Friars' decision to leave St. Francis tests faith of Raleigh Catholic community

It was an announcement that brought an outpouring of emotion.

"Everybody was crying," said Mary Beth Loscalzo.

In his email, Patti said the order, Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province, had been discussing for years a gradual withdrawal from some of their ministries, a response to "the aging of friars and declining vocations to religious life."

In 1985, there were a few more than 700 friars; in 2001, that number dropped to 443; now, it stands at just under 300.

According to Patti, Holy Name Province friars serve in 30 locations along the East Coast, including St. Francis. The final decision to withdraw from nine of those locations came Friday, after what Patti described as "wide input from friars throughout Holy Name Province, and from our lay partners in ministry."

In a statement, Holy Name Province wrote:

"Our departure from St. Francis Parish, as well as the other eight Fraternities-in-Mission, inevitably will bring disappointment and sadness – which are natural emotions because of the longtime association between the Franciscans and the Raleigh community. The decision to withdraw from the parish was not taken lightly.”

Still, Patti wrote in his email, when he got the call that St. Francis was among the locations to be cut, it came as a surprise. St. Francis is one of the larger Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Raleigh, which includes 97 parishes and missions across 54 eastern counties of North Carolina.

If they don't, by the summer, the parish will have new leadership. A spokesperson for the diocese says Bishop Luis Zarama will work through the process of assigning a new pastor and associate for the community.

"We can go on because they've instilled in us the Franciscan way, the kindness and the giving and the acceptance, but it's not going to be easy," Loscalzo said.

Parishioner Bettina Nolan pointed out, "Franciscans are supposed to be 'pilgirms,' to move on to those in need.

"We have loved having them, but the true spirit of the parish is its people and its ministries."