MCADOO -- A parish in Schuylkill County is looking for family members of former priests, but it won't be an easy task. Those four priests have been dead for around 100 years.
Monsignor William Baker at All Saints Church in McAdoo says it's not uncommon for a priest to be buried on parish grounds after they die. But that practice can cause problems when churches close or move and that's what the parish in McAdoo is dealing with now.
All Saints Church is the only remaining Catholic Church in McAdoo. It was built in1900 and the parish now wants to update the property on East Washington Street.
The problem is that three former priests from the church are buried right outside the church.
Now, the church wants to find those priests' next of kin, but there's another problem: the priests have been dead for more than 100 years.
"We're looking to get in touch with them and get permission to move their mortal remains into the cemeteries," Msgr. Baker said.
This is the final resting spot for Fr. Peter Malloy, Fr. Thomas Marren, and Fr. James McConnon. Years ago, it wasn't uncommon for priests to be buried near their church
But current church officials want to pave the parking lot, but not while their bodies are still there.
"We don't want to leave the priest here in the middle of the parking lot. We want to give them a nice burial up at the cemetery."
Parishioners agree that the priests should be moved out of respect.
"I think it would be nice if they were buried up in the cemetery with another ceremony," said McAdoo resident Andy Johnson.
The priests would be moved to St. Patrick's Cemetery, just a few blocks away.
But they're not the only remains the church is looking to move.
Fr. Leon Pateracki is buried outside the former St. Kunegunda's church. They want to move his remains, too, and are looking for anyone who might be related.
"The priest died in his mid-30s. It was the flu epidemic of 1918."
The priest was buried in 1918, but now, almost 100 years later, the parish wants to move his body and sell the building.
"We don't want to and we can't leave the pastor behind there."
Church officials say that either way they will eventually move the bodies to the cemetery.
But, they hope they can find some family members of the priests first.
If not, All Saints Parish in McAdoo will have to get a court order to move the remains.
If you think you’re a family member of one of the former priests, you can call Msgr. Baker at All Saints Church at 570- 929-1073.