Story and Photos by

Fred Stabbert III

CALLICOON - It certainly wasn't the message that parishioners of Holy Cross Church in Callicoon and St. Patrick's in Long Eddy wanted to hear at Mass this past weekend, but it came as little surprise.

After 122 years of faithful service to Sullivan County, the Franciscan Friars have decided to return both churches to the Archdiocese of New York and remove the last Franciscan priest from Sullivan County - Father Charles O'Connor, O.F.M.

Father Larry Hayes, O.F.M., drove up from Holy Name Province headquarters in Manhattan to deliver the news firsthand to the congregations, both at Saturday and Sunday's masses.

A new diocesan priest is expected to be appointed in July by Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Fr. O'Connor will officially leave at the end of that month.

“Unfortunately, I am here today, on behalf of Father Kevin Mullen, the Provincial Minister of Holy Name Province, to share with you that the Franciscan Friars will no longer be able to continue journeying with and serving the faithful of Holy Cross Parish. We will be returning the pastoral care of Holy Cross Parish to the Archdiocese of New York in July of this year.”

The reasons are two-fold, namely a 72 percent decline in the number of Franciscan Friars over the past 50 years, and [secondly] the ideals of the Friars to live a “fraternal life together.”

“All our ministry - in parishes and elsewhere - flows from our fraternal life,” Father Larry said. “Yet this is simply not possible in a small parish like Holy Cross, where one friar lives alone.

“In the past, we had a number of parishes in Sullivan County, so friars could gather together as a regional fraternity,” he said. “However, over the years, one by one, we have withdrawn from the surrounding parishes as our numbers have diminished,” Father Larry said.

“First Obernburg, then Yulan, then Narrowsburg, then Jeffersonville and now, Callicoon,” he said. “It's with considerable sadness… that I share this news with you.”

Father Charles O'Connor, O.F.M. addressed the congregation at the end of Sunday's Mass, saying, “I'm not leaving… yet. I will be here to help your new priest transition into his new parish.”

He said how rewarding his five years in Callicoon had been and how close he had become with many parishioners.

Following the Mass, Fr. Charles and Fr. Larry greeted and hugged many parishioners, enjoying stories of the Franciscan priests who had served before them.

Long History of Service

Generations of Catholic families throughout Sullivan County have grown up with Franciscan Friars in their spiritual lives, from celebrating baptisms, confirmations and marriages, to officiating at funeral masses.

With their trademark brown robes, white rope belts and oftentimes in sandals, the friars were welcome sites throughout the communities which they served.

Many in the congregation remembered the Franciscans as an integral part of the Upper Delaware community and voiced how deeply they would be missed.

It all started in 1895, when Fr. Danien Kehr, O.F.M., was named the first Franciscan pastor of Holy Cross Parish.

“That was 122 years ago,” Fr. Larry said, “and the Franciscan Friars have journeyed with the Catholic faithful of Callicoon ever since.”

In the early 1900s, St. Joseph's Seraphic Seminary was built on a hill overlooking Callicoon and the Delaware River Valley.

For the next 75 years, thousands of young men attended seminary in Callicoon, enroute to become Franciscan Friars.

Many would often go on to St. Bonaventure University in Olean to complete their studies.

The Seminary was not only the spiritual center of Callicoon but a place where many residents would go to spend time together.

The Franciscans would host Friday night coffee houses for teenagers and also open up their gymnasium for youth activities. At one time a gymnastic club was formed for the youth of the community and ice hockey took place on the pond in front of the seminary.

But as the number of students studying to become priests started to decline in the mid-1970s, the decision was made to close St. Joseph's Seraphic Seminary, and, in 1979, the seminary officially became the Dela­ware Valley Job Corps Center, owned by the federal government.

A new Holy Cross Parish was built three miles north on Route 97 and officially opened on July 20, 1980.

The Rev. Anthony Moore, O.F.M. was the priest of the church at the time and later Father Ignatius Smith, O.F.M. was at Holy Cross in Callicoon for 17 years.

Father Hayes summed up the friars feelings toward the people of Callicoon simply, “And let us continue to pray for each other, so that God's will may continue to be accomplished in us and through us.

“For your many years of goodness to and journeying with the friars: Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Franciscans: By the numbers

1965: OVER 1,000 FRIARS IN HOLY NAME PROVINCE

1985: THAT NUMBER DECLINED TO 708

2001: FRIARS WERE DOWN TO 442

TODAY: 280 FRIARS - MANY OF WHO ARE OVER 65 Years old