Parishioners at St. Ann's Church in the Bronx expressed devastation and heartache after finding out that their parish was among those facing mergers.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York called for the mergers of 368 parishes in the five boroughs and Westchester. Congregants from St. Ann's will soon join in with St. Brendan's Church nearby.

Elderly churchgoers say that they cannot make the longer trek to St. Brendan's.

Fearing the merger for several months, parishioners tried to come up with several solutions to save the church. They say they also wrote a letter to the cardinal asking to merge with a closer location like St. Philip Neri, but say they received no response.