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	Diocese Closing Fatima Church in Worcester By Bronislaus B. Kush Telegram & Gazette May 29, 2009 http://www.telegram.com/article/20090529/NEWS/905290365/1116 WORCESTER — Parishioners at Our Lady of Fatima Church had already staved off one attempt to close their house of worship, which prominently sits high above Interstate 290 near Lincoln Square. Back in 1978, Diocese of Worcester officials seriously contemplated shutting down the stone structure. The busy highway had cut off the church from a good portion of the neighborhood that it had once served, and chancery officials considered whether the smaller congregation might be better off merging with nearby Our Lady of Mount Carmel-St. Ann Church. In the end, officials decided not to close the church. This week, parishioners weren't as lucky. Diocesan officials have announced that the church will close this year. Our Lady of Fatima shared a pastor, the Rev. Edward M. Ryan, with St. Bernard's Church on Lincoln Street. Parishioners were asked by Bishop Robert J. McManus some months ago to form a committee to decide which of the two churches should be eventually closed. Rev. Ryan this week began informing parishioners that the committee decided Our Lady of Fatima should be closed. Raymond L. Delisle, vice chancellor of operations for the diocese, said Bishop McManus and the Presbyteral Council, which is made up primarily of priests who head up diocesan districts, have accepted the committee's recommendation. Mr. Delisle added that all parish Masses will be consolidated at St. Bernard's Sept. 1 and a special closing liturgy will be held Sept. 20. The committee is now working on a list of three names for the reconfigured parish and is also working on pulling together a "unified" parish budget for the new fiscal year, which begins Sept. 1, as well as addressing facility issues that will result with Our Lady of Fatima's closing. The church is the second city parish that will close this year. St. Catherine of Sweden Church, which is located on Wiser Avenue in Worcester's Quinsigamond Village, will shut down in November and its congregants will be invited to worship at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on Cambridge Street. St. Catherine and Sacred Heart also have been sharing a pastor. Last summer, the diocese closed St. Margaret Mary, Notre Dame des Canadiens, Ascension, St. Casimir and Holy Name of Jesus churches. The closings were brought about by a shortage of priests, among other issues. Our Lady of Fatima formerly housed Trinity Lutheran Church. It was purchased in 1951 by the diocese for people who were attending St. Bernard's, St. Paul's Cathedral and other area churches. The church was named in remembrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary's appearance in 1917 to some young children at Fatima, Portugal. Its stained glass windows, created by Carl E. Paulson of Upton, depicted the apparitions in Portugal. About 400 attended the first Mass, which was held on June 8, 1952. Contact: bkush@telegram.com
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