▁for ▁a ▁building ▁that ▁was ▁meant ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁temporary ▁church ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁Bishop ▁John ▁L . ▁M ork ov sky ▁dedicated ▁the ▁new ▁church ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁The ▁parish ▁continued ▁to ▁grow ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁closing ▁of ▁Am ar illo ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁The ▁parish ▁lost ▁ 6 0 0 ▁families ▁and ▁en roll ment ▁at ▁the ▁school ▁decl ined ▁as ▁costs ▁rose . ▁It ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁remain ▁vi able ▁by ▁the ▁families ▁and ▁retired ▁military ▁personnel ▁who ▁remained . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁Sac red ▁Heart ▁C athedral ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁Am ar illo ▁decl ined ▁to ▁ 2 5 ▁families ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁determined ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁parish . ▁St . ▁Laur ence ▁Church , ▁which ▁had ▁se ating ▁for ▁ 5 0 0 , ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁church ▁in ▁town . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁located ▁on ▁dioc es an ▁property ▁that ▁included ▁the ▁Ch anc ery ▁Office , ▁the ▁bishop ’ s ▁residence , ▁Al amo ▁Catholic ▁High ▁School , ▁and ▁St . ▁Francis ▁Con vent . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁Bishop ▁Lawrence ▁M . ▁De F al co ▁executed ▁the ▁dec ree ▁from ▁the ▁Holy ▁See ▁naming ▁St . ▁Laur ence ▁Church ▁as ▁the ▁dioc ese ’ s