Mass was held at at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montclair last weekend. The priest offered Communion and the congregation recited the Lord’s Prayer, as they have for generations at the towering brick church. But a regular Mass was not always guaranteed at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Six years ago, the Archdiocese of Newark combined the historic church with a nearby parish in Montclair.

As Masses dwindled and the church closed for a time, it appeared Our Lady of Mount Carmel might be permanently shuttered. But parishioners rallied and fought to save their beloved church. They included siblings Marialena and Raffaele Marzullo, who grew up going to the church and taking part in its community. They appealed directly to the College of Cardinals at the Vatican to keep the church open.