Pocono News Section

Church Survives Despite Cutbacks

Church Survives Despite Cutbacks - Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 04:01AM EST

Reported by: Monica Madeja
Thursday June 03 2010

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- There is a diamond in the rough in Wilkes-Barre . It's been a year since the Diocese of Scranton announced a major consolidation plan, closing dozens of churches. But parishioners of St. Aloysius in south Wilkes-Barre are experiencing a re-birth with a major renovation.

Renovations are something Mike Williamson might have thought impossible a year ago. But things have been changing.

It used to be really nice here. All the kids would be out with the teachers playing but now it's real quiet," Williamson said.

Quiet because this life long member of St. Aloysius parish also went to class at the now closed elementary school. Now works on the grounds. Once he and the other parishioners heard the news that churches would be closing in their diocese, they sprung into action.

The parishioners at St. Aloysius rallied together to raise money in just six months to make the renovations to keep their church open for good. That extra money, totaled 500 thousand dollars. St. Al's pastor says that's a testament to the devotion of the people that have called this church home for so many years.

Father Andrew Sinnott said, There's a great deal of ownership of a parish. The people feel that it is my parish. My grandfather helped build it, my mother helped here, I was educated here, I received my sacraments here. So there's a lot of attachment to a parish."

Parishioner Lee Beretsky said, Now there's renovations goingIt's like a new beginning."

The renovations at St. Al's will be complete by mid-July. Mass has been going on as usual.