Madonna of Jerusalem Church in Sharpsburg will close temporarily July 13 for 10 to 12 weeks of repairs and updates, but, says pastor The Rev. Frank Alamade, "The key word is temporarily. It was much more practical to do the interior and exterior work with the church closed for that time period."

At more than 140 years old, the church, one of three in the newly formed St. Juan Diego congregation in Sharpsburg, is in great need of repairs, said parish secretary Rosemarie Haas. "They were a long time in coming," she said. Renovations at the building were last performed about 25 years ago.

The work will fix the roof, masonry inside and out, and plaster. The vestibule will be reinforced, new carpeting will be installed and the pews will be refurbished. It is estimated the work will cost approximately $300,000.

In March, St. Mary, St. John Cantius and Madonna of Jerusalem, all in Sharpsburg, merged to form one congregation, with combined assets and one pastor. The parish was named St. Juan Diego, who saw a vision of Virgin Mary in 1531, at a site outside what is now Mexico City.

"The merger ensured that we are going to be here for quite sometime," said Father Almade.

The congregation includes 850 families with about 350 to 400 people who attend mass at Madonna of Jerusalem on any given weekend.

Soon after the merger, it was decided that repairs on the church were necessary.

"The merger has allowed us to do the repairs. We are catching up on things that need to be done," the pastor said.

While the church is closed, congregation members will attend services at one of the other two churches.

"One of the blessings of the merger is that we can move the Masses to another church without disrupting the schedule," said Father Almade. "The churches are very closely located to each other, so it makes it even easier."

Upgrades are also planned at St. John Cantius, including new carpets and updated lighting.

"Churches are a sign of our faith and taking care of our churches is a way of showing this faith," Father Almade said.