After nearly 12 year fight, historic Catholic Church in Mass. closes
SCITUATE, Mass. -- On Sunday the final mass was held at Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini Church in Scituate, Massachusetts.
The church is closing after a nearly 12-year, around-the-clock vigil by parishioners who had tried to keep their beloved house of worship open.
Named after the first Italian-American saint, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church has sat near the shore of Scituate, Massachusetts since the 1960s.
Because of declining attendance, and a shortage of priests, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston in May 2004 decided to shut down the church and sell the 30-acre waterfront property.
CBS News visited St. Frances Xavier Cabrini in 2013 and met with parishioners on 24-7 vigil -- their peaceful protest to save their church.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear their final appeal, leaving parishioners no choice but to end their fight.
On Sunday, they celebrated their final mass.
Maryellen Rogers was baptized, had her first communion and was married at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
"I am feeling a broken heart," she said.
She does not know what will become of her beloved church, and its seaside property, but she anticipates the church will bulldozed, and new houses will come up in its place.