On the opening of your Parish home and your Catholic presence in North Java, New York. The former St. Nicholas Parish church, established in 1891, was closed by the R.C. Diocese of Buffalo in 2008. The Roman Catholic Diocese sold the church, along with its land and buildings, including a school and convent, to the people of Holy Family Parish.

In the PNCC, the faithful of the Church hold title to, and fully own their land, buildings, and parish possessions, democratically managing and controlling them.

From the Arcade Herald: North Java church reopens

The Holy Family Parish National Catholic Church in North Java held a service Saturday, June 11, to officially re-open the doors of the church. Empty for two years, the original church was closed as part of the [Roman] Catholic Diocese’s Journey in Faith and Grace downsizing effort, and was recently purchased by the Holy Polish [National] Catholic Church. Parishioners and clergy gathered at the entrance of the building to begin a service in which the church building was blessed and dedicated.

Bishop Thaddeus Peplowski came from Buffalo to conduct the Dedication Mass. A number of parishioners from Peplowski’s church also attended to worship and celebrate, along with about 40 people that had attended the church in North Java on the two previous Sundays. Before the building was purchased, North Java parishioners were meeting at the fire hall for their Mass.

The church will hold Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. each week. As it grows and becomes more organized, the parish committee hopes to expand the number of services. The building itself still requires some repair work, and the committee is making plans to move forward with that to make it more suitable for worship.

After the mass on Saturday, the people met outside behind the church building for a picnic reception.