It was a painful day for one local church congregation. The Church of the Holy Cross is closing it's doors after 120 years on the city's near east side.
We were there as parishioners cried, hugged and shared fond memories of an era coming to an end.
"This is Class of '79 and there were 21 of us," said Wendy Baxter as she shows us an old photograph.
"In that class I had 20 brothers and sisters," said Wendy.
Wendy Baxter grew up at Holy Cross. For her, the bonds run deep.
"When I walked out onto the playground and looked at the kickball field I lost it. The friendship and camaraderie, it was the love we all had for each other, we were all just a big family," said Wendy.
"I graduated from grade school here in 1947 and my husband and I were married here in 1954 and our oldest son was baptized here," said Mary Williams.
And now Mrs. Williams and her husband attend their last mass here.
Father Chris Wadelton has the difficult task of leading this last service and delivering a message that will in some way ease the pain.
"We've been here for 120 years through many generations and we're being called to something new and it's kind of mysterious, but there's a lot of hope in that and I want people to have that," said Father Chris.
Holy Cross Church has been in danger of closing for a while. The building needed significant repairs that the church couldn't afford. But, this event last March cinched the deal. On St. Patrick's Day, this parish that was founded 120 years ago by Irish immigrants started to crumble--literally-- and pieces of the front façade came tumbling to the ground.
"It's a beautiful church but it's too expensive to refurbish a church like this anymore and the people around here don't have the funds and they probably don't have the congregation that used to have so it's sad to see it close," said Mrs. Williams.
And even at the age of nine, the significance of this day isn't wasted on Arianah Cooley-Person.
"I like coming to this church because I like the father that is here and I have a lot of friends here and my grandma is here and I come to church with her every Sunday," said Arianah.
As the doors close on this church, the community that is the Holy Cross family will continue. They will fold into the nearby St. Philip Neri parish where they will worship there.
Holy Cross School will remain open.
