Saint Anthony's holds its final mass

BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) - After serving the faithful for over a century, Saint Anthony's Church in Batavia is closing its doors.

Bishop Richard Malone lead this morning's final mass which included one last baptism.

Saint Anthony's merged with Sacred Heart five years ago. Masses will now be held in the merged Ascension Parish.

It was a church where parishioner Daniel Fix said, "everybody knows each other and are friendly with each other."

Bishop Malone said, "A good Catholic doesn't just abandon the faith, because a building closes. The church as the Father said, is the people -- the people, not the building.  We get attached to the building.  I know I am, to my home parish, but that's not the church.  The church is us, the people of God."

While it won't be the same, parishioners say faith matters more than the building where they pray