PATERSON, N.J. — A historic church in New Jersey is set to close its doors this week.
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Paterson had its final Mass last Sunday and will close indefinitely on Friday.
Generations of Catholics have worshipped at the church, which opened in 1929 to serve the local Italian community.
The neighborhood has changed a lot since then, but St. Michael remained a fixture.
“There’s nothing like it, man,” parishioner Sam Diaz said.
Parishioners were devastated to learn the church would be closing this week. Diaz has been attending Mass there since he was a kid.
“It hits me deeply in my heart that, you know, it’s not going to be here anymore,” he said.
One woman came Thursday to ask about having her youngest child baptized there, but she was too late.
She said in Spanish her two older kids were baptized there, adding it’s sad that her youngest won’t be able to do the same.
The Diocese of Paterson said there were two reasons the church has to close, at least for now. The building is in need of major work. The two iconic towers are structurally unsafe.
And then there’s the money. The Diocese of Paterson has been supporting the parish for the last 12 years.
“It means a lot to a lot of people,” Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said.
Sayegh said said he asked the the city’s Historic Preservation Commission to apply for a grant to potentially restore St. Michael.
“I’m cautiously optimistic, but we might need a miracle,” Sayegh said.
Miracle or not, the diocese says the goal is to restore and reopen the church at some point, even if it takes years.
Until then, the bells there will fall silent on Friday.
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