Story and photos by Tom Loughlin Jr.
Oneida County NY Hibernians Hold Memorial Mass for ancestors Victims off the Great Hunger.
With their former pastor in the pews, a new one in the pulpit and a new name on their church, parishioners of the former Our Lady of Lourdes Church participated in their first AOH Memorial Mass at the longtime home of the event under the auspices of Father Jason Hage.
Prior to his assignment to the newly formed Mary, Mother of our Savior parish (Lourdes plus Our Lady of the Rosary) Father Hage had ministered to parishioners of the four church Route 20 Catholic church group of St Joan’s in Morrisville, St Bernard’s in Waterville, St Mary’s in Hamilton and St Joseph’s in Oriskany Falls NY..F
Father Joe Salerno who had held the reins at the physically cavernous and spiritually vital Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Utica for 21 years watched his successor Fas he greeted the Hibernians and Ladies of Knock in a Mass co-dedicated to honoring the parish’s altar servers The youngsters received a long round of applause for their service and each received a gift from Bishop Lucia of the Syracuse Diocese.
Following the Mass the Hibernians for additional prayers at the An Gorta Mor memorial Celtic Cross and recently expanded memorial brick garden which had been authorized by Father Salerno.
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