Welcome to Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish

Please check our Facebook page, St Mary's Church St Jude's Church Derby. If you can't join us for Mass or other activities live, watch the videos that remain online afterward. This is accessible even if you don't have a Facebook account. You can also access live Bible Study on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. through the link on the Facebook page. God bless you, stay safe and healthy, and continue to pray for one another.

THE CHURCH IS OPEN FOR DAILY MASS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AT 8 A.M. AT ST MARY CHURCH. WEEKEND MASSES ARE AT 4 P.M. ON SATURDAY AT ST MARY AS WELL AS SUNDAY AT 8 A.M. AND 10:30 A.M. AT ST MARY. MASKS MUST BE WORN IF YOU ARE NOT VACCINATED, AND ARE RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES BEGIN SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2021, IN A HYBRID FORMAT FOR NOW. REGISTRATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE ON THIS WEBSITE TO BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED ONLINE. THERE IS NO FEE FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THIS YEAR, ALTHOUGH FREE-WILL OFFEREINGS ARE REQUESTED. LESSON "MENUS" AND CLASS MEETING INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO ALL WHO REGISTER.

Statement of the Pastor, October 9 and 10, 2021

These past months have been difficult for our country, our state and our community. We have been fortunate in our parish – that even though our activities have been limited – our support has been strong. Our parishioners in the face of economic uncertainty continued to support our parish and our school during these times.

In 2017 St. Jude Parish and St. Mary Parish joined together to become Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish. At the time of merger it was understood that our coming together to form this new entity would require us to look to the future and see how we are positioned for the next five years and beyond. Our parish is not in any financial difficulty. Our difficulty as we move is a question of size and scope. We are smaller than we were ten years ago, twenty years ago, and thirty years ago. Our new parish is smaller than the combined numbers of our mother parishes in those years. A downward trend in the Catholic Church has been seen here in Derby and throughout the Northeast. Demographics are of course at play, but there are other factors as well. We have seen two generations of Catholics whose faith practices are not as strong or as vibrant as their parents and grandparents. All of that has had an effect on our local Church and parish.

Our parish has three properties: the school at 14 Seymour Avenue; St. Mary Church, rectory, and parking lot; and St. Jude Church, rectory and parking lot. Each of these properties have their own charm and their challenges. We are faced with obvious issues with all three properties. As a pastor I have been concerned by the steps of St. Mary, the roof of the school and the parking lot and drainage issues at St. Jude. Our finance council has met a number of times this past year to discuss what we can do as a parish moving forward. The discussion was also brought to the parish council. Both councils have advised me that we need, as we move forward, to be a parish of one church. We simply cannot keep both church properties as we move to the future. It was the recommendation of both councils that we move forward as a parish with the St. Mary Property – the historical foundation of our church – as the only church property.

The St. Jude property is very pretty, as we well know. The church has a new roof and the grounds are lovely. The parking lot is in dire need of repair and would cost us in the range of $100,000 - $250,000. The rectory has had mold issues in the past and the church has an issue with mildew. St. Mary Church is an old building that has the issues of an old building. The Church itself has been completely renovated in the past ten years and the rectory is the newest in the archdiocese. As much as we are connected to both properties the two properties are in and of themselves in service to our community. Does Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish need two churches with a total seating capacity of 1200 –700 at St. Jude and 500 at St. Mary for a parish of 1000 families? Can we continue to pay for the upkeep of these buildings?

This was not a business decision. This is a decision that puts us in a place where Evangelization is possible. We have been able to save money since 2017 and that money should be not for empty buildings and grounds but for programs that will once again invigorate our local church in Derby.

As of now, St. Jude Church will remain open for Saturday night Mass, Monday afternoon Mass and confessions, weddings and funerals, however we will be looking toward naming a closing date. I will be in contact with the archbishop concerning what our next step.

We are a people of hope, a people trusting in the God who will not abandon us. The first Mass in Derby was celebrated in the house of a Canadian trader so many years ago. He would never have guessed the success and the strength of the church in Derby over the generations. Young people were taught the faith in both in our school and faith formation programs, truly great priests ministered to us over the years, the Sisters of Mercy were present among us, and we welcomed new immigrant groups to the table of the Lord. Our best years can and should be ahead of us. Our task is to continue to pray for the faith to grow in Derby and for young men to answer the call to serve the Lord at his altar.

As a child of Derby I know how difficult this decision is. However, as a priest and more importantly as your pastor, I am convinced that this decision will allow us to be stronger and more vibrant in the future. Thank you for listening.

Be assured of my prayers for all of you. Please pray for me.

Father Tiano

Pastor

Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish