BY ROBERT L. BAKER

St. Joachim Parish, which since 1930 included St. Bonaventure Church in Auburn Township before it was closed in 2009, had a closing mass Sunday in Meshoppen.

This coming Sunday, St. Joachim Church will be merged with St. Mary of the Assumption to form an Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, to serve the Roman Catholic faithful across the geographical area included in the Wyoming Valley and Elk Lake school districts.

Rev. Joseph Manarchuk sprinkles Holy water on those gathered Sunday to remind them of their baptism and he hoped renewed faith in serving the new parish.

The new parish in the Diocese of Scranton has 109 registered families with St. Joachim, which will continue to have Friday and Sunday masses, and 211 families at St. Mary of the Assumption.