"Visitors do use it and people who come and stay in holiday homes come too, even people from other denominations because it is the only church in Ross -- we don't turn anyone away."
Located directly opposite the Ross visitor centre, St Patrick's was also a tourist attraction.
Information centre manager Kath Maitland said staff had opened and closed the doors every day on behalf of the church for the past year.
It was a popular attraction for tourists.
"In the visitors book there's a lot of Europeans, including Irish, look in. It's a very nice, peaceful spot. It would be sad to see it closed," Mrs Maitland said.
"It is the only church left in the town and it also has significance as the oldest wooden building on the Coast."
St Patrick's is the second oldest church in the Christchurch diocese, after Akaroa.
With declining numbers of parishioners in the late 20th century the Ross parish -- which originally extended from Rimu in the north to Jackson Bay in the south -- was incorporated into the Hokitika parish of
St Mary's and lost its resident priest.
Hokitika parish priest Father Francis Jolly said last year any decision to close the Ross church would come from the diocese.
The church was built in 1866, within a year of the discovery of gold at Ross. It is a category 2 listed building with Heritage New Zealand.
- Hokitika Guardian
