The members of the St. Adalbert-St. Roch parish on Staten Island has recently gathered for a special Mass to celebrate the completion of the interior renovation project of the church.
Special Mass
According to the article from the Good Newsroom, the special Mass was celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 17.
Bishop Edmund Whalen presided as the principal celebrant and delivered the sermon. Concelebrating with them was the parish's pastor, Fr. Albin Roby.
The bishop added that they join together on the fourth Sunday of Advent in the beautiful parish church, renewed because of the community's faith, generosity, and passion.
There were approximately 230 people who attended the Mass.
As reported, due to the diminishing number of parishioners attending services at St. Roch, the church was scheduled to close in 2015.
On the other hand, the local Mexican population has been responsible for the parish's revitalization.
According to bishop Whalen, the parish weekend associate, now that it is prospering, it is one of the most encouraging mergers of two groups, the old Italian community, and the new Mexican population.
Bishop Whalen also discussed the origins of the parish, noting that most of the early parishioners were immigrants from Italy.
In contrast, today, many parishioners are immigrants from Mexico. He thanked everyone for their dedication to the parish and even took the time to offer his gratitude in Spanish.
He rededicated the sanctuary as well as the altar, and he sprinkled holy water all over that area as well as the inside walls.
Adalbert-St. Roch Parish
St. Adalbert and St. Roch were combined into a single parish on Aug. 1, 2015, as part of the Making All Things New parish realignment plan implemented by the Archdiocese of New York.
Even though the first congregation the church served was predominantly Italian and that services were held in both English and Italian, St. Roch is now considered the spiritual home of families not only of Italian descent but also of Polish, German, Irish, Norwegian, Asian, Hispanic, and African descent.
St. Roch is now the spiritual home of an increasing number of Mexican parishioners due to the relatively recent introduction of a Spanish Mass.
As reported, the parish has a long and storied history of maintaining unity among its members to better serve God and the local community.
The newly united church has reportedly appointed Fr. James Garisto as its Pastor. After Fr. Garisto's retirement, Fr. Abraham Berko was appointed interim administrator.
On Jul. 1, 2016, Fr. Albin Roby was appointed to the role of Parish Administrator. Fr. Diego Hernandez is now serving as the church's parochial vicar in his position at the parish.
Moreover, even today, a sizable community of Polish American families continues to call St. Adalbert Church their spiritual home.
The Mass celebration takes place in English, and the bulk of parishioners reflect the diverse ethnic makeup of the North Shore of Staten Island.
Although the Felician Sisters do not now have a presence in the parish, their school can meet its pupils' academic and spiritual requirements.
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