FAIRMOUNT SPRINGS– The faithful of Saint Martha’s Church will gather on Sunday, July 28, 2024, to celebrate a momentous day in the history of their faith community – a century of faith and service.
The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will celebrate a Solemn Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving at 11:00 a.m. and a dinner will follow in the church hall.
“A lot of thought has gone into planning this Mass. We are pleased that Bishop Bambera is coming. Concelebrating with him will be our new administrator, two former pastors, and the first priest ordained from our church,” parishioner Raphael Micca said. “Our 20-voice choir has been working hard on music for the Mass, which will include hymns in English, Latin and Polish.”
Volunteers who are helping to organize the centennial activities say many former parishioners who moved out of the area are planning to return for the celebration. They feel it will be like a big family reunion.
“We have sold 161 tickets for the dinner. There are people coming from New York and outside the area because they used to go to this church, and they remember it and how it was built. Some people are in their 90s that are coming. It is truly amazing,” parishioner Bonnie Zultevicz explained.
Towards the end of 1922, a small number of Catholic families of Polish descent settled in the Fairmount Springs area and asked Bishop Michael Hoban for permission to build a church. Approval was given in 1923, but the cost was not to exceed $3,500, and the church was to be a mission of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Lake Silkworth.
Land was donated for the new church and three families mortgaged their farms to finance its construction. A simple structure was built by the summer of 1924 and the church was completed the following year. Prior to the church being built, the faithful gathered for Mass in private homes.
By the 1950s, the community had outgrown its original space. A new Saint Martha’s Church was constructed about a mile away on land belonging to two parishioners who sold the parcel to the church for $500. The cornerstone was laid in 1959 and the new church was dedicated on Aug. 14, 1960. In 1966, Saint Martha’s welcomed its first resident pastor, and a rectory was built.
“My grandparents were one of the founding families of this church. Saint Martha’s Church, to me, stands out as a beacon shining God’s light in this community,” parishioner Mike Mecca explained. “Saint Martha’s Church is not just a building. It is the central location where I, with the community members, gather to worship God.”
As a part of Saint Martha’s 100th anniversary, parishioners are creating a Centennial Book that will include more of the church’s history through photographs, interviews, and newspaper articles.
“Many of the people within these walls have been a consistent presence, offering unwavering support through life’s highs and lows, serving as a reminder of God’s love and peace,” parishioner Amanda Matysik added. “Such tight-knit communities are irreplacable, and the significance of Saint Martha’s in my life, and that of my family, cannot be overstated.”
Besides the centennial Mass and dinner, other events to mark the church’s 100th anniversary have also been taking place. A ‘Family Day Picnic’ was held in June and two parishioners recently refurbished the cross and sign at the old cemetery – the site of the original Sant Martha’s Church – and the final resting place of many church founders.
One of the things that many parishioners appreciate is that activities are intergenerational.
“These past 100 years have brought countless souls to greater love and union with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, most especially by means of the Sacraments and Prayer/Worship,” parishioner Rebecca A. Micca stated. “In these days of dwindling faith and de-moralization of societies, we need God’s presence among us, not just within us living lives of grace, but in our churches, which are symbols of the ‘heavenly Jerusalem’ and places of communal worship.”