Last Mass: Parishioners bid farewell to St. Mary in Canton

CANTON − On Monday morning, services for the late Christine M. Kracjovic marked the last funeral at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church.

On Monday evening, the 123-year-old church at 1602 Market Ave. S, popularly known as St. Mary's, celebrated its final Mass as a parish.

On July 1, St. Mary/St. Benedict − which had merged in 2011− formally merged with the new St. Francis of Assisi, which also includes the former St. Anthony and All Saints churches. Masses for St. Francis are celebrated at St. Anthony at 1530 11th St. SE, and at St. Benedict at 2207 Third St. SE.

The church was full an hour before Monday's Mass began, as warm chatter filled the space.

As she handed out programs, Debbie Fether talked about her family's roots at St. Mary's, including her maternal grandfather, who helped to lay the cornerstone.

'We are still the church'

"I was baptized here," she said. "I went to school here. I've been here my whole life. They've been my extended family. But we will continue on. We are still the church."

Fether said the COVID-19 pandemic was detrimental, with about 130 people attending Mass on Sunday mornings. Parish leadership approached the diocese with the idea of closing the church.

As he entered the sanctuary, the Rev. Benson Okpara, who served St. Mary's for 12 years, was greeted with hugs and handshakes.

"They're great, wonderful people. They were a very welcoming community," he said. "Very dedicated. They love their church. I know this will break a lot of people's hearts."

Deacon Randy Smith was a diocesan pastoral associate at St. Mary's between 2019 and 2023.

"They're wonderful people with a heart for service," he said. "They've taken great pride working in the St. Benedict neighborhood."

Altar server Marlene Weekley said she joined St. Mary's in 2014 after moving from Waynesburg.

"I left my parish of 50 years," she said. "But people here were so friendly, I felt like I've been here a lifetime. It's been a great experience."

Justin Huyck, director of communications for the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, said St. Mary's archives and any sacred artifacts will be removed and properly stored. The Rev. Kevin Peters, the pastor of St. Francis; diocesan Chancellor and archivist Joan Lawson; and the Rev. Robert Lanternman, curator of the patrimony, will take on that assignment.

In the 1860s, the Rev. Clement H. Treiber formulated the plan for a new parish for parishioners of St. John and St. Peter who lived in the south part of town. After laying the cornerstone Oct. 1, 1899, the first Mass at St. Mary's was celebrated on Christmas Eve in the basement of the unfinished building. The church, which also built a school, was dedicated on May 20, 1900, during a ceremony in English and German.

There is nothing overly ornate or ostentatious about St. Mary's. Its sanctuary reflects the working-class people for whom it was built. In its heyday, St. Mary's was surrounded by homes and parishioners within walking distance. As those homes were demolished, the neighborhood was rezoned industrial, precipitating a gradual decline in membership and attendance as people moved to the suburbs.

A pledge and a promise

Preaching on the Beatitudes found in Matthew's gospel, Peters acknowledged the grief he knew some were experiencing.

"This is not an easy thing we're doing tonight," he said. "It's easier for anyone, including Jesus, to speak words of hope and healing than it is for those who are suffering to actually hear them. And that makes me wonder what may be going on in your mind and hearts as we gather here for this special Mass. I would not be surprised if you who grieve the loss of your parish church might find it difficult to hear or even believe words that speak of blessedness and comfort and satisfaction."

He noted that the process of closing of St. Mary's required a letter from the parish council to the diocese, seeking permission.

"One of the members of the Parish Pastoral Council reflected that it sounded like an obituary," he said. "And in a way, that's exactly what it was. We gather here in this place and at this hour to mourn the passing of the structure which stood at the center of the spiritual and sacramental life of the faithful for so many generations."

But Peters also told the audience that Jesus' famous words from The Sermon on the Mount remain true.

"There is hope borne out in sacred scripture which insists that we who are baptized in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus will continue on in the newness of life," he said. "It's the promise of our faith. St. John saw a new heaven and new earth on the horizon, and heard the the voice of the one who said 'I make all things new.' These holy and ancient words are the source of our hope."

Peters said manmade items have a lifespan.

"Yes, even parish church buildings are temporary," Peters said. "But the living memories that have come to life in places like this live on in the lives of those who hold those memories dear. And at this moment, particularly for those who have been parishioners of St. Mary parish have been given a pledge and a promise by a loving and tender God."

'I feel your pain'

Bishop David Bonnar offered his sympathies to those gathered.

"My sisters and brothers, I come here tonight to pray with you and to mourn the loss of your church building. I am sorry for your loss. I feel your pain," he said. "My home parish was merged with three other parishes just a few years ago. The first parish in which I served as pastor and worked so hard with the staff and faithful to make it a vibrant community was merged, and the entire campus was sold. The concept of parish as we know it is changing before us. And yet, our faith tells us that the church is more than just brick and mortar. It is the people of God centered around Jesus Christ. This whole idea is brought home by Jesus when he says, 'Wherever two or three gather in my name there am I in their midst.'”

Bonnar said that although the job of priest is to open doors, "sadly, tonight we entered these doors which lead to grace one last time as this church will be closed forever. This marks the 11th church closure since I became bishop of Youngstown."

"... And although we leave this church under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, Mary never leaves us. We must never hesitate to seek her intercession, especially under the title of the Immaculate Conception as well as the intercession of our newest patron, St. Francis of Assisi, who always preached love, trust, and patience ... In this time of transition and letting go, we pray for that patient and loving perseverance through the intercession of Mary and St. Francis. Let us exit these doors one last time to go follow Jesus into the peripheries and be his missionary disciples."

At the end of his remarks, Bonnar led a ritual that included blessing the sanctuary and inviting parishioners to touch the altar as they departed the space for the last time.

The moment brought tears to some, as several also touched the statue of St. Mary on their way out the door.

"It's kind of sad," said Joann Labriola, who graduated from St. Mary's School in 1950 and was married at the church in 1956. "A lot of memories."

Susan Michel and her sister Kim Hill said they grew up attending the church and school.

"I live in North Canton now, so I go to church up there, but every once in a while I'd come down here," Michel said. "There are a lot of good memories. I was baptized here. It's sad that so many churches are merging and combining."

Once the sanctuary was empty, Bonnar closed the door and said a final prayer.

"Ritualization is important " he said after the ceremony. "People need to be able to grieve."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton parishioners say goodbye to St. Mary church