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Parishioners Use Social Media in Fight to Keep Nativity Church Open

By Lisha Arino | December 2, 2014 2:51pm
Parishioners Ask Cardinal Dolan About Church Closings
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YouTube/Keep Nativity Church Open

EAST VILLAGE — When Nativity Church faced closure eight years ago, parishioners pushed back with a letter campaign.

This time, they’re turning to social media.

In the past week-and-a-half, accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube have asked the Archdiocese of New York to “Keep Nativity Church Open."

The goal, said Mercedes Sanchez, a lifelong parishioner who set up the accounts, is to convince the archdiocese to change its mind by showing the faces and sharing the stories of the congregation.

“We just really have this sense of community. We’re very active and alive,” Sanchez said.

Last month, the Archdiocese of New York announced that Nativity would be one of nine Manhattan parishes to consolidate with nearby congregations and cease weekly masses in August. The church faced a similar fate in 2006, when archdiocese had recommended closing it, but changed its mind after the parish appealed the decision and ran a letter-writing campaign.

According to the archdiocese’s recent announcement, Nativity Church, located on Second Avenue near East Second Street, would merge with Most Holy Redeemer Church, located about two blocks away on East Third Street near Avenue A.

The two parishes would pool resources and services, but masses would only be held at Nativity on special occasions, said Father Sean McGillicuddy, who has served as pastor for both congregations.

The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Parishioners however, want to continue to celebrate Mass at Nativity, either in the main sanctuary or in the chapel, Sanchez said. Many churchgoers, she said, have been attending services for decades.

“It’s not just a place they go to for an hour,” she said, explaining that church members organize prayer groups and events.

Sanchez, a media relations associate for a business school in the city, said she manages the social media sites, but uses photos and memories emailed and texted to her by parishioners.

She has also used to the social networks to address questions to Cardinal Timothy Dolan and to post church events.

In addition to drawing attention through social media, the parish also plans to appeal the decision and send the archdiocese letters against the merger, Sanchez said.

Instead of closing the church in 2006, the archdiocese merged Nativity with St. Theresa’s Church on Henry Street, Sanchez said. Its pastor oversaw both parishes until McGillicuddy from Most Holy Redeemer was assigned to manage Nativity in earlier this year.

McGillicuddy said he understood the community’s emotional connection to the church, but thought the merger would benefit both parishes.

“It’ll strengthen the community,” McGillicuddy said, explaining that both churches have “weak numbers.” Nativity Church, he estimated, could hold between 500 to 600 people, but all three Sunday masses are attended by about 250 people each weekend.

Sanchez said she is hopeful about the outcome, even though she knows the odds are stacked against the church.

“We’re not going into this blindly," she said. "We are hopeful to remain open and putting our faith in God, but we are also praying to be content with whichever decision is made."