Demolition makes way for new church

By KARA KOCZUR, Globe staff reporter
July 24, 2008

The old St. Joseph's School came tumbling down July 9 in Le Mars, making the parish one step closer in its process of building a new St. Joseph Church and parish hall.

"We need the space for the new church building," said Father Kevin Richter, pastor of St. Joseph's, adding that the school had been vacant for about the last 10 years.

Crews had been working since April removing asbestos, knocking plaster off the walls and taking all the wood out of the school, Father Richter said. He added that the materials were recycled when possible.

Before demolition, the school sign and cornerstone, dating back to 1901, were removed. Along with bricks salvaged from the rubble, they will be used to create a memorial on Gehlen Catholic School property.

"As a memorial for $100 a brick, people can have names engraved in them of people who went to school here, family members who have died, teachers who they want to remember [or] whatever it might be," Father Richter said.

One option was to line "Memory Lane" up to the school with the engraved bricks, but with concerns of them being chipped by lawn mowers or snow removal, another option is to create a small wall that could surround the old school sign, he added.

One of the reasons Father Richter said St. Joseph Parish is building a new church, parish hall and offices, is that the current church has "structural issues." Built in 1875 using a soft brick, the church has had to deal with moisture seepage throughout the years.

The new facilities will have better heating as well as air-conditioning, Father Richter said. It will also be handicap accessible, including a back ramp up to the sanctuary.

"If you had somebody in a wheelchair who wanted to be lector, they could," the pastor said. "Everything is handicap accessible."

The entire cost of the project is $8 million. So far they have $4.7 million in pledges from their capital campaign last fall, with about $1.7 million in hand. Parishioners have also volunteered their time to raise money for the new building by sewing a quilt and welding a yard fountain, which were auctioned off. They have also compiled a cookbook to sell.

The children are doing their part as well to raise funds for the church. Their offertory collection is designated for a particular part of the building project.

"That's what we're saying is paying for the baptistery area of the new church," Father Richter said. "We used to see nickels and quarters, now we see a few more dollar bills."

While the preparatory process is well underway, the parish has a few more things left to do before building can begin, including finding new student parking and moving the rectory.

"The rectory can be moved, so that's one of the next pieces of the puzzle," Father Richter said, adding that the church bought half a duplex across the street, which will become the new rectory. "We're hoping to start construction of the new church in three years."