I'm not really an "insider" in my parish. That shouldn't surprise anyone.

I haven't evenings free to attend church meetings. But one was held to discuss the "fate" (can I say "fate" on a Catholic blog? Should I say "predestination" instead?) of the "old church." (can I say "old church" on a ...)

No, it really is old. More than 125 years old. And too frickin' small for the 2,000 Catholic families we have around here.

I'm rather sure that the "discussion" at the meeting was a formality. It was probably Father laying things down, "We don't have the money to keep ..."

I took a close look at the building on Tuesday afternoon on the way out of CCD. It's really, really cruddy. Beige stucco, brown painted trim. Not exactly mission style. More a shanty. I've never even set foot inside.

Yet I can't imagine the corner without it. Lots of visitors mistake it for the "real" parish. I know I did the first time. This was before all the letters tumbled off the church sign, piled at the bottom behind the sign's glass. Matters weren't aided by the diocesan directory including its picture rather than the "new" building.

The old church has an old cemetery. Those were the days. I'm not sure how that's handled. I suppose if when they raze the church, there's more room for graves? Keeping a cemetery on that corner would be nice. It's a quiet corner. But it would also be nice if they smoothed out the grade of the hill. Almost every time I drive through there, I fear becoming an addition to the cemetery ... one way or another.

When I learned of the impending demolition, my initial inclination was to approach the Monmouth County Preservation Society about the church. But I'm not sure of their interest. The best preservation might be through photography.

My favorite web site is NJ Churchscape. I've linked to it for a long time. And often wondered why St. Joe's isn't included. I waited, thinking there was still time. But, I don't think I can wait so I sent an email to the compiler, offering to submit a picture. He replied to say that he's working on a book on the County and that he'd better get out here and take a picture himself before the church is gone.

Maybe he will. But maybe I had better take one of my own. Of course, I could just reference the black & white one in the ol' diocesan directory. It doesn't look any more lively in color, trust me.