The January 14th edition of the Times Leader ran a proper elegy for St. Mary's of the Immaculate Conception in Wilkes-Barre. The last Mass at this church was celebrated on January 12, and it sounds like the liturgy was conducted in the manner of a funeral for a well-loved member of any family or community. Here is a quote that moved me most.
"Then one of the most touching moments you may ever see occurred as parishioners took turns saying goodbye to the altar itself. Long lines formed. Some knelt, some kissed, some tapped gently with fingers. Some wiped tears away.
Once the church was empty, long-time parishioners Alice Rodgers and Janice Oliver locked the front doors. Rodgers tied a purple bow across the handles and made the sign of the cross as she turned to descend the steps for one last time."
The story of the Immaculate Conception of Wilkes-Barre is eerily similar to that of our St. Mary's/Immaculate Conception in Yonkers. While I am happy that it was treated with great love in its final days, I hope (pray, plot, scheme and work) that our church will continue to stand and provide a spiritual home for the citizens of Yonkers and beyond for years to come.
You can read the sad and moving tribute from the Times Leader here: "Church had a powerful history worth remembering"
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