Parting Parishes
SUGARCREEK TWP, Armstrong County — Although some parts of St. Patrick Parish are changing, the Rev. Joseph Bonafed hopes all members of his congregation will remain a part of the spiritual family.
"I certainly hope that that will happen," Bonafed said. "This is their parish. This has always been their parish."
As part of an effort to relieve overextended priests, the Diocese of Greensburg will close The Chapel of St. Patrick Parish, Bradys Bend, located in Sugarcreek. That site is one of six chapels of convenience the diocese will close in January.
As chapels of convenience, the sites are secondary sites for Mass in each parish.
The stone chapel, built in 1929, offers Mass in addition to the church on Route 68 in Bradys Bend. That church also is referred to as St. Patrick Parish, Bradys Bend.
As well as celebrating Masses at both locations each week, the Bonafed also serves St. Mary, Our Lady of Snows Parish in Parker.
"That's a pretty good example of the situation the diocese is looking at," said diocese spokesman Jerry Zufelt.
"We have 21 priests who are responsible for at least two parishes."
Bishop Lawrence Brandt announced the six closures in November, citing a decline in priests as the reason. Seven have died this year, a diocese announcement said.
Bonafed said although his parish of 225 to 250 families is relatively stable, other parts of the diocese exhibit more urgent need.
"Comparatively speaking throughout the diocese, this area is not a great growing area, like some others are," he said. "The bishop has to say 'Where is the growth at?' (and decide) where he can put the priests."As well as downsizing to two Masses instead of three in the St. Patrick Parish, Bonafed will cut one of two offered in Parker — reducing the total Masses to three.Although he has no way of knowing how St. Patrick's population will change, Bonafed said he hopes members who attended Mass at the chapel will drive the approximate six-mile distance to Bradys Bend."I hope and pray they continue to stay with us," he said.Currently, St. Patrick offers Mass at 8:30 a.m. Sundays at the chapel and at 6 p.m. Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. Sundays in Bradys Bend.The chapel's last Mass will be Dec. 30. The official closing date is Jan. 2.As for the building itself, St. Patrick has no immediate plan to sell the property, situated near an 1800s log church, also owned by St. Patrick. The log church, a remnant of the diocese beginnings in Armstrong County, is not in active use."We'll wait and see what the needs of the parish are," Bonafed said. "It's a very beautiful ground."Other closures include the chapel of Holy Trinity Parish, Ligonier in Wilpen; the chapel of All Saints Parish, Masontown in McClellandtown; the chapel of St. James Parish, Maxwell in Isabella and the chapels of Holy Family Parish, Seward located in Bolivar and New Florence.The Rev. Ronald Lengwin, a spokesman for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, said although the loss of priests also has affected his diocese, a similar reorganization effort was done there in the late 1980s and early '90s.That diocese is currently working on a program called Envisioning Ministry, which will be designed to sustain the diocese's current level of ministry with fewer priests.
