by Leonica Valentine

Parishioners kept the faith Saturday at Our Lady of Peace Church — holding mass outside of the locked church in defiance. The church, at 239 E. 62nd St., was shuttered on July 31 as part of the archdiocese's initiative to merge 112 parishes to create 55 new ones.

Under the "Making All Things New" program, Our Lady of Peace — founded by Italian immigrants in 1918 — will be consolidated with St. John the Evangelist. A petition Web site with a goal of 3,000 signatures by Aug. 31 had accumulated 2,828 as of Saturday. It cites the parish's financial health, the property's landmarked status and outreach programs among reasons to remain open.

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Source: http://nypost.com/