Catholic parishes in Gorham, Westbrook, and Windham preparing for merger in July

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Windham is joining
St. Anne Church in Gorham, St. Hyacinth Church in
Westbrook, and the seasonal chapel of Our Lady of Sebago
in East Sebago to form the new St. Anthony of Padua Parish
as part of a canonical merger taking place in July. To
celebrate the merger, the inaugural St. Anthony Festival will
be held on the weekend of July 16-17 at Out Lady of 
Perpetual Help in Windham. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

By Ed Pierce

If you’re Catholic and attend church on a regular basis in Windham, you’re probably aware that Our Lady of Perpetual Help is about to undertake an important step regarding its future.

According to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, starting July 1, a canonical merger is going to take place involving current parishes in Gorham, Westbrook, and Windham and will establish the new St. Anthony of Padua Parish. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Windham, St. Anne Church in Gorham, St. Hyacinth Church in Westbrook, and the seasonal chapel of Our Lady of Sebago in East Sebago will form the new St. Anthony of Padua Parish with all worship sites remaining open.

“Over the past six years, the three parishes have worked towards joining together as one community of faith and fellowship,” said Rev.  Louis Phillips, pastor of the new St. Anthony of Padua Parish.

Under a canonical merger, the churches will share the same clergy and pastoral staff members.

“We have established one pastoral center with clergy and staff offices,” said Phillips, who has served in the communities since 2015. “We have formed a united pastoral council and a united finance council. Many parishioners attend masses at more than one of the churches. This announcement may cause some to say, ‘I thought we were already merged.’”

Dave Guthro, communications director for the diocese, said that the name for the new parish was the top choice of parishioners and received approval from Bishop Robert P. Deeley.

“The canonical merger officially transitions the three parishes into one parish with four worship sites,” Guthro said.

Streamlining the operations of the churches involved in the canonical merger will result in one set of financial books, one set of sacramental registers, combined finances, one diocesan reporting mechanism, and one single annual Catholic Appeal goal,” Phillips said.

“Those are just a few of the many administrative advantages that will save money and more efficiently utilize the time and energy of our parish staff,” he said. 

Phillips said that on the weekend of July 16-17, members of the new St. Anthony of Padua Parish will gather together as one to host the inaugural St. Anthony Festival in Windham.

“A Mass of Celebration will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, located on 919 Roosevelt Trail, on Friday, July 16, at 7 p.m. The Mass will conclude with a procession of a statue of St. Anthony to an outdoor shrine, after which there will be a reception in the church courtyard,” Phillips said.

The following day, an outdoor festival will begin at 10 a.m. and will feature food, crafts, baked goods, a yard sale, activities for the kids, and live music. The festival will pause for mass at 4 p.m. on Saturday and then resume with a barbecue at 5 p.m.

“All are welcome to attend all or part of the festival,” Phillips said.

The festival will complete the lengthy merger process that featured several informational and feedback sessions with parishioners of the churches involved and a submitted proposal to the bishop who approved the canonical merger after reviewing those discussions, consulting with the Presbyteral Council, and obtaining the consent of both the College of Consultors and the Diocese of Portland’s Finance Council.

“Parish leadership identified our top two priorities as fulfilling the social ministry of the church and stewardship for future generations of Catholics,” Phillips said. “A coordinated, collaborative effort as a merged parish can do so much more in promoting the social mission of the church. We also want to do now whatever is necessary to make certain that our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will inherit a vibrant, engaging, and involved Catholic faith community as an act of human stewardship. Through more efficient use of our combined financial and human resources, this is a goal we can best accomplish together rather than separately.” <