Bishop canonically merges Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas parishes

• Executive Summary of the Decree of Canonical Merger
• History of St. Nicholas Parish
• History of Our Lady of Fatima Parish
   

PASSAIC  Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney called it a “new moment,” when he canonically merged Our Lady of Fatima (OLF) and St. Nicholas parishes here in Passaic into the combined Our Lady of Fatima/St. Nicholas Parish Friday evening, July 1, while presiding over a standing-room-only Mass in St. Nicholas Church.

At the Mass, Bishop Sweeney also installed Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of OLF since 2019, and administrator of St. Nicholas since 2021, as pastor of the combined parish, which will continue to serve a mostly Spanish-speak­ing faith community, largely from Mexico and the Dominican Re­pub­lic. Two years in the making, the merger joins together the people, ministries, and histories of these two parishes. Founded in 1957, OLF became one of the first three faith communities in the Diocese to serve the growing Hispanic community. Established in 1868, St. Nicholas — affectionately known as “St. Nick’s” — became the mother church of 10 national parishes and the former St. Mary’s Hospital, all in Passaic, and of two parishes in Clifton. 

The merger involved moving items used for liturgy and ministries and administrative and historical records from OLF on Exchange Place to St. Nicholas on Washington Place. Masses, most of them in Spanish, will be celebrated in St. Nicholas Church.

“Whereas, dialogue and discussion with many of those concerned with the pastoral good of the aforementioned parishes have determined that the spiritual welfare of the Christian faithful and the temporal good of both parishes will be well served through a canonical joining of both parishes.

Therefore, I hereby establish by decree the consolidation of the aforementioned parishes through the canonical merging of the two parishes into one unified parish community designated Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church,” Bishop Sweeney declared in the decree, dated July 1, the Feast of St. Junipero Serra, under his authority as ordinary of Paterson.

Bishop Sweeney celebrated the evening Mass in Spanish and delivered the homily in English and Spanish. He also read aloud in Spanish decree that he signed, along with Sister of Christian Charity Joan Daniel Healy, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious. Reading the decree in English was Father Stephen Prisk, diocesan director of liturgy and worship until May 2023, while continuing as pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock and diocesan vice chancellor.

Also during the Mass, the Bishop presided over the rite of installation of Father Uribe as pastor of the combined parish, followed by enthusiastic applause from all in attendance, including his mother. A music ministry led worshippers in spirited songs of praise in Spanish during the lively liturgy.

“I am so happy. The merger makes the two parishes one, stronger parish,” said Father Uribe, who noted St. Nicholas faced a dwindling population. Over the past two years, the two parishes have merged their liturgies, communities, and ministries, including youth group, a couples group, and Catholic Charismatic Renewal, he said. “The combined parish is active. The people believe in God and love the Blessed Mother. With Our Lady of Fatima in our new name, we can receive the Blessed Mother as a whole parish,” he said.

Serious challenges for OLF began when its ceiling collapsed in October 2019 in the church which necessitated installation of a truss system for safety purposes that made the church building unusable. In early 2020, St. Nicholas started to welcome OLF parishioners to use its church. So began an extensive two-year period of study and reflection on the pastoral life and rich history of the deep faith of OLF “with a view toward preserving the gift and unity in faith of both communities,” according to the decree.

This process included consultation with the diocesan Presbyteral Council, other clergy in the Diocese, and clergy of the OLF and St. Nicholas parishes. “A pastoral plan of action was developed to solidify the unity of two parish communities which have been functioning as one for more than two years with spiritual benefit and temporal benefit,” according to the decree.

In his homily, Bishop Sweeney said, “It gives me joy to be here with you in this historic moment for these two parishes and the Diocese. We have so much to be grateful for.

“We come together in this beautiful St. Nicholas Church as God’s family, even if we speak different languages, to learn from Jesus to love one another,” said Bishop Sweeney, who praised the dedication of Father Uribe, the new OLF/St. Nicholas pastor, and other missionary priests, who have come to the Diocese from foreign lands. “It’s been a long journey over the two years. It has not always been easy. We hope that it will produce great fruits,” the Bishop said.

The decree states that the merger will better “provide for the pastoral needs of those, who reside in these two parishes; provide for a wise stewardship of the resources of both parishes; and provide for more effective use of clergy and the pastoral staffs.” The merger also will “provide for the continuing vital presence of the Roman Catholic Church in Passaic; provide for the needs of the Catholic faithful in Passaic, which is growing and requires a larger place to hear the Word of God and celebrate the Sacraments; and provide for the appropriate use of both sacred edifices so that both churches are used for the glory of God and the sanctification of the Christian faithful,” the decree states.

Outside St. Nicholas after the Mass, Deacon Ramon Lizardo, a permanent deacon of OLF, told The Beacon in Spanish through a translator that the merger “feels good.

“God wants us to be united as one family. Every process is difficult but we are doing everything with God and for God,” Deacon Lizardo said.

A St. Nicholas parishioner for 34 years, Ari Vrena, called the merger a “great thing.

“It’s wonderful to see that St. Nicholas will keep going [combined with OLF]. It’s also nice to see so many new faces [from OLF] at Mass,” Vrena said.