By Gillian Graham
Staff Writer

Msgr. Rene Mathieu prefers not think of this as the end.
This month, he will perform the final Masses at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Saco and St. Mary’s Church in Biddeford. But as difficult as it will be to close the doors of two historic churches, Mathieu said he is looking to the future.
“Everything we do is a step forward,” he said while sitting in his rectory office, which overlooks the towering St. Joseph’s Church and the neighborhoods once populated by Catholic families who moved to the area in search of mill work.
“Right now we’re coming back from these churches with tears in our eyes,” he said. “It’s almost beyond our imagination that we’re doing this.”
The Roman Diocese in Portland announced in August three churches in Biddeford and Saco will close due in part to dwindling numbers of parishioners and maintenance costs. While Notre Dame and St. Mary’s are set to close this month, St. Andre Church in Biddeford will stay open until the end of 2010.
There are currently six Catholic churches in Biddeford and Saco, traditionally home to a large number of Catholics. The three churches scheduled to remain open are St. Joseph’s in Biddeford, Most Holy Trinity in Saco and the seasonal St. Brendan’s in Biddeford Pool.
Mathieu said the “graying” of the church has contributed to the need to consolidate parishes. The Good Shepherd Parish was formed in 2006 and includes Catholic churches in Biddeford and Saco. On July 1, 2010, St. Philip’s in Lyman and St. Margaret church in Old Orchard Beach are scheduled to become part of the parish.
Mathieu said many parishioners have been attending the same churches for their entire lives, but their children have moved out of state.
“A generation ago, these were young families in vibrant communities,” he said of the older parishioners. “[Their children] come home to get married and then they leave.”
The Good Shepherd Parish buries about 200 people each year and baptizes about 60 people, half of whom don’t live in the area, Mathieu said.
“Meanwhile, you have the same number of buildings to maintain,” he said.
The parish has saved money over the past few years by consolidating administrative offices and positions. The churches that are closing will most likely be sold, a decision that is ultimately left to Bishop Richard Malone, Mathieu said.
Mathieu said closing the churches will allow the three parish priests to spend more time with parishioners following Masses. Currently, Mathieu and Fathers Rob Lupo and Gregory Dube rush from one church to another to perform back-to-back Masses.
“The folks in the pews have had to adjust because they don’t have the same priests all the time,” he said.
Most importantly, Mathieu said, the changes will ensure the church can move forward without passing insurmountable debt to the next generation.

During the past several months, church staff and parishioners have worked together on committees to plan the final months at each church. There were many decisions to make, from when to have a Bishop’s Mass to what to do with furnishings, Mathieu said.
Mathieu said an important part of the process has been taking time to reflect on the history of the churches and their role in both the communities and people’s lives. The churches were the center of the neighborhoods where they were built and a friendly rivalry developed between them, he said.
“The whole neighborhood emptied out to go to Sunday mass,” he said.
When the Good Shepherd Parish was formed, a series of get-togethers were held to allow parishioners to get to know each other.
“We’ve had all these little events and each time it becomes easier,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a lot more trust.”
There have also been discussions about how to welcome people as they transition to attending Mass at a new church.
“We worked hard in our preaching to encourage those whose churches are closing to acknowledge how painful this can be and to renew their faith,” he said.
Mathieu said he has spent time thinking about what makes each church special and unique. St. Mary’s Church was the first Catholic parish in the area and was founded to serve Irish immigrants. Since its beginning, Notre Dame has served French-speaking families and created a sense of community at a time when they were not necessarily welcome in Saco, he said.
Baptismal records show the first child baptized at St. Mary’s was Mary McDannel, the daughter of John and Saragh McDannel. Mary was born Sept. 9, 1855, and baptized six days later.
The first recorded marriage at the church was “James Dunn of Bediford and Mary Divine of Saco,” according to church history. The witnesses were Thomas Brady and Katherine Divine.
Notre Dame began with 312 families and has grown to over 1,000 families today. The tradition of offering Masses in French will continue at St. Joseph’s Church, Mathieu said.
    
As the final Masses at St. Mary’s and Notre Dame quickly near, Mathieu said there has been a mix of tears and laughter from clergy and parishioners as they grieve the loss of the churches. He said the process has not been unlike selling a treasured family home or mourning the loss of a friend.
“They understand it’s necessary, but it’s still painful,” he said.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.