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WELLSVILLE – The Celebration Mass of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at Immaculate Conception Church in Wellsville Monday morning was a bitter sweet occasion for many in attendance.
It was the annual mass promised by the Diocese of Youngstown to celebrate the church’s patron feast day of the Immaculate Conception and only the second time the church has been open since closing in July 2011.
The mass was lead by Bishop George V. Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown. In 2011, Murry and the diocese announced plans to merge the ICC with St. Aloysius and St. Ann’s to form the Holy Trinity parish in East Liverpool.
Many parishioners at ICC felt uncomfortable attending a new church and questioned the diocese’s reasons for closing their beloved church.
After ICC held its last mass in July 2011, parishioners began working to have the church reopened. They formed a group called The Committee to Save the Immaculate Conception Church. The group has held several events hoping to bring attention to its cause and even went as far as to write to the Vatican, pleading the case with Pope Francis himself.
With the future of the church in the back of their minds, more than 100 parishioners packed the pews Monday morning. The mass was equal parts joy and sadness for longtime ICC parishioners, many of whom sat at the same spot in the pews where they had sat while attending church throughout the years.
Committee member Dolly Brophey has been attending the church her entire life and despite not hearing anything from Murry regarding the fate of the church, was ecstatic to be back inside the facility in which she grew up.
“I was overwhelmed to see so many people here,” Brophey said. “But I was also sad because I thought they might announce they’re reopening the church – I guess we’ll have to see what the Pope says.”
Murry said he is happy to make the drive to perform the special celebration mass for the church’s patron feast day. He said he was even contacted personally by some members of the congregation urging him to conduct this year’s mass.
“I’m happy to have this opportunity to be with the community and to pray together, especially as we prepare for Christmas,” said Murry. “To gather people together to pray in the Lord’s name, that is what we’re all about.”