BOLIVAR, Pa. -- Sunday was a sad day for parishioners at two local churches as they celebrated Mass for the last time.

The service at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Bolivar was a somber celebration. Parishioners said they're not just losing their church, but so much more than that.

"I was an alter boy, then I was a trustee of the church. I'm just sorry to hear that it's closing," said Samuel LaMantia.

LaMantia had been a parishioner at St. Mary's since 1954. In that year, parish families put their faith forward in their community as they built the church.

"This church has been built by their hands, their sweat. It's really sad," said parishioner Melissa Keller.

With the death of seven priests in the Greensburg diocese in the past year, the bishop called it quits for St. Mary's as well as six other chapels in the diocese. According to the bishop, there are not enough priests. The church's sister chapel, St. Mary's in New Florence, also celebrated its last Mass Sunday morning.

"It's such a small community anyway, and to see something else go that's so important," said Keller.

Father Wilt, who presides over the chapels and the parent parish Holy Family in Seward, said although it's tough, it takes faith, hope and charity. Parishioners took those words to heart on Sunday.

"We'll be OK. It will take time, but we'll go to where we need to go and we'll still have the Lord," said Keller.

Maybe someone will come about doing this again," said LaMantia.

The diocese has not said what it plans to do with the closed churches. However, the parishioners will be bused from Bolivar and New Florence to Holy Family Parish in Seward for Mass next Sunday.

Parishioners said they hope the bus ride will be a way to continue with their fellowship.