The Memorial Mass for Sr. Annie’s dad, Robert Bremmer, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11:00 am. The site for this celebration will be St. Mary’s Church, New Castle, and there will be a reception in The Parish Center across the street immediately following the Mass. All are welcome to attend.

We are blessed to have so many in our community who have bravely served in our military over the years. On Monday, Veterans Day, we will continue to remember and honor them in a special service held at Saint Anthony Church tomorrow evening at 6:30 pm in Bessemer. This service has been held annually in their honor.

The Finance Council and Pastoral Council unanimously agreed, at our most recent meeting on October 29, that it is time to petition the Bishop to officially close St. Lawrence Church. TheSt. Lawrence Church building was rendered unusable when engineers examined the building and closed it for public safety. The beams no longer support the roof and there is a true danger that the roof could  collapse at any  moment.  Salvaging the building would be an enormous financial hardship for the Parish and, with already 29 buildings to maintain, the Parish has no choice but to let go of St. Lawrence Church at this time. It has been over three years since any Mass has been celebrated in the building.

Deacon John and I have already met with county officials regarding tax assessment for the church because once we are no longer able to use a church for worship, it goes back on the tax rolls. However, due to the deplorable condition of the building, our tax liability is minimal. Our public safety     liability, however, is a very serious concern. We have no choice but to act responsibly and lay to rest what was a building used for sacred worship.

What happens next? The bishop will receive our request and then make his own decision regarding rendering St. Lawrence Church no longer suitable for Catholic    worship. And we will then remove all religious items from the structure and dispose of it according to church law.

It is always painful to say goodbye or to let go of something or someone we love. At times like this, we must be compassionate and understanding with each other and remember that everything in this life is temporary—even our own life—in this world. It is the next life that is eternal.

Everything that happened under the roof of St. Lawrence still lives on. All the sacraments that were celebrated and all the love and sacrifice that built the church lives on. We all must partake of the Pascal Mystery of the Dying and Rising of Christ. This is a kind of dying; but it is also a rising to new life. And we will continue to experience both until we, ourselves, die and rise in Him our Savior.

God love you,