Pews inside the old St. John the Baptist Church on Hubbard Street in Ludlow were packed this Sunday morning. Fresh faces on hand for the 11 o'clock mass, with the new year the church has new parishioners and a new name. The catholic community of Saint Elizabeth.

This parish was on the receiving end of a merger announced by the Catholic Diocese of Springfield. A decision that included closing down the beloved St. Mary of the Assumption on East Street.
Patricia Mole was a devote parishioner of St. Mary's, like many others, heartsick over the closure.

"Tough, scary, didn't believe it was happening. But we knew it was coming to an end, but we tried to fight to keep out parish open, we loved it there, we built it from the ground up," said Mole.

Like she has done so many times before, she's letting her faith lead her though, undaunted she is at her New parish for the first time.

"It's nice to see all of our statues and pictures here," said Mole
Like the statue of Mary brought over from the East Street building.

She looks good, she's way up high and you can’t miss her, we didn't miss her their either, because she was in the foyer, we didn't miss her, " said Mole.

Many parishioners from St. Mary's attended Sunday mass for the first time at the catholic community of Saint Elizabeth. Monsignor Gosselin says he knows how tough that transition has been, that’s why the theme of today’s mass was "welcome".

"We certainly have tried by telling them repeatedly that they are welcome, and I think the people from St. Johns, who are at home here already, have gone out of their way to make them feel welcome here," said Msgr. Gosselin.

Open arms, open doors and open hearts, that the story from one catholic settling in to her new base of faith.

"We have to move on, we don't forget the past, because it’s still in our hearts, we are just bringing the past over to here, said Mole.