The church of Our Lady of Peace rallied with the New York City Mass Mob in January, and their appeal save their parish was accepted by the Vatican.

The parishioners want to celebrate their centennial in 2018, but they're still on the list of churches to be closed by the Archdiocese of New York in August 2015. So they're not waiting.

Instead they're searching for their ancestors - the Italian immigrants and Irish American friends who paid to build their church nearly 100 years ago.

On Sunday, April 26, at 11:30 a.m., they will hold a procession through the neighborhood on East 62nd and 61st Streets, followed by a Founders' Day Mass at 12:30 p.m. and Celebration of Italian Heritage, honoring the families who built the church.

Contact Our Lady of Peace Church at 212-838-3189 or visit Friends of Our Lady of Peace Church on Facebook for more information.

For further information regarding this release contact:

Tami Ellen McLaughlin 646-942-0234

Janice Dooner Lynch at 646-244-9670

Email Friends of Our Lady of Peace:  friendsofourladyofpeace@gmail.com