Life changes in the blink of an eye. If someone told me ten years ago that I would not be going to Holy Cross Church for Mass every Sunday, I would have scoffed at them and thought they were insane. However, little did I know, that their prediction would become my reality. As a little girl, Holy Cross seemed like a castle fit for a princess. On the outside, two beautiful stone statues stood depicting Mary and Pope John Paul II on either side of the church. In the spring, we would crown Mary with an intricate and flourishing flower crown. During Christmas, a nativity scene was in front of the statue of Mary, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. In addition, a tall flagpole waved the American and Polish flag, representing pride in our freedom
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However, time and circumstances cause things to change. Due to a tight budget, the church is sadly falling apart; there’s no money to pay for air conditioning, electricity, and maintenance of the church. Furthermore, due to the dangerous nature of the neighborhood, many families don’t feel comfortable bringing their kids into the city. What used to be a safe and comfortable community, is now a place where you look over your shoulder as you walk to your car at night. In addition, our beloved priest was assigned to a different parish community. This news devastated the parishioners and caused the whole atmosphere of the church to change. Holy Cross went through a transition between multiple priests, none of whom could keep its spirit alive. Now, holiday traditions are never the same and it’s heartbreaking to see the elderly members of the community trying to preserve the legacy, but no one cares anymore. A drastic amount of people have switched churches, and I’m ashamed to admit that my family was one of them. However, whenever we do visit Holy Cross, I know we made the right decision because the church does not have a healthy community anymore like it used to. My mom likes to say everything went downhill once our admired priest left, and I agree with
However, time and circumstances cause things to change. Due to a tight budget, the church is sadly falling apart; there’s no money to pay for air conditioning, electricity, and maintenance of the church. Furthermore, due to the dangerous nature of the neighborhood, many families don’t feel comfortable bringing their kids into the city. What used to be a safe and comfortable community, is now a place where you look over your shoulder as you walk to your car at night. In addition, our beloved priest was assigned to a different parish community. This news devastated the parishioners and caused the whole atmosphere of the church to change. Holy Cross went through a transition between multiple priests, none of whom could keep its spirit alive. Now, holiday traditions are never the same and it’s heartbreaking to see the elderly members of the community trying to preserve the legacy, but no one cares anymore. A drastic amount of people have switched churches, and I’m ashamed to admit that my family was one of them. However, whenever we do visit Holy Cross, I know we made the right decision because the church does not have a healthy community anymore like it used to. My mom likes to say everything went downhill once our admired priest left, and I agree with