As the Assumption BVM Church building in Oil City was reduced to a heap of bricks and boards Monday, several former church members came by to watch and gather bricks.
“I went to church here many times,” Bucky Butryn said. “I hate to see this,” he added sadly as he put several bricks in his car.
Butryn said he was at the demolition site to gather several bricks for his sister and one of her friends.
Taydus recalled coming to Mass at Assumption, where his two brothers served as alter boys for a time.
Sister Marian Wehler and Sister Tina Geiger with Catholic Rural Ministry of Oil City were also out gathering a number of bricks and talking with those who came by.
“I was baptized, raised here and got married here,” Mary Jane Buchna said as she surveyed the sight from her car. “It’s hard. All my memories are here. I think of my mom who came from Poland and all the sacrifices they made to build this church,” Buchna said.
“My mom and dad were among those who built this church and now my generation lives to see this,” Buchna added.
Buchna recalled coming with her mother to the Masses at Assumption that were in Polish.
“The singing and the processions were beautiful,” said Helen Futyma, 95, who was riding in the car with Buchna. “The nuns were wonderful…they were very concerned about preparing you spiritually,” she added.
“I learned to speak two languages, Polish and English, better there,” Futyma said of the Assumption grade school that was connected to the church.
Both Futyma and Buchna said they learned to speak Polish and English at school. The women added they can still speak Polish.
