“I think it’s very sad for all the parishioners here,” said Pat Hofford. Hofford was one of hundreds who packed Most Precious Blood Church to celebrated it’s final mass. Most Precious Blood is one of two Rochester Catholic Churches being closed due to dwindling numbers. “Attendance here has declined rather dramatically over the past few years as was the case in the other church. So yes its always sad, there's always anger and frustration. As Christians we always know God is with us in everything we do. He is with us in the journey and hopefully that will be the case here,” said diocese spokesperson Doug Maldelaro. Marisa DeMario was the musical director of Most Precious Blood. She says she’ll continue to play for worshipers at the new church, but she wonders whether the diocese did enough to keep the Most Precious Blood open. “I'm very confused about the way it was all put together. There are some factors which contributed to it. I think we could have had a little more time perhaps to try it out but as hopeful person it doesn't always work like that,” said DeMario. Reverend John Mulligan says church officials did listen, but in the end it was up to the diocese. “After working for six months they came to the conclusion that this was inevitable. We went around a group of twelve and every one agreed it was inevitable. At that point we made the proposal we took the proposal to this community and said, “Have we missed something? They found nothing we missed so we began to move in this direction, “said Reverend Jim Mulligan. Some parishioners cried and hugged one another after the final procession. Father Mulligan says he has faith the church will remain strong with or without Most Precious Blood. ”For the members of its a beginning of a new step in our journey for us as a community,” said Reverend Mulligan. Parishioners have been invited to worship at Sacred Heart.
