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The church will close Sunday, June 16. Its final Masses are scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. that day.

In a letter to parishioners, the Rev. Stephen Karani said the decision was reached after an assessment of the North Street campus. The review found "multiple significant concerns," according to Karani. The church's roof and stone veneer are severely damaged, and there are several loose windows. Inside the church, there is water damage to the walls and choir loft staircase.Ìý

In the rectory, there is loose slate falling from the roof and interior water damage, and black mold has been found in multiple rooms.

There is also water damage and moss growing in the former Holy Family School.Ìý

Before deciding to close, Karani said, a meeting was held with the Most Rev. Salvatore Matano, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, and diocesan staff to review the engineer's assessment of the Holy Family campus and the parish's financial state.Ìý

A separate meeting was convened with Holy Family's pastoral council and parish finance council. At that meeting, which was held Thursday, Karani said a "majority of attendees agreed with the findings of the report." 

"Please be assured that this necessary decision was reached only after careful consideration of the facts at hand, and in the primary interest of everyone's safety, as well as with the excessive and prohibitive cost of making repairs, currently estimated at $2.5 million," Karani said. "This has been a difficult decision and I appeal for your understanding during this challenging time." 

Holy Family Church was founded in 1834. The North Street worship site was built in 1861, making it the oldest Catholic church in Auburn.Ìý

In 2021, a pastoral planning committee recommended the closure of four Cayuga County churches, including Holy Family. But there was opposition to the plan and Holy Family, along with other churches, remained open.Ìý