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	Merged Easton Churches Feel Bond of Faith By John A. Zukowski The Express-Times August 14, 2008 http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/entertainment/index.ssf?/base/living-0/1218686761215720.xml&coll=3 Combining three Catholic churches into one has been a spiritual success, pastor, parishioners say. Church closings have hit parishioners hard in some areas of the Allentown Catholic Diocese's five-county region. After the diocese announced a massive restructuring, which closed 47 churches, some parishioners in Bethlehem made an appeal to keep churches open -- including the now-closed St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church. Similar drives have happened in other parts of the diocese. But in other places, the transition is generally going smoothly. That's the case in Easton, according to some parishioners attending a recent weekday Mass at St. Bernard's in Easton. In some way, the changes have been kind of a spiritual lesson, they say. "Life is a series of changes and there's nothing constant," says Arlene Piatt, of Forks Township. "We're going to be all right," On July 15, parishes at three Easton churches merged into one. St. Bernard, St. Joseph and St. Michael parishes combined to become the new Our Lady of Mercy Parish in the former St. Joseph church. However, St. Bernard's -- the oldest existing Catholic Church in the area -- is still being used for weekday Masses twice a day. Continuing to keep St. Bernard's open is one reason the transition has been successful, some Easton Catholics say. "People are happy they kept it open," says Mark Anascavage, of Easton. "I think the diocese realized it was such a historic church and they had to keep it open." Another reason is the Rev. Deogratias Rwegasira, who parishioners knew as a priest who served in the city churches. Rwegasira's upcoming installation 4:30 p.m. Saturday as the new pastor of Our Lady of Mercy is another sign things are solidifying in the newly formed Easton parish. "I think it will do a lot to bring people together and let them know we have our own priest," Piatt says. Rwegasira says interaction among the three churches had existed for some time. "People had been praying together at the churches, we had one council for the three churches and offices for the three churches were at St. Bernard's," he says. "So this was not something new for them, so maybe that's why it's been easier here than in some other places." Allentown Catholic Diocese spokesman Matt Kerr said even though feedback on closings throughout the diocese hasn't all been positive, he hasn't heard anything negative about combining the three churches. Part of the reason may be that parishioners are starting to meet new parish members formerly from other churches, he says. "From the standpoint of the people in the pews, when you bring in new people you get a new choir so to speak with new voices and more opportunities for people to donate their talents," Kerr says. "It doesn't all fall on the same people." Before a midday Mass at St. Bernard's, churchgoer Dick Piatt (Arlene's husband) said there has been a sense that people were starting to form a community. "There are people from all three churches here and people are trying to get together to become a new family," he says. In some churches, the merger required forming committees to help, Kerr says. However, the process may take a while for some parishes, he says. "Full acceptance may take longer in some cases than others." The Piatts say they have been thinking about what the sweeping restructuring means. And after the changes -- which the diocese says were brought on by a shortage of priests -- Arlene Piatt says she has one wish for the future. "We hope people will encourage their sons and daughters to enter a religious vocation so things like this don't have to happen again."
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