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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2009 /  St. Hugh parishioners process to new parish, St. Frances Cabrini

by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published August 21, 2009

Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic Deacon Luis Flores carries the ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament underneath his vestments as he walks in procession to St. Frances Cabrini Church last Saturday after the closing Mass at St. Hugh Church, Southgate.

Southgate - More than 150 members of St. Hugh Parish, Southgate, walked to St. Frances Cabrini Church in Allen Park last Sunday, following the closing Mass at St. Hugh Church.

They took part in the procession that conveyed the Blessed Sacrament from the Southgate Parish more than two miles to the Allen Park parish into which it is merging (or reabsorbed, since it was carved out of St. Frances Cabrini's territory back in 1966).

"It's been 43 wonderful years of faith life in this community, and that's what's important - the faith life, not the building - that's what will continue," Fr. Joseph Mallia told the congregation that filled St. Hugh Church.

Many former parishioners joined those still at the parish for the Mass.

Fr. Mallia is pastor of St. Frances Cabrini and has also had responsibility for St. Hugh since the July 1 retirement of its last pastor, Fr. Eugene Wojtewicz.

Sr. Barbara Saynay, OP, recounted St. Hugh's history, including statistics such as the 959 baptisms and 859 first holy Communions at the parish over the years.

Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss presides at St. Hugh Parish's closing Mass last Sunday.

Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss, who was principal celebrant, told the congregation, "I know what it means for a parish to close," explaining that his titular see - the ancient city of Remesiana in modern day Serbia - long ago ceased to be an active diocese (since every bishop has to be the bishop of somewhere, auxiliary bishops are made titular bishops of defunct dioceses).

He spoke on the providence of God: "God isn't just some force that doesn't care anything about us. If there's one thing we can say about God the Father it is that He is a provident God - he cares about us."

Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic Fr. Joseph Mallia leads the St. Frances Cabrini Church, Allen Park, last Sunday wearing vestments that reflect his status as a canon of a Maltese diocese.

And individual Christians can be a part of the working of Divine Providence "if you and I make ourselves available so God can touch others," the bishop added.

Fr. Mallia and former pastors Fr. Wojtewicz and Fr. Arthur Baranowski were among the concelebrants.

After a self-assessment as part of the Together in Faith process, the people of the 284-household St. Hugh Parish decided they could be more effective if they rejoined their mother parish, which has 2,458 familes.

In the procession, Fr. Mallia and altar servers led the way, followed by an honor guard of fourth-degree Knights of Columbus, and then the ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament carried by Deacon Luis Flores under a canopy, followed by parishioners.