Church Closings

By Sherry Long slong@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

SUGAR NOTCH – Following Polish tradition, Elizabeth Vrotkoski attended the annual blessing of the Easter food baskets Saturday at Holy Family Church on Main Street with her daughter, Liz Vrotkoski, and grandson 7-year old Scott Kemmerer.

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The Rev. Vincent Dang welcomes parishioners to a Holy Saturday vigil at the Holy Family Church in Sugar Notch. For some parishioners this will be the first Easter they will not be worshiping in the 130-year-old St. Charles Borromeo Church down the street.

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The Rev. Vincent Dang blesses and lights candles during a Holy Saturday’s vigil at the Holy Family Church in Sugar Notch.

AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER

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Her family’s Easter baskets have always been blessed at Holy Family, but she never attended Mass there until her home church, St. Charles Borromeo only a few blocks away, was temporarily closed in October for the winter season.

Vrotkoski attended Easter and Christmas services at St. Charles for decades. This weekend will be the first time the Hanover Township resident attends Easter services at Holy Family.

St. Charles is one of three Luzerne County churches in the Scranton Diocese that are closing this summer under orders from Bishop Joseph Martino. St. Charles is structurally unsafe, so Martino allowed the church to be closed during the winter season, Rev. Vincent Dang said.

St. Mark’s in the Inkerman section of Jenkins Township and St. Francis of Assisi in Nanticoke also are being closed due to structural deficiencies.

Vrotkoski admits when she first heard the news she was angry.

“I’m still angry because it’s the oldest church in Sugar Notch, but hey, times change. People aren’t supporting it and you have to go with the times,” she said.

But even more than being angry, she was sad because it hurt to lose the old church.

St. Charles became more than just a place for Vrotkoski to worship.

The 130-year-old white church became a second home to her family, where members were christened or married. Family funeral Masses also were held there.

The 74-year-old was married in the church more than 40 years ago. All six of her children and 12 grandchildren were baptized there. Four of her children followed their parents’ lead by saying their vows in the church and two of her grandchildren’s funerals were held there.

She vows she will remain faithful worshiping God and understands a church is just a structure.

“I can go to church anywhere so it won’t really matter … I can go up to Boston where I have a daughter living and I can go to church there. It’s the same Mass. They just do theirs their way and we do ours our way. It’s still praying to the same God,” Vrotkoski said.

Dang said in the nearly five years he’s been at the churches in Sugar Notch, members have been working together planning to consolidate St. Charles and Holy Family. He’s happy that people accept and understand why the merger must happen.

“The main thing is we love and accept each other at St. Charles and Holy Family. They accept and keep the traditions of the other heritages,” said Dang.

Some people might have wondered if he, a Vietnam native, would be accepted in the community; but, when he arrived he was welcomed with open arms, Dang said.

Two events will be held at St. Charles before the building is closed permanently.

A prayer service will be held at 6 p.m. May 23 and the final Mass will be held at 11 a.m. May 24.

The diocese has not said what it will do with the St. Charles Borromeo property.

Sherry Long, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7159.