November 29, 2016

Mold scare forces temporary closure of Northampton church

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Father Bill Pomerleau

NORTHAMPTON – Concern about a possible health hazard has caused a two-week closure of Blessed Sacrament Church, here.

And while extensive testing has shown that the Elm Street structure does not harbor problematic mold, the incident is moving forward its eventual closure as a worship site.

“There has always been a smell in the basement. When it seemed to be getting worse, we decided to investigate,” said Father Francis Reilly, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish.

“When the diocesan building consultant looked at the church, we had a moderate to serious concern that there was hazardous mold. At the diocese’s recommendation, we decided to close the church until we could do further testing,” he told iObserve.

The parish transferred its 4 p.m. Saturday liturgy to Annunciation Church in the city’s Florence neighborhood on Nov. 26, while retaining that church’s own 5:30 p.m. Saturday liturgy. The same schedule will be in effect on Dec. 3.

Beginning Dec. 10, the two vigil Masses will be consolidated into a 4 p.m. Mass at Annunciation, while Blessed Sacrament will only schedule weekday and holy day Masses once dehumidifiers are installed to address its odor issue.

Blessed Sacrament Church is part of the city-wide Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, formed in 2010 by the merger of the former St. Mary of the Assumption, Annunciation, Sacred Heart, St. John Cantius and Blessed Sacrament parishes. Its principal worship site is Sacred Heart. Two weekend Masses are celebrated at Annunciation Chapel in the city’s Florence neighborhood, while the former St. Mary and St. John Cantius churches are closed.

The Blessed Sacrament church building was originally scheduled to close following the merger, but the parish soon discovered that there was inadequate parking for a popular 4 p.m. Saturday Mass on Sacred Heart’s King Street site. The parish reopened Blessed Sacrament to host an additional vigil Mass, and weekday Masses.

That move was always designed to be temporary, Father Reilly explained.

After waging a successful battle with local preservationists who wanted to prevent the parish from demolishing the former Sacred Heart Rectory and Christian youth center, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton recently added more parking to its Sacred Heart campus. This means that the parish can now serve its needs with just two Saturday evening Masses, one at each end of the city, Father Reilly said.

The parish hopes to eventually close Blessed Sacrament Church, while retaining its rectory to house its priests. But the eventual need to temporarily close Sacred Heart when it undergoes extensive renovation makes it prudent for the parish to maintain Blessed Sacrament, which is located in the Bay State neighborhood, Father Reilly said.

On a related matter, he said that the eventual construction of a parish center on King Street will not move forward until the planned sale of the St. John Cantius campus.

Proceeds from the sale of St. John Cantius will help finance the new parish center, Father Reilly said.