Parishioners at two Catholic churches in Elliot Lake will find out very shortly, which of the two will remain open and which one will close.
Our Lady of Fatima Parish and Paroisse Ste. Marie have been operating in Elliot Lake since the 1950’s, but both congregations have been dwindling in the last couple of decades.
Father Anthony Man-Son-Hing is the priest for both parishes.
He says Our Lady of Fatima has about 240 parishioners for the two weekend masses while Paroisse Ste. Marie has as many as 130 at its Sunday services.
In the spring, Bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Marcel Damphousse, met with members of both congregations and gave the two parishes until the end of October to come up with a consensus on which church should remain open.
Man-Son-Hing says if there is no consensus, the bishop will make the decision, but parishioners can be assured services will continue in both languages no matter which church is closed.