Holy Family looks ahead to another 90 years

LYNN – As Holy Family Church closes their year-long 90th Anniversary celebration, Father Gregory Mecurio said it?s the parish?s involvement in the church that has sustained them even as other houses of worship close around them.Mecurio said Holy Family was slated to close at one point, but “the Archbishop felt we had life and could sustain ourselves so he kept it open.”Holy Family started as a small wooden church on Mudge Street in 1922, until a fire brought it down on Christmas Eve in 1926. Now on Bessom Street, Mecurio said Holy Family has staying power for another 90 years because of its parish.?There?s a bond here among the community,” said Mecurio. “Whether it?s good times or bad the church will survive.Holy Family planned to have regional Bishop Peter J. Uglietto lead a recent 4 p.m. Saturday service and a banquet Sunday at St. Michael?s Hall in Lynn with a traditional Italian meal to end the monthly celebration of each sacrament. The celebrations included a mass vow renewal for married couples on Valentine?s Day and a family barbecue last month, in addition to Holy Communion in May and Confirmation in June.?By celebrating the sacraments it became something more real in people?s lives,” said Mecurio. “It does energize the whole parish when you do celebrations.”Mecurio, who has been with Holy Family for 16 years, said the year-long celebration “was a nice opportunity for us to reflect on our past and see how we can work together to work for our future as a faith community in Lynn.”Mecurio said the “essence” of the Holy Family Parish is that their commitment to the church doesn?t end with just showing up for services. “You can be an attendee in any church, but it takes more than just to be present to be a parishioner in that church,” he said. “When you don?t have that kind of spirit, people more or less just walk around without having any investment in the place.”Mecurio said the Holy Family parish volunteers with the many events and activities at the church, whether it?s doing clerical or maintenance work, being part of the religious education program, or working on the Parish Pastoral Council. “We take ownership of the church ? whatever needs to be done. If you have something invested in the parish then it?s more than just a building. The building is not as important as the spirit.”Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].