When a parish merger includes the closing of the merging parish’s church, these guidelines are to be kept in mind. The celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy is source and summit of the Christian life (Lumen gentium 11). Thus, it is most appropriate when a sacred building has been dedicated for this purpose is to cease in its operation, a final liturgy be planned to honor the past and look forward to the future. It is never permitted to carry out any sort of ritual which marks the closing of a church building before a decree relegating the building to profane but not sordid use has been issued by the bishop.
In planning a final liturgy for a closing church, it is essential to consider the following proposals.
- Inclusion of Priests, Religious, Deacons, Laity
Be sure to invite priests, religious, deacons and laity who have served the church over the years to any liturgies surrounding the closure. If possible, invite them to participate as liturgical ministers or ministers of hospitality. Prudence should be exercised in selecting a principal celebrant and/or homilist for these liturgies. The bishop prefers to preside at such liturgies and should be informed of them in advance to accommodate his schedule. - Spirit of the Closing Liturgy
As is the case with the loss of a loved one, this is a sad time for the parish and our entire diocese. However, the final liturgy should still have the character and spirit of new life and hope, built on what was accomplished in the past by so many generations. - Holy Hours or Days of Prayer
It might provide some solace and sense of closure, in particular for those who may be disaffiliated from the Church for any reason, to be able to simply visit the church for private, personal prayer, apart from communal liturgies. Identify and advertise a day or two when the church building is simply open for prayer, perhaps with a few members of the merging parish present to answer questions or provide outreach and welcome. This may be done in concert with a Holy Hour, with or without Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. - Scheduling a Closing Mass
- Consider scheduling only one Mass on the last weekend at the closing church. If possible, cancel the other Sunday liturgies at the receiving parish, or in the Family, to allow as many people as possible from the community to attend. Assure those who have scheduled Mass intentions that the obligation will be fulfilled in another way, possibly by a concelebrating priest.
- Advertise the closing ceremonies by way of bulletin, website, social media and pulpit announcements, and/or news releases.
- Sodalities and Social Organizations
Invite Altar & Rosary Societies, St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus or similar organizations who have served the parish to participate in the closing liturgy. (e.g. the Altar & Rosary Society members could remove the altar linens when appropriate). - Offertory Procession
It is important to keep the Eucharist at the center of the celebration of the closing liturgy, but the offertory could be a time to represent the spiritual life of the parish and to present the original death, marriage and baptismal registers as a sign of the roots of the community present. Those presenting these volumes could be long-standing parishioners, devoted volunteers, or members of founding families of the parish. - Procession to the Receiving Parish
- Everyone in the church should be invited to walk/drive in a closing procession with the Blessed Sacrament. As on Holy Thursday, at the end of the Mass, the tabernacle should be emptied. Unlike Holy Thursday, the Blessed Sacrament should be carried in a monstrance, following all proper rubrics.
- Each person should be given the opportunity to reverence the altar one last time.
- Select participants to carry significant icons, processional cross, candles or other items that will be transferred to the receiving church.
- Once outside, the procession should pause while the doors are locked for the final time. The transfer of the Eucharist continues to the receiving church, where members of the pastoral council and other parish ministries/pillar groups are on hand to greet and welcome.
- The procession ends with Benediction and reposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
- Ritual Texts
- Appropriate ritual texts for Mass should be used in consideration of the liturgical day. However, in Ordinary Time, certain flexibility may be exercised. Please contact the Office of Worship for direction and assistance when planning the closing liturgy.
- Have a worship aid available, including music and prayers to facilitate participation. Obtain necessary/prerequisite copyright permissions. Please submit a copy of worship aids, prayer cards or other similar mementos to the Diocesan Archives.
- Arrange for a parish reception after the closing ceremonies, and possibly display parish memorabilia for the last time.
- Mass Intentions in the Midst of Merger/Closure
- Mass intentions quite often commend in prayer the soul of a deceased person but may also be for the personal intentions of the living. In some cases the commitment is to ensure that the Mass is celebrated within a year, but frequently also involves other conditions such as a specific time or place for the Mass, especially to coincide with an anniversary of death or when the person requesting the Mass has great interest in personally participating in the celebration.
- As our parishes prepare to celebrate their final Masses and merge into their receiving parishes in the Families of Parishes, the Mass Books will no longer be open to schedule new Mass intentions.
- Communal Intention Masses (e.g. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day) will be transferred to the Mass Book of the receiving parish.
- Unfulfilled Masses (e.g. for a living or deceased individual) will be transferred to the Mass Book of the receiving parish unless otherwise indicated by the donor. Every effort will be made to reschedule the Mass for the same date/time or the closest date/time possible. The donor should contact the parish office if they have any specific requests.
- Estate Masses will be transferred to the Mass Book of the receiving parish unless otherwise indicated by the descendants of the deceased; if there are terms attached to the Estate Masses, they will be honored as faithfully as possible, but may be reviewed/revised. Requests/changes must be made in writing to the Pastor of the receiving parish (i.e. regarding frequency of Masses, dates, locations, etc.) by an authorized representative of the decedent or family.