A little more than three years ago, a new young 32 year old priest was assigned to Holy Name of Mary-Assumption parish in Maybrook and Montgomery.

Fr. Reiman was welcomed warmly. The people were excited and hopeful that he would not only revitalize our parish but energize it. We had not had a new priest in about 20 years so this was a major event for us. Our hopes were that we would see new programs for our youth and an increase in participation on the part of the Community of Faith. There was so much to be done, so many needs to be met. Surely one person could not do it all. The people stood ready to assist and carry out what needed to be done.

Soon after his arrival things began to change, but not as we had hoped for. The first thing to go was the Daily Mass in Maybrook. We were told that there was concern regarding winter driving from Montgomery where Fr. Reiman resides and that the few priests that the Archdiocese has left are overworked and dying in their rectories.

Next was the suspension of our Monthly Parish Council Meeting as well as the Monthly Finance Committee Meeting. These two groups were the backbone of our parish. It was explained that these groups would meet when the pastor felt it necessary. We were stunned when a meeting was called in March of 2021 to inform all parishioners that numerous calls had been made to the Archdiocese regarding the deplorable condition of our parish buildings in Maybrook. Although I asked who made those calls and how many were made, I have never been given an answer. Furthermore, we were informed that an assessment of our buildings had been conducted the previous December without anyone except Fr. Reiman knowing it took place. We were slated to be closed. The people rallied and along with Covid that decision was withdrawn temporarily. Prior to these events and the arrival of Fr. Reiman, the Archdiocese conducted a fundraising campaign titled Renew and Rebuild aimed solely at making necessary repairs and improvements to parish buildings throughout the Archdiocese. I led that effort.

Slightly over $395,000 was pledged for the purpose of making those types of repairs on the buildings in Maybrook and Montgomery. None of the money raised was ever used in Maybrook, all of it going entirely to Montgomery. Our 5:30 Mass was the next victim of the ax. We are now left with one Mass on Sunday.

Recently Fr. Reiman called together the leadership of our various parish groups and told them to inform their members that the Church in Maybrook would be shuttered. That’s it! No announcement by the pastor, just second or third hand information by others. Some say that we will close after Christmas. Why wait? Perhaps one last Christmas collection? I started out like so many others thinking that this priest could do great things here. He could have been a rock star! Sadly, that isn’t what happened.

Fr. Reiman states that he was not sent here to close Assumption. If in fact you weren’t sent here to close Assumption, what were you sent here to do? There is more, some of it very personal but you get the idea. We will all soon need to find a new place to worship. Some may choose to stay home for lack of transportation or other reasons, and others of us will need to find a new parish. They say actions speak louder than words. If that’s true, then Fr. Reiman’s claim that he wasn’t sent here to close Assumption doesn’t speak as loudly as his actions. It didn’t have to end this way though. The guy could have been a rock star.

The Archdiocese through its agent has accomplished its goal in their traditional style of secrecy and dishonesty. There should be no doubt that the shuttering (closing) of The Church of the Assumption in Maybrook is the result of a well thought out and executed plan by people who claim to have devoted their lives to the service of God’s people.