by Thomas Willis
Our Catholic Churches have long served as more than places of worship. They are the heartbeat of our communities. They are centers of faith, fellowship, and resilience.
Yet, these sacred spaces face a grave threat — complacency. People continuously grow complacent and only enter a church for holidays, baptisms, weddings, and funerals. When people walk away from attending Mass and no longer have an active role in parish life, the community should not be surprised when churches close.
Let this column serve as a “wake-up call” to my fellow Catholics. Where will we go for spiritual support if our churches continue to close? One day, it can be your church that closes, and we should not act surprised.
We don’t build churches as monuments; we build churches for people to come together to pray and worship God. When people don’t show up, they are no longer needed.
Before directing anger at a priest or bishop, or others, first ask, “What have I done for my parish community?” When was the last time you donated, volunteered, or participated in parish programs?
Churches were meant to be places for people to come together in faith and worship God as a community.
People have lost that sense of pride in their parish and simply no longer care.
The fire that tore through St. Edmund Church in Breezy Point on Holy Saturday and the announced closure of St. Camillus in Rockaway later this year serve as a reminder that our churches are in need.
Now, more than ever, our communities must come together to support and preserve our Catholic churches not just for their spiritual significance but for the irreplaceable role they play in our community.
The fire at St. Edmund was a gut punch to Breezy Point. As flames engulfed the church, parishioners watched helplessly as a place of solace and tradition was reduced to a charred shell. The timing during the holiest week of the Christian calendar felt like a cruel twist, compounding the grief with the death of Pope Francis just days later.
Thankfully, there are already plans to rebuild and reopen St. Edmund, as announced by Father Michael Gelfant, the pastor of Blessed Trinity Parish.
However, the construction will take time and money.
The destruction of St. Edmund and closure of St. Camillus only highlight the need for our parish communities.
Our Catholic churches are anchors of stability in an increasingly fragmented world. They provide moral grounding, charitable outreach, and a sense of community.
The diocese cited low Mass attendance as a key factor in the St. Camillus closure. This trend reflects broader societal shifts with so-called busy schedules, secularization, and younger generations drifting from organized religion.
Yet, churches remain vital for our community. Let’s honor the legacy of these institutions by investing in their future through donations, advocacy, and active participation in our churches. Our churches have carried us through the passing of family members, storms, and a pandemic. Now, it’s our turn to carry them.
In doing so, we preserve not just buildings but the soul of our community. If you are able to support St. Edmund’s recovery and reconstruction, please consider donating to Blessed Trinity Parish.
Simply said: Return to Mass, participate, volunteer, be proud of where you come from, and be proud of your church.
It does not seem likely that any new churches will be built anytime soon, so we must do whatever we can to preserve the ones we have.
Thomas Willis resides in Breezy Point and is a parishioner of Blessed Trinity Parish. He works as the operations director for the Curtis Sliwa for Mayor campaign, is vice chairman of the Queens County Conservative Party, and is the youngest Knights of Columbus Grand Knight in state history.