Above: The large crowd lingers outside of the St. Mary’s of Mount Carmel church in Florence following the annual Fall Mass on Sunday, September 22. Worshippers enjoyed the beautiful weather, reconnecting with friends and neighbors, and visiting the faithful who rest in the meticulously kept cemetery encompassing the historic church.
Story and photos submitted by Kate Twiss
It is an annual tradition, Mass celebrated at a former Oneida County parish that honors a rich history and remembers those at rest in the cemetery surrounding the church.
On Sunday, September 22, Mass was celebrated once again at what is now known as St. Mary’s Devotional Chapel in Florence. As usual, a large crowd of former parishioners and descendants of the faithful who rest in the surrounding cemetery were in attendance.
Established in 1845 in a former Baptist seminary, St. Mary’s Church served the growing numbers of Irish Catholic immigrants who bravely settled the northwest corner of Oneida County. Unique to the church’s location, there was enough space around the building to accommodate a cemetery.
Upon closing its doors to regular weekend liturgies in 2003, Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Costello responded to an invitation to celebrate a final Mass. After that visit, he made the trip several times for an annual fall service. In 2006, the need for extensive structural repairs came to light, and the “Friends of St. Mary’s” organization was formed to hold fundraisers and oversee the restoration project. After years of hard work and dedication, the restoration effort has had grand results. A current project involving pressure washing and cleaning of gravestones is well underway.
Father John Hogan and Father Paul Mathis enjoyed social time with the congregation following Mass.
Bishop Costello, a native of nearby Camden, had many ties to the area, and with an ancestral monument just down the hill from St. Mary’s dooryard, he is credited with much of the restoration’s success, through his enthusiasm and diocesan support. The September 22 Mass was dedicated to the late Bishop.
This year’s mass was concelebrated by Father John F. Hogan Jr. and Father R. Paul Mathis. At present, St. Mary’s falls under the pastorage of Fr Hogan, who is also pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Camden. Fr. Hogan remarked, “Once again, the Mass was a wonderful occasion to gather and reconnect with our ancestral roots.” He then added, ”After all, St. Mary’s is the Mother church from which all other local parishes have originated.”
The restored church was again filled to capacity. Worshippers spilled outside after the Mass into a pleasant first day of autumn. Refreshments were served and a raffle was held as a choir accompanied by a young violinist provided the musical entertainment, accented by a lone bagpiper that sent strains of melody throughout the cemetery. The lingering crowd visited with each other, and were joyfully grateful to reminisce and worship at the beautiful church on the hill in Florence, where many of Sunday’s congregation received their sacraments over the years.
The Friends of St. Mary’s wishes to sincerely thank Fathers Hogan and Mathis, all donors and benefactors and those who have generously given their time to both support and preserve St. Mary’s of Mount Carmel.
