Parishioners feel their "faith is being taken away" by a decision to stop holding regular masses at their church.
According to congregants, The Holy Spirit Church in Sinfin, Derby, still has between 50 and 100 worshippers at its weekly services.
But last year the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham announced it would provide no priest from this Easter Sunday onwards.
It said it was because of falling numbers of clergy and worshippers and the retirement of the incumbent priest.
'Tears on Sunday'
The congregation said this effectively means the end of the church and they have not been consulted.
They have applied to the Vatican to have the decision overturned.
Tom Govan, 69, who is spearheading the campaign, said: "I don't think I've had a more difficult time in my life than this because it's my faith treating us like this, and that's hard.
"There will be a lot of tears on Sunday. I want them to delay the closure and talk to us.
"I don't think the diocese recognises how strong the love and passion is here."
The Nottingham diocese, which covers a large area of the region, including Derby, told the BBC it only has 33% of the clergy it had 40 years ago but is still maintaining 85% of its church buildings.
In a letter explaining its decision to the congregation, the diocese said the need to "reorganise their human resources" had become "urgent".
Theology experts have said this is a problem for churches, both Anglican and Catholic, across the country.
For parishioners like Anne Perry, who has been coming since the church was first converted from a social club in the 1980s, the result is a deep personal loss.
Her late husband furnished the church with items he made himself, such as the lectern, and the community supported her when he died.
"I found the news devastating," Mrs Perry, 79, said.
"I feel let down. Me and my husband have put a lot into this church, a lot of ourselves into it.
"It's been my life for 45 years. We've cared for it in here. It's heart-breaking."
The diocese stressed the church has not been completely closed, which would require a "lengthy canonical process" and consultation.
A spokeswoman added: "It would be completely plausible for the worshipping community in Sinfin to lead and take part in lay-led prayer and worship in the church, for example, the rosary, times of prayer, scripture reflection, prayer groups, or otherwise.
"Similarly, it is not to say that the sacraments can never take place there again – funerals, for example, or "one-off" masses could very well be celebrated."
'Faith taken away'
Parishioners said not having a regular mass amounts to a closure because it is a crucial part of their worship.
Mr Govan said they had tried to come up with solutions, including a once-weekly priest or live-streaming mass from Nottingham Cathedral.
But he claimed they were ignored by the church authorities.
He also said travelling to the nearest alternative church – a 40-minute walk – was too far for the elderly members of the congregation, and Sunday bus services don't run at the right times.
"I can't believe our church is treating us this way," he added.
"The faith (for the older people who can't travel to another church) is being taken away from them."
