Bishop Earl Fernandes concelebrated a 60th anniversary Mass at Columbus St. Anthony Church on Monday, June 12, the eve of the parish patron’s feast day, with current pastor Father Thomas Petry and other priests who have connections to the church.

Joining Bishop Fernandes and Father Petry at the altar were Msgr. Frank Lane, Fathers Charles Cotton, Jerry Rodenfels, James Klima and Timothy Hayes and Deacons Craig Smith, Dean Racine and Jason Nguyen.

For the parishioners and friends in attendance, the evening was bittersweet. The Northland-area parish, created in 1963 at 1300 Urban Drive, is merging with St. Elizabeth Church, located several miles north at 6077 Sharon Woods Blvd., later this year.

Congregants knee during Mass at St. Anthony Church.  CT photo by Ken Snow

The Diocese of Columbus officially announced the Decree of Suppression for St. Anthony, which is published in this week’s issue of The Catholic Times, after its approval from the diocese’s Presbyteral Council on June 8.

The suppression will become effective Oct. 20, when the territory, parishioners, property, assets and liabilities of the parish will be joined with St. Elizabeth. According to the decree, the care of St. Anthony Church and its other properties will become the responsibility of St. Elizabeth Church until further decisions are made regarding the disposition of buildings and properties.

The closing of St. Anthony School at the end of the just completed school year was previously announced. The school was established in 1966.

The final recommendations of the diocese’s Real Presence Real Future initiative additionally call for Columbus St. Matthias Church, which is two miles south of St. Anthony at 1582 Ferris Road adjacent to St. Francis DeSales High School, to be suppressed at an undetermined date and merged with St. Elizabeth. St. Matthias School will remain open.

Father Anthony Davis, current pastor at St. Matthias, will also become the pastor at St. Elizabeth in July. Father Petry has served as pastor at St. Anthony since 2008.

St. Anthony parish was created by then-Bishop Clarence Issenmann to respond to population growth in the north end of Columbus. Masses were held in a former Knights of Columbus Hall and at DeSales High School while a church was built.

Bishop Earl Fernandes elevates the host. Concelebrating priests at the altar are (from left) Msgr. Frank Lane, Father Charlie Cotton, Father Jerry Rodenfels, Father James Klima, Father Timothy Hayes and Father Tom Petry, the parish pastor. They are joined by Deacons Dean Racine (far left) and Jason Nguyen (far right). CT photo by Ken Snow

The current St. Anthony Church opened Christmas Eve 1964 and was dedicated in early 1965.

During the homily at the anniversary Mass, Bishop Fernandes told the congregation that he was happy to join them and said Msgr. Lane, a former pastor at St. Anthony, had shared many good things about the parish with him.

“Msgr. Lane was telling me how this parish has built up a vibrant community during the past 50 or 60 years,” the bishop said. “You can really see it in the large number of people gathered here with us, including the joint choir from both St. Anthony and St. Elizabeth. You can see it in the diversity of our servers.

“Everybody has contributed something for us to be here this evening: to be the Church that Christ calls us to be.

“Sixty years ago, this parish, St. Anthony’s, was founded, and the seeds of faith were planted. And when we plant seeds of faith, we always want something to grow and to bear fruit. Sixty years ago, something new was beginning.”

Bishop Fernandes reflected on the Mass readings from the prophet Isaiah and St. Luke, relating them to the parish planting seeds of faith for the past 60 years and helping the poor and the brokenhearted come to know the Lord.

“We heard how Jesus sent out 72 others – not just the 12 disciples – anointed with His spirit and with the authority to proclaim the kingdom,” the bishop said. “They went together on a mission.

“So, we, too, begin a mission when we go wherever the Lord sends us. And this mission continues to be to proclaim the Good News of salvation.”

Father Thomas Petry, the pastor at St. Anthony since 2008, distributes Holy Communion during Mass. CT photos by Ken Snow

The bishop stressed the importance of coming together in church to worship God in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He also mentioned St. Anthony of Padua, a great preacher who spoke about the importance of humility in spiritual life and spreading the fruits of the faith to others.

“Some of those who helped found this parish are still alive,” Bishop Fernandes said. “Others have gone to their reward, but we hope to see them again and be reunited with them in the eternal Jerusalem, where we will all offer God perfect worship. …

“Each Christian, each disciple, has to be humbly receptive to God’s Word and to the faith as proclaimed,” Bishop Fernandes said. “So, we need deep roots of humility. We need more of God and less of ourselves.

“From the roots of humility grows up the trunk of obedience and shoot forth the branches of charity and the leaves of holy preaching. Then, St. Anthony says, comes forth the fruit of contemplation, our encounter with God.”

Encouraging the faithful to persevere despite the eventual closing of the parish, Bishop Fernandes said, “Sixty years ago, some men and women, with the help of the diocese, founded this parish with the hope of handing on the faith to future generations. Sadly, we know, in one way, what’s going to happen to this particular parish, but it doesn’t mean the mission is over.

“Something good has been entrusted to you that is meant to be handed on to others. … Your mission goes on because you’ve been given the gift of faith. You have been given a certain authority – anointed with the Holy Spirit in your baptism and sealed with the gift of the most Holy Spirit in your confirmation – to proclaim the Good News of salvation to the ends of the earth.

“What would your forebears think if you ceased the practice of faith? If you gave up the Holy Ghost who was poured into your hearts? If you gave up the heritage that was left to you? Now is the time to take up the challenge.”

Part of that challenge, the bishop said, is not to become discouraged.

“The Church is more than just a building,” he said. “We are a Church of living stones with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

“Christ Jesus was at the center of St. Anthony’s life, especially in the Eucharist. The people who founded this parish did so for one reason: so that Jesus Christ, in the Holy Eucharist, could be at the center of this community. And this gift, which was handed on to our forefathers and mothers in faith, is handed on now to you, the next generation of faithful here in the Diocese of Columbus.

“So do not worry. Having deep roots in humility, a trunk of obedience, branches of charity, leaves of holy preaching and fruit of contemplation, this community of faith will go on. Be like that tree and bear good fruit, the fruit of eternal life.”

Standing in front of St. Anthony Church are longtime parishioners (from left) Don Downs, Kim Downs, Jeanie Diggins and Jan Schwartz. CT photo by Ken Snow

Several longtime parishioners who attended the anniversary Mass reflected on their years at St. Anthony.

Jeanie Diggins, a member of the parish for 50 years, recalled the funeral Masses in the church celebrated for her husband and a son who passed away. Jan Schwartz, a 55-year member at St. Anthony, expressed sadness about the closing, fondly recalling that all of her children went to St. Anthony School.

“We waited in line to get them into the school,” she recalled.

Kim Downs was born and raised in the parish, left the area after high school and then returned 17 years ago. Her husband, Don, became Catholic after going through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults classes at St. Anthony.

“Things are happening, that’s for sure, and it’s tough,” Kim said, “But realization is setting in that we’re really closing.”

For more information on the diocese’s Real Presence Real Future initiative and parish restructuring, visit www.realpresencerealfuture.org.