The Church is actually the people of God, and will live on, in the hope of the Resurrection. Nevertheless, the Catholic church family at White Mills had cause for tears, Sunday, when the final Mass was held in their beloved church home.
Hope was the order of the day under spectacular sunny skies, and was the lesson of the homily preached by Rev. Martin M. Boylan, as well as in the songs. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was observed one last time on the hill where a Catholic church has stood for as many as 131 years. For the first time, following Mass, was Church Street, White Mills, without a church. As the people of God were urged to move forward, it was yet a time for departure.
A climatic, tearful moment for the faithful was the solemn procession at the end, when Deacon Mark S. Jennings respectfully carried the Host out of the church, and other men fetched the statues of the Blessed Mother and their patron, Saint Joseph, removing them from the building.
Indeed was the appropriateness of a line in one of the songs led by the White Mills Catholic Choir, “To Everything There is a Season.”
The closing of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, despite a robust congregation, is part of a painful consolidation occurring nationwide including in the Diocese of Scranton. Several churches in the region have closed or may after review in a couple years. Shortage of priests has been cited. After Father Joseph Kutch was transferred from White Mills in 2007, the White Mills Parish, which included St. Bernard’s Mission Church in Beach Lake as well, was joined with St. John the Evangelist Parish in Honesdale. Father Boylan, with his Parochial Vicar, Rev. Balaraju Desam, suddenly had these two churches, as well as the two in Honesdale and the Rileyville church, in their fold.
In poetic fashion, Father Boylan encouraged the church that while this is a time of great sadness and change has touched us in a poignant way, Catholics are a people of the future “Our emphasis is on hope, which energizes us and mitigates our grief,” he said. He acknowledged the sacrifices of Dorflinger Cut Glass workers and canal builders who established the church at White Mills, joining their gifts for the Community of Faith. He reminded all to count their blessings.
A luncheon was held afterwards, where the parishioners shared memories with one another and reflected. Although welcomed now as a part of the parish at Honesdale, each family will decide where they will ultimately go. Some said they will probably attend Queen of Peace at Hawley; others said Honesdale; another said Narrowsburg may be his choice.
“It was much sadder than I thought,” said Joan Lonsdorf, who has been coming here regularly since 2000 when she bought a house in White Mills to be close to her church. “I watched the church being taken apart... I do thank the Lord for this part of my life.”
“Nostalgia,” summed Ed Rose, having been asked how he was feeling after the Mass. He said he was baptized here, 77 years ago, and was married here. He recalled when the old wooden church burned down, February 21, 1960. They met in the White Mills Community Hall until the  present church with a brick veneer, was ready in 1963.
Mark Graziadio said the hardest part was the dispersal of the church family. He started attending in the late 60’s. The biggest disappointment, he noted, was that the Diocese had local committees set up last year to suggest alternative plans to avoid closure, but the Bishop’s decision was handed down only days after the plans were submitted. “They had already made their decision,” he lamented.
Rita and John “Cubby” Wenders agreed it was a sad day. “I went here most of my life,” said Cubby, a White Mills resident.
“I’m broken hearted,” said Regina Stephens. “My life has been here in this church.” Her grandparents and parents went here. She was baptized here. She fondly recalled, as children, seeing George Stephens  sliding down the hill on the snow, across from the church, a time-honored local tradition. She and George married 45 years ago, at St. Joseph’s. They were wed in the old church, which inconveniently lacked a middle aisle.
This is also a season of change for Father Boylan. Sunday, July 12, is his final day with the parish, before his transfer to St. Peter and Paul Church in Towanda, still within the Diocese of Scranton. A farewell reception for him is planned Sunday, July 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. in Holy Family Hall, at St. John the Evangelist in Honesdale.
Father Boylan said following Mass that the Parish would take its time, but planned to sell the White Mills church and rectory, ideally for use as another house of worship.

Serving at St. Joseph’s Church
WHITE MILLS- St. Joseph’s Church, White Mills, Pa., was erected in 1878 as part of the Hawley parish, under the pastorate of Rev. John P. O’Malley (another source gave the year as 1887).
The church operated as a parish until 1941 when its status was changed to that of a mission under St. Philomena’s Church in Hawley (today, Queen of Peace). White Mills became its own parish in 1968, and became part of the parish at Honesdale in 2007.
The original wooden church burned to the ground on the night of December 21, 1960. An overheated furnace was blamed. A ceremony for the new church was held May 24, 1962. The new church was built of block and could seat 300. The church was dedicated January 20, 1963.
The following pastors have served at St. Joseph’s Church, White Mills, since 1929:
Fr. R.R. Fitzpatrick 1929-1934
Fr. Charles F. Carroll 1934 - 1938
Fr. Francis J. Toolan 1938 - 1940
Fr. D.. C. Langan l940 - 1941
Fr. Joseph F. Gagion 1942 - 1944
Fr. James P. Holleran 1945 - 1965
Msgr. Michael J. Kennedy 1966
Fr. William J. Burke 1967
Fr. Robert M. Everling 1968 - 1971
Fr. John J. Turi 1971 - 1975
Fr. Santino J. Fanucci 1975 - 1985
Fr. James J. Walsh 1985 - 1991
Fr. Michael H. Marchetti l991 - 2001
Fr. Joseph P. Kutch 2001 - 2007
Fr. Martin M. Boylan 2007 - 2009.
Eucharistic ministers, at its closing, included: Mary Duffin, Elizabeth LaTournas, Helen Nolan, Thelma Barnes, Irene Eisele, Nich Krochta, William Sealand, Cy Arnold and John Haggarty.
The White Mills Choir included Alice Orr, Dave Nonnenmacher, Cathy Nonnenmacher, Jackie Rose, Arlene Munger, Judy Remlinger, Ruth Sealand, Bill Sealand, Nick and Marilyn Krochta, Ed Kennedy, Betty LaTournas, Jean Watson and Gertie Watson. Cathy Nonnenmacher was organist.
Recent church secretaries were Jenna Rae Doherty, Anne Doherty and Madeleine Schleupner.