NORTH PROVIDENCE—After months of parish meetings and consultation with parishioners, a request by St. Lawrence to merge with neighboring Mary, Mother of Mankind has been approved.
With a decline in the number of parishioners and debt surpassing $400,000, the parish was forced to make the necessary decision to request the merger. Information that the request has been approved was shared with parishioners at Masses this past weekend.
St. Lawrence parishioners are encouraged to become members of Mary, Mother of Mankind, bringing together the resources and talents of parishioners from both parishes to meet their pastoral needs. St. Lawrence Parish will celebrate its last Mass on Sunday, October 31. All sacramental records will be moved to Mary, Mother of Mankind.
In requesting the merger, the pastor, the parish administrator, trustees and finance council of St. Lawrence wrote: “…we are bankrupt and have been for at least the past five years…After open parish meetings, after exploring every possible avenue of redress, and realizing that there are six Catholic parishes within five minutes of here, we have come to the conclusion that Saint Lawrence Parish must close.”
In May of this year, Fr. Piacentini, with the support of the parish trustees, requested that the bishop allow the parish to sell the rectory and former school building. The properties have not sold. Proceeds from the sale of any of St. Lawrence parish’s properties will go towards payment of the parish’s debt.
