Immaculate Conception Members Not Giving Up Or Going Away

Monday – July 25: The Committee to Save the Immaculate Conception Church held their regular weekly meeting this past Monday evening at the SOI Lodge in Wellsville. Co-chairman Nunzio Lombardozzi presided and said progress is being made on the goal of keeping the Wellsville church as a worship site in the newly formed Holy Trinity Parish. According to Bishop George Murry the Mass celebrated last Saturday was the last one to be said at the Immaculate Conception Parish. The Wellsville parishioners are appealing that decision and are hoping to keep the church open as a worship site for at least one Mass a week.

Co-chairman Ken Biacco and Lombardozzi passed out lists of area Catholic churches and the times of their services. It was noted that only St. Francis in Toronto has a Saturday afternoon Mass which is at 5 PM. Toronto currently has two Catholic churches which will eventually be merged into one but no date has yet been determined for that merger. Both St. Francis and St. Joseph's in Toronto have Sunday Masses with only one Saturday Vigil Mass between the two. Sunday Mass is at 9 AM at St. Joseph's and 11 AM at St. Francis. The Toronto churches are part of the Diocese of Steubenville.

Biacco also announced there will be no meeting Monday, August 1. The SOI members are preparing for the annual three day Italian Festival. The festival is scheduled to open Thursday evening. Meetings will resume the following Monday, August 8 with a new time set for 6:30 PM. Members of the ICC Committee will have the snack bar open with any proceeds being given back to the SOI Lodge to help defray the cost of utilities used for the meetings. The members of the SOI have generously donated the use of their social hall for the meetings free of charge. The date and time of the meeting will be announced in the local newspapers.

Reading an e-mail from church activist Peter Borre, new Co-chairman Tom Brophey announced that the month of August is traditionally a very slow month with summer vacations in Vatican City. Brophey related that a “short term appeal” has been filed with the Congregation of Clergy asking that they reverse Bishop Murry's decision to close the Wellsville church. No decision is expected to be considered until at least September. If that appeal is denied a “long term appeal” will be filed which will include facts, figures, pictures and all types of statistical information in presenting the Wellsville side of the appeal. Canon lawyers in Rome have already been put on retainer for the second appeal if needed.

Dr. Frank Rivelle reported he feels he's being toyed with by Diocesan officials on the Committee's request for a forensic audit of Immaculate Conception finances for the past couple of year. Rivelle reported he received a letter from the Bishop asking why an audit was requested. Reville's reply was that in the past 15 years there has never been a deficit reported for Immaculate Conception until the new administrator was assigned. Prior to that there were excess funds and Certificates of Deposits on the books for the Wellsville parish. Although no money was spent on the Immaculate Conception rectory it was reported that expenditures were $30,551 in 2009.

Concern was also raised about the funds set aside for the care and maintenance of St. Elizabeth's Cemetery. That cemetery is next door to the Village of Wellsville's Springhill Cemetery. It was reported that money is kept in a separate account in the name of St. Elizabeth's Cemetery in Youngstown and can not be touched for any other expenses.

For the fund raising efforts there will be a pancake & sausage breakfast tomorrow with a bake sale. See our post below. On Tuesday, August 3, there will be a meatball hoagie on homemade rolls sale from 5 to 7 PM at the WHS Alumni Center. Chips and a liquid refreshment will be included, all for the price of $6.50. Carry-outs will be available. Chances on the $100 gas card will be available at both events. The chances of $1 each or 6 for $5. Drawing for the gas card will held August 29.

With the luck of the Irish, John McMahon won the 50/50 drawing for the second week in a row. As he did the week before Mr. McMahon donated his share to the Committee's treasury.

For all her hard work as a Co-chairman and her continued dedication to the Committee, Mrs. Beverly Hentzell, pictured above, was presented a bouquet of flowers as a way of saying thanks. Mrs. Hentzell resigned as one of the Co-chairmen the week before. The flowers were paid for by the three Co-chairmen and presented to her by her Uncle Nunzio.

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