BELVIDERE—St. James Parish, here, is gearing up for its 150th anniversary with a significant change to its church building.
Groundbreaking took place the afternoon of April 7 for an addition to the church that will increase its capacity from 325 seats to about 850. Bishop David Malloy joined other dignitaries, parishioners and school children at the event.
Expressing his gratitude for everyone who had gathered, Bishop Malloy told them, “especially the school kids,” to “put this (event) in your head (because) it really is a moment of history.”
He noted the “great deal of thought, work and prayer” that had brought the project to the point of breaking ground, and he encouraged everyone to continue their prayers for the parish, for all who have passed the faith to new generations there, and for those who will be constructing the new addition.
Ultimately, the bishop said, such buildings gather the faithful and unite them with the parish, with the diocese and with the Holy Father. “We are heirs of all that has been given to us,” he said, calling on the crowd to continue that legacy of faith at St. James Parish.
It will be as if the new construction is a separate building to the north that is connected to the current church, Father Brian Geary, pastor, says. He credits architect Joseph Winkleman of Larson and Darby for “bringing his Catholic faith into his profession beautifully. He is bringing forth from the storehouse (both) old and new.”
Presently, the church faces east. The altar will be moved from the east end of the church, put at the new north wall, and the baptistery will be placed where the altar had been.
The north wall of the current church building will be removed and pillars and arches will be put in place as part of a new balcony that will extend into the sanctuary and hold about 200 people — choir members and other parishioners. Winkelmann says that balcony will be able to be extended in the future if the need for more seating arises.
The main entrance to the church will be moved from the west end to the building’s south side, and the original 50-square-foot narthex will be greatly expanded into much of the current church sanctuary.
The new addition will include a full basement that will not be connected to the old basement. A later phase of construction will provide parish office space and meeting spaces in that new lower level. The smaller basement underneath the present church will be used for the mechanicals of the building.
Restrooms will be available on the first floor. Two additional handicapped accessible entrances will be added, one on the west at ground level with an elevator that will go to the basement, first floor and choir loft. The other will be a ramp going up to the new main entrance.
Much of the preparation work is already complete.
“Since Jan. 5, volunteer crews of men have come on Saturdays and some days of the week,” Father Geary says. “They’ve been so generous. It’s just outstanding, the investment – both financial and ‘sweat equity’ – that the parishioners have made for the parish.” In a recent letter in the St. James bulletin, he expressed his thanks to the volunteers and notes that, “When the general contractor visited the church recently he commented on the quantity and quality of work completed by the volunteers. Also, members of the Council of Catholic Women have served delicious lunches to the weary laborers.”
Parish volunteers gutted the present church basement to its foundation walls and did mortar work to reinforce the area. They also removed some of the stained glass windows, flooring and walls. The removed stained glass windows are being saved for use in the new addition, says Winkelmann, who adds that doing so was “very important to a lot of parishioners.”
One goal is for the church addition not to look like an addition. “We’ve been doing a lot to match the existing brick with the façade of the addition,” Father Geary says. “It should be very attractive.” The construction, he adds, respects the old, but brings it into the 21st century.
The new capacity of the church sanctuary will allow confirmations and first communions to be held at the parish instead of at the Cathedral in Rockford or St. Bridget Parish in Loves Park, Father Geary says.
Parishioners, he concludes, agree with the thought that “this new church will be the most beauty Belvidere has had since Judy Ford,” referring to the hometown girl who became Miss America in 1969.
The completion date for the addition is predicted to be Nov. 14, 2014.