Holy Family Church in Auburn started its 175th anniversary celebration year on Sunday, Dec. 28, the day of the Feast of the Holy Family. Each Mass was followed by a reception in a room in the building next to the church that used to be Holy Family School. A number of special events and activities have been scheduled for 2009, culminating with a Mass in September, that will be presided over by Bishop Matthew Clark of the Diocese of Rochester.

The church was founded by the Rev. Francis O'Donaghue when he bought a building that previously was a Methodist Church. The cost back in 1834

was $1,200. In 1861, the present church building was dedicated upon its

completion by Bishop John Timon.

Holy Family School opened its doors in September 1930 and operated for

twenty-seven years. During that time 906 students graduated. Many of those

students earned scholarships to college, nine boys became priests and

twenty-nine girls joined convents.

Albert Nicolella, who has been a member of the church since 1963, is the

Anniversary Chairperson. “We've had a lot of committee meetings,” he said.

“We've got six committees that are coordinating our activities. Cayuga

Museum will be holding an exhibit on the history of Holy Family in March. We'll

have the whole downstairs.“

As part of the museum exhibit, parishioners have been contributing items for

show. The display will include Holy Family church and school memorabilia,

communion gowns, and photographs of weddings that took place in the church.

Some of the activities planned for the year are a golf tournament and an

alumni basketball game and dinner dance. The Mass on Sunday, September 13

will be followed by a luncheon at the Holiday Inn.

In his letter to parishioners in the December 28 bulleting, Father Shaw

said, “From time to time during the year we will honor specific individuals,

families, societies and groups.“ The first individuals he recognized were

Margaret Lepak, the secretary/bookkeeper, Nancy Smith, the Faith Formation

Coordinator and Ted Lang and Bill Tonzi, who maintain the buildings and

grounds.

The Holy Family refers to Jesus and his earthly parents, Mary and Joseph.

Devotion to the Holy Family became popular in the 1800s, but it was not

officially one of the feasts of the Catholic Church until October 1921, when

it was entered into the liturgical calendar by Pope Benedict XV. The feast

day is celebrated on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's Day. If

those days fall on a Sunday, the feast is celebrated on December 30. The

hope of the Church is that this is a day to honor all families as well.

As he addressed a nearly full church at the 9:00 Mass to kick off the

anniversary year, the Reverend Dennis Shaw, the parochial administrator,

told the congregation about his gratefulness for being part of such a

celebration. “I have never seen such a caring, loving and holy family as

you. If ever a church was aptly named, it is this one. I can never express

how proud I am to be a member of your Holy Family.“

THE END