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St. James Parish to remain openWARREN -- The congregation of St Teresa of Calcutta Parish has learned that the St. James Parish site will not close as originally planned.
Bishop David Bonnar sent a letter to parishioners at the weekend Masses. The Rev. Christopher Cicero, pastor of St. Teresa of Calcutta, said Bonnar has decided that St. James Church will not close as part of Cicero's pastoral plan that was presented earlier this year to the congregation.
"This letter explains that the piece was removed from the plan. The parishioners, especially the ones who worship at St. James, are very happy with the decision," Cicero said.
In the letter, Bonnar said all parishes are developing a pastoral plan.
"I am humbled and inspired by the plan developed for your newly merged parish,'' Bonnar said, commending Cicero and the parish finance and pastoral councils for their vision moving forward.
"Your plan considered many important factors such as changing demographics, social outreach to the poor, collaboration with the local Catholic schools,and forging a sustainable path for the parish for the long haul,'' Bonnar said.
Bonnar said after careful study and consultation with his staff and Cicero, he has decided to remove the section on closing St. James from the plan "especially as you continue to work to unify and strengthen this newly merged parish."
He said each church remains "a sacred home and beacon of Christ's life and believes current factors do not constitute such action, which while sometimes necessary always engenders great suffering.
"As we move forward together in these challenging times we also need to live in reality. More importantly, we must never lose sight of the fact that our identity, while fortified by worship in our church buildings, is always more than the bricks and mortar,'' Bonnar said.
Cicero said he and the congregation are proud of St. James Church and the sacramental ministry that happens there and its connection to the community.
"We intend to continue our outreach at the church by hosting the monthly free community meals and the annual summer community engagement day. We are pleased that St. Vincent de Paul will be moving its offices into our former rectory,'' Cicero said.
Cicero said St. Vincent de Paul is in the process of acquiring the St. James rectory for offices and to continue its food distribution program.
The agency is located on Niles Road and will remain there, but is adding a second site.
He also said Habitat for Humanity is building a new house at the corner of Willard and Burton streets, across from St. James Church.
WHAT TOOK PLACE
Over the summer, it was announced the merged parish of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish would lose the St. James Church site early next year.
Cicero and parish council had recommended the closure of St. James Church as part of the Diocese of Youngstown pastoral plan. The other two parish sites are Blessed Sacrament on Reeves Road in Howland and St. Mary Church on Seneca Avenue in downtown Warren.
Cicero presented the closure plan at a meeting in late July at Blessed Sacrament Parish that was attended by 300 people. Cicero said then that more people attend St. Mary and Blessed Sacrament and live closer to those parishes than they do to St. James, which is near Warren JFK's upper campus. The lower campus is housed at Blessed Sacrament.
Cicero said St. Teresa of Calcutta has seen 200 new families become part of the parish in the past year. He said attendance at St. James has been stable since the merger in 2024, but he acknowledged attendance has declined from what it was 15-20 years ago.
St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish has 1,700 households and 5,000 parishioners served by two priests at the three church locations, Cicero said.