WATERVILLE, Maine — Sun shone through stained-glass windows on a full crowd for the final time at St. Francis de Sales Church on Sunday afternoon.
Bishop Richard Malone, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, celebrated the final Mass in front of a full crowd of nearly 400 at the 137-year-old Catholic church on Elm Street. The property will be torn down to make way for senior housing.
“It’s a very sad day because it’s the end of this church’s service as a place of prayer and worship,” said the Rev. Joseph Daniels, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish. “I hope that, in time and in the days ahead, we can look back on this day as a significant step in the development of a renewed expression of the church’s presence in the Greater Waterville area.”
The church was closed and put up for sale for four years but received no offers. It will be torn down to build St. Francis Apartments, a three-story building with 40 one-bedroom units. It will be operated under the offices of the diocese.
“The property is being converted to a Catholic reuse and something that is in harmony with the church’s mission,” Daniels said. “Waterville is one of the most senior communities in the state. We know that senior housing is a very critical need.”
There’s a need for senior housing, as nearby Seton Village, which has 140 units, has a continuous waiting list of 90 people, said Corpus Christi Parish facilities manager Michael Hebert.
“We have conceptual drawings and layout of the whole property. Everything is moving very well and the city is very cooperative,” said Hebert, adding that the church demolition will be in the spring.
The new building will incorporate some features of the church including the stained-glass windows and the statue of St. Francis on the roof over the entrance to the church.
“We’re hoping to keep part of the tower, the area where the bell is and use it in a gazebo out front,” he said.
The church, which had not held regular Masses in four years, was used mostly for funerals, said Daniels.
Still, it held plenty of history, he said.
“St. Francis de Sales was dedicated in 1874. It may well have been the last church to be dedicated by Bishop David Bacon. He was the first bishop of the diocese of Portland,” said Daniels, adding that Bacon died about a month after the church was dedicated.
Daniels said there are seven other churches in the area, with two in Waterville. Those churches are able to accommodate the needs of the community.
“We’re dealing with three factors,” he said. “A decline in our population. Our present church population is becoming increasingly elderly. [And] we are feeling the dramatic effect of a shortage of priests.”
Daniels said there are 56 active priests serving the state.
“When I was first ordained in 1990, this area was served by, I believe, 12 priests. Now there are two,” he said.
Nearing age 70, Nancy Foster of Waterville said she came to the church as a little girl.
“This is to say goodbye,” she said. “There’s sadness, but there’s great joy and anticipation in what’s to come with the new housing. I think it’s very exciting.”
Speakers echoed Foster’s remarks with speeches of sadness and joy.
how about not spending so much money on the anti gay marriage campaign and using some of that money towards churches and schools, no wonder the attendance is down
The Catholics have only themselves to blame for the collapse of their denomination. Pedophilia scandals, intolerance and a loss of touch with modern times are not things that anyone is really interested in, anymore. Interesting that in 50 years they could wipe out something that has lasted for thousands of years.
Spending services railing against those with whom the church disagrees and then adding a second collection plate to fund campaigns demonizing what they don’t understand, it is no wonder that the church drove its congregants away. Tear down history and put up revenue producing housing! This is another example of god.inc. Why not get back to your core competency of ministering to sick and feeding the hungry. Perhaps Bishop Malone should move back in with the other priests and more affordable housing be produced out of his Yarmouth estate.
This article and closing of the church doesn’t have anything to do with the demise of the Catholic religion. The church is very old. There have been many religions that have developed along the way to take from the Catholic religion(free choice). Just as many political parties take away from the democratic vote. This has nothing to do with all the sexual scandals……………NOT that I agree with any of the scandals. If you look at where these violators place themselves it’s not only in the church………..it’s where they can get their hands on children, primary boys.
Religion aside, its too bad this place is closing. If anyone knows how to build truly beautiful buildings, it’s the Catholics…
too bad those that are haters of the Catholic church can’t see all the good that it does for people in need. There are many more good things happening than the dreadful bad things that have happened.
The Roman Catholic Church needs to disown all the pagan rituals it has incorporated into the Word of God as canon. Everything from Easter to “Christmas,” do away with them and go back to celebrating the Passover and Hanukkah.
It’s too bad that such a historic landmark for many people is going to be torn down, but I am glad to see that it is a senior housing complex going in its place instead of a gas station.