by Tablet Staff
ROCKAWAY PARK — When Father James Rodriguez informed St. Camillus Church parishioners of Bishop Robert Brennan’s decision to preserve the church on March 15, Barbara Buffolino experienced a congregation overcome with joy.
“Everybody in the church got up on their feet, clapping and hooting and hollering because we’ve been working on this for a while to prove that we still love and needed St. Camillus here in the Rockaway community,” said Buffolino.
The announcement came about nine months after parishioners were informed that the church would close due to declining attendance and debt.
“Throughout this time, there was a growing sentiment that this could not be the end, that there had to be something we could do,” said Father Rodriguez, the church administrator. “In October, we met with Bishop Brennan, who agreed to prayerfully consider the upswell of support and hope represented in that crowd. He heard you.
“I am happy to tell you that our bishop has decided that St. Camillus is to remain open.”
St. Camillus, which was founded in 1908, merged with St. Virgilius Church in Broad Channel in 2008.
At the time the decision to close St. Camillus was announced, the church averaged 175 people at their Sunday Mass and was more than $3 million in debt, which the diocese said, “can only be addressed by selling or leasing this expansive property.”
Father Rodriguez said the church now averages 266 people at their Sunday Mass.
“People really stepped up,” he told The Tablet. “To see that was quite beautiful.”
“I really think the effort showed Bishop Brennan that we seriously wanted to keep St. Camillus open — that we needed it,” Buffolino added.
As part of the decision, Father Rodriguez, who is also pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church, said Bishop Brennan will assign a new administrator to St. Camillus, “whose attention can be solely focused on building up with you what you have so lovingly fought for.”
In his announcement, Father Rodriguez also acknowledged that the diocese’s decision to preserve St. Camillus “does not mean that our work is done.” He noted that while Mass attendance has “consistently and dramatically” increased, solving the church’s financial challenges will require “inventive solutions and sacrifice.”
“Over the next few months,” he said, “we will continue planning fundraisers and events, praying together for guidance from God, who is the source and summit of all our joy.”
Buffolino similarly noted that the parishioners haven’t organized any fundraisers since the closure was announced last June due to the uncertain future. However, now that a decision has been made to keep the church open, she said a lot of work lies ahead.
“We can’t rest now,” she said. “Now the real work begins because if we want to sustain this and keep St. Camillus open, we’re going to have to do some serious fundraising and set up some more events to keep parishioners engaged with us.”