Parishioners were anguished when they heard during Mass on Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27 that Our Lady of the Assumption on 23rd Street, St. Michael-St. Joseph on 23rd Street, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 22nd Street would merge, starting Jan. 1. The new parish, to be called St. John Paul II, will be at the Mt. Carmel site.
Roman Catholics in Bayonne had been dreading the news, as there had been talk for years about church mergers. A downturn in attendance, contributions, and those entering the priesthood forced the archdiocese to finally make the decision many in Bayonne did not want to hear.
A letter from Newark Archbishop John Myers was read aloud at Masses over the weekend, spelling out which parishes would close, merge, or stay independent from the others.
“The city’s population has changed over the past 70 years,” Myers said in the letter. “The numbers are fewer and the demographic makeup of the city has welcomed new faces. We have the same number of parishes as we did 70 years ago. We have scarce resources and fewer personnel to serve this changing scene.”
A call to the archdiocese for additional details on the decision was not returned.
For some, the Assumption/St. Michael’s-St. Joseph’s/Mt. Carmel merger was déjà vu because St. Michael and St. Joseph had merged a few years back.
Though in his letter, Myers thanked the pastors and parishioners who offered input into how to reorganize the parishes, parishioners were not in a forgiving mood.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. It’s a shame.” – Anthony DiPaolo
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Identity crisis
Many see the merger as a clash of cultures. While St. Michael’s has a mixed following, Mt. Carmel has been known for its Polish congregation; Assumption for its Italian congregation, and more recently for its Spanish and Filipino congregations.
Some of Assumption’s parishioners felt the Italian attendees had been left out in the cold, with no ethnic services or traditions left for them. A couple of them said they were hopeful that the decision affecting their church could be appealed.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. It’s a shame,” said Anthony DiPaolo, 65. “It’s a shame when you have to start closing churches.”
Kathy Mazzouccolo, a 20-year attendee of Assumption said the archdiocese’s decision regarding her parish was “heartbreaking.” Her husband’s family has been involved with Assumption since 1904.
She said she will probably attend church at Holy Rosary Parish in Jersey City rather than go to the new merged parish of St. John Paul II.
“They have the same [Italian] traditions and friends go there,” Mazzouccolo said.
St. Michael’s parishioners also opposed the merger. “I guess it’s time, with populations changing in Bayonne,” said Janet, who preferred not to give her last name. “I guess they have to do it. I’m sad about it. It’s a shame.”
Pat Longo, a St. Michael’s parishioner for 15 years and Eucharistic minister there, said, “I’m very upset about it.” Accustomed to a small parish where everyone knows everyone, Longo will now have to go to a larger parish, where she feels she will be lost.
Other parishes
The news was great for St. Henry Church on 28th Street and St. Vincent DePaul on 46th Street, as both will remain independent. St. Vincent will add Spanish services, ostensibly for some congregants from Assumption and other parishes.
Many had suspected that St. Vincent’s would survive, since it is the only Catholic church north of 28th Street.
“This place is very excited,” Vincent Angrosina, a St. Vincent’s parishioner for 12 years, said at a parish breakfast following the announcement. “Everybody was clapping and cheering. They are very happy we’re being left alone.”
Jude Americk said he felt relief that his parish would remain independent.
“What they’re doing makes sense,” he said. “We’re the only church uptown.”
Many also thought St. Henry’s would remain open, because of its cathedral-like qualities and because it had been the base for Hudson County’s bishop, Rev. Thomas Donato, until his death last month.
St. Mary, Star of the Sea on 14th Street and St. Andrew the Apostle on 4th Street, already linked and sharing pastoral and office staffs, will merge as of Jan. 1. The new parish will be known as Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich after Bayonne’s hometown saint. The new parish will offer Spanish services, like St. Vincent’s.
Both St. Mary’s and St. Andrew’s will remain open for the time being. There was no word on which parish would eventually close.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.