La Asuncion
*Photos by Paul W. Wang

By: Katherine Massopust

PERTH AMBOY – As of Sept 14, 2015 worship and all other activities will be suspended in Holy Spirit, La Asuncion, and St. Mary’s Churches in Perth Amboy.

Holy Spirit

In a letter to the parishioners from Most Rev. Paul G. Bootkoski, Bishop of Metuchen stated: “Of the City’s four parishes, three – Good Shepherd, Most Holy Name of Jesus, and Saint John Paul II are operating at substantial yearly deficits. As a result, these parishes have not always been able to offer programs and services to their parishioners or keep up with their aging physical plants in need of immediate and critical attention.”

Bishop Bootkoski went on to state that due to demographic shifts in the City of Perth Amboy, it is common that fewer than 100 people (many times much less than that) attend Sunday Mass in churches built to accommodate 600 or more worshipers. Bishop Bootkoski also stated in the letter that due to the decline in ordinations to the priesthood in the Diocese of Metuchen that: “. . . it is no longer feasible or good stewardship to keep open the three churches in each of the aforementioned parishes.”

(Above) St. Mary’s Church (below) One of the spindles that once were on top of the Church tower

Bishop Bootkoski stated in the letter that he is committed to working with six churches in the Hopelawn/Perth Amboy area who offer Masses in English, Spanish, Polish and Portuguese. “Every Perth Amboy pastor has expressed his commitment to welcoming parishioners who will find it more practical to attend to one of their churches.”

Bishop Bootkoski stated at the end of the letter: “I cannot in conscience allow a parish to compromise its future, even its very existence, by devoting or using up most of its resources on buildings, however cherished.”

As one St. Mary’s parishioner said, “It’s a sad chapter in the history of  the Catholic Churches in Perth Amboy, but we hope to continue being members of the newly formed Good Shepherd, Most Holy Name of Jesus and St. John Paul II Parish.”

Another parishioner from Holy Spirit said, “It’s very sad. My family originally was from Holy Trinity before I was born. Then we came over to Holy Spirit. My children and I had all their sacraments there. All my friends that I grew up with went to Holy Spirit. I knew everybody in the parish. It’s very sad to see this happen. Now I have to move over to Holy Rosary. It’s not that bad a transition because I have connections in that parish as well.”

The final Mass at St. Mary’s will be on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at 10 a.m. (English) and 11 a.m. (Spanish).