The parish of St. Adalbert-St. Roch on Staten Island gathered for the blessing of the newly renovated St. Roch Church on Saturday, Dec. 17, during a special Mass in celebration of the interior renovation project.

St. Roch was slated to be closed in 2015 due to declining attendance. The local Mexican community, however, has revitalized the parish “and now it is thriving,” Auxiliary Bishop Edmund Whalen, who serves as parish weekend associate, told The Good Newsroom. “It is one of the most encouraging melding of two communities, the old Italian community and the new Mexican community, that I have ever seen,” Bishop Whalen noted.

The bishop served as principal celebrant and homilist at Saturday’s Mass. Father Albin Roby, parish pastor, served as concelebrant. About 230 people attended.

“Wow! Is this amazing? Or is this amazing?” Bishop Whalen exclaimed at the start of his welcoming remarks, referring to the bright, new interior painting, shiny new pews, and other features of the renovation. “I think we should thank God,” he added, clapping his hands. Those in attendance applauded enthusiastically. 

“We come together on this Fourth Sunday of Advent…in this beautiful parish church, renewed because of you, because of your goodness, your enthusiasm and your faith, your generosity. We have a lot to be thankful for,” Bishop Whalen said, noting that they, the people, are the Church.

Later during the homily, he told the faithful, “You pulled together…all of you, tonight, are Joseph in the Gospel…Joseph in today’s Gospel is the story of why we’re here tonight celebrating.” 

Bishop Whalen also spoke of the parish’s beginnings, with its early parishioners primarily Italian immigrants, and how now there are many Mexican immigrants. He expressed his gratitude to all for their dedication to the parish, and took time to also express words of thanks in Spanish. He rededicated the sanctuary and altar, blessing that area and the inside walls with holy water.  

In closing remarks, Father Roby first said, “Oh boy. At last we are here!” These words were greeted with loud applause from the congregation. Father Roby gave thanks to Bishop Whalen and to all who made the project and the Mass possible. 

Rosalina Ramos, 42, married mother of five, told The Good Newsroom after Mass that she and her family were thankful for the renovation project and the special Mass. She and her husband, Santiago Torres, were both born in Mexico. “The message about us being the Church was very beautiful,” Ramos said. “We’ve been parishioners here now for nearly eight years.”  

Also after the Mass, Mark Suppa, 62, told The Good Newsroom that he is a lifelong member of St. Roch and a third-generation Italian in the community. “He (the bishop) was very sincere. I was baptized here…so he really hit home,” Suppa said, adding that his faith provides him “peace of mind. It brings us all together.”

As part of the centennial renovation project, the sanctuary was redesigned to a more open and traditional style; the altar was replaced (the new altar has an image of the Last Supper); the carpet was removed and replaced with tiles; the church interior was repainted; and old pews were replaced with new ones, which were donated and memorialized by parishioners to help offset the cost. 

St. Roch Church, founded in September 1922, closed for renovation in June. On Pentecost Sunday, June 5, parishioners began attending Mass in the parish hall; those who were unable to take the steps down into the hall attended Mass in St. Adalbert Church. 

The Church of St. Adalbert and the Church of St. Roch merged into one parish in August 2015. The Sisters of St. John the Baptist have served the parish since St. Roch’s founding.