Memories came flooding back to Tricia Mahoney on Thursday as she sat quietly inside St. Mary s Chapel on the North East campus of Mercyhurst University.
Mahoney, 59, of North East, grew up in the church. Her parents were married there. Their funerals were held there, too. Her father coached the St. Mary s boys basketball team from the 1960s to the 1980s. She couldn t count the number of weddings and baptisms she attended in the iconic chapel that has played such an important role in her life. This place is home, said Mahoney. it is so much more than just a building.
As it closes in on a sale of its North East campus, Mercyhurst University is inviting community members to gather Thursday to express prayerful gratitude for and pay a final visit to the campus s historic and iconic chapel.
Because the chapel will no longer be used for Roman Catholic prayer and worship, Mercyhurst is in the process of removing altars, the ambo (pulpit), statues, pews and other religious images, including some of the stained glass windows, according to a statement from Mercyhurst Vice President for Mission Gregory Baker. This summer a religious goods vendor will carefully remove these items for use in the construction of new chapels, Baker said in a statement. This work will not impact the exterior of the building, which is an important part of North East’s historic profile.