St. Leo the Great Church Building to Close Permanently

(PAWTUCKET) – Due to a decline in sacramental practice along with a rise in ongoing costs to maintain the church building, Father Michael Sisco, Pastor of St. John Paul II Parish, (which is comprised of parishioners from both St. Leo the Great Church and St. Cecilia’s Church in Pawtucket) along with parish trustees and members of the parish finance council, have requested that the St. Leo the Great Church building be permanently closed.  After receiving this request, and after consultation with diocesan staff, the diocesan College of Consultors and the Council of Priests, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin has given his approval and parishioners were notified during Mass last weekend. The final Mass is scheduled for Sunday, January 6, 2019, the Epiphany of our Lord. 

“I commend Fr. Sisco and parish leadership for their wisdom and courage in taking this difficult but necessary step,” said Bishop Tobin. “I pray that the members of St. John Paul II Parish will welcome this new beginning and embrace the future as a Christian community united in faith and love.”

“It’s always a sad occasion when we have to close a church, but our overriding concern always has been the health and stability of the parish as a whole,” Father Sisco said. “This difficult decision was made in conjunction with members of the parish council, the finance council and parish school advisory board and I am convinced will benefit the parish in the future.”

In 2011, St. Leo Parish and St. Cecilia Parish merged to form John Paul II Parish. The parish estimates an annual expense of approximately $40,000 to maintain St. Leo Church (nearly identical to the cost to maintain St. Cecilia Church).  Additionally, repairs to the heating system at St. Leo Church surpassed $16,000, and more are needed.  An estimate for a new church roof exceeded $43,000.  

There has also been a gradual decline in sacramental practice at the St. Leo church building. Total attendance at the two Sunday Masses has averaged approximately 180 individuals.  With the exception of one Sunday Mass, no Mass at St. Leo currently draws near 2/3 capacity.  From September 2015 – August 2018, at St. Leo Church there were 3 weddings, 22 baptisms and 107 funerals (during the same timeframe, there were 13 weddings, 32 baptisms, and 65 funerals at St. Cecilia Church).  

The name of St. John Paul II Parish will remain unchanged, as will the title of the remaining church building, St. Cecilia.

Parishioners are encouraged to attend Mass at St. Cecilia Church, 750 Central Ave, Pawtucket. All sacramental records will continue to remain at the St. John Paul II parish office, 697 Central Ave., Pawtucket. 

History:
St. Leo's Parish was established by the late Bishop Matthew Harkins in March 1916, from parts of St. Joseph's and Sacred Heart parishes, Pawtucket. Until a church could be built, Halliday Hall on Central Avenue was secured to be used as a chapel. Altars for the temporary chapel were given by Sacred Heart Church, Pawtucket and St. Sebastian's, Providence. Matthew Sullivan, Boston architect, designed the church, it was erected by Louis A. Murphy of Pawtucket. Mass was celebrated for the first time in the basement of the church on Thanksgiving Day, November 30, 1916.  On July 15, 1917, Msgr. Dennis M. Lowney presided at the dedication.  St. Leo Church has functioned as a spiritual home for generations of Catholics in the Darlington section of Pawtucket and for the celebrations of Holy Mass, baptisms, weddings and funerals. In 2011, St. Leo the Great Parish merged with St. Cecilia Parish to become St. Pope John Paul II Parish.