Last Mass at Saint Cosmas and Damian – March 13th

We knew it was coming, not that anyone was looking forward to it, the last mass at Saint Cosmas and Damian will take place Sunday March 13th, at 3:00 in the afternoon.

I really want to complain, I want to scream how unfair this is, not only to the people of the parish today, but to those who came before and built it with their own hands. The money raised was all from the people of Conshohocken and West Conshohocken, I could do all of that, it isn’t going to change anything. What I am going to do is try to see Father Genuardi one last time giving a sermon. I’d like to see friends I would see at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. I’d like to see the church filled with smiling faces, shaking hands before or after the mass.

What I’m going to do today is share something from the Tales of Conshohocken and Beyond book written by my dad Jack Coll. When he was doing research for this book, we were laughing when he found this from an old Conshohocken Recorder. This was in the January 13, 1913 edition. It appears as you see it below in the Tales of Conshohocken and Beyond book, ( there are typo’s which appeared in the original article in the Conshohocken Recorder)

Cannot Raffle Goats to Aid Church

District Attorney stops A Raffle in Aid of A Church When he Receives

Information That One is to be Held Here-Evangelist Buys A Ticket

And Later District Attorney Acts.

A number of local Italians anxious to aid in the building of a new church here decided a good way to raise money would be to have a raffle and one man offered to contribute two goats to be raffled and receipts be donated to the church.  Several of the men took charge of the affair and had a number of tickets printed and were offering them for sale.  On Tuesday last, the Italian Evangelist, who last year was denied police protection while he held meetings in the Italian colony, on Maple Street, purchased a ticket for the raffle from one of the men in charge of the affair.  The Evangelist informed the man who sold him the ticket that the raffle was a violation of the law.

The day after the Evangelist purchased his ticket a stranger entered a local barber shop, conducted by an Italian and after receiving a hair cut asked for a couple of raffle tickets. The barber replied that he had no tickets. The man then left the shop and went to another Italian barber and secured some of the tickets.

Yesterday, word was received here from Norristown , from a Presbyterian clergyman, requesting several of the the local Italians to meet him at the office of the District Attorney.  The men did not comply with the request but referred the invitation to their attorney Charles D. McAvoy.

The men who were getting up the raffle stated that they did not know they were violating the law and in order to avoid trouble have called the raffle off and will refund the money to all purchasers of tickets.  This morning, they called upon District Attorney and explained the situation to him.

The action taken against the Italians will be far reaching in its effect.  If the law is invoked all raffles and drawings will be stopped.  Paddle and horse wheels, which have been popular at block parties in various towns, will be placed under the bans will all games of chance.

   I love this! This shows the passion and creativity the people of the parish had when it came time to build the church. From what we understand, the church building itself isn’t going anywhere.

      One day soon we’ll post some photos from feasts over the years, and maybe we’ll take some photos at the final mass so we will all have the memories.