chretien said. “That is a strong bond that exists, but the bishop’s objective is to make a stronger community and better church going forward.”
Both parishes were established in the late 19th century, with French-speaking Catholics attending Notre Dame and English speakers going to Immaculate Conception.
“To maintain a church in the east end of the city is important,” Chretien said. “Our hope is the new community that evolves will give a great deal of hope to its parishioners.”
St. Bernadette is a 19th century French saint who had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary in a grotto in the outskirts of Lourdes, France. The “small young lady” revealed herself with the words “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Bernadette was canonized in December 1933.
Email Derek Vital at dvital@heraldnews.com.
