Armstrong parish completes renovation
By KATIE LEFEBVRE
Globe staff writer
Posted August 22, 2002

ARMSTRONG - St. Mary's Church has undergone a facelift. Much remodeling has been done to the church along with lowering it.

"We wanted to make it more accessible," said Father Jerome Cosgrove, pastor at St. Mary's. "It is now more accessible and a beautiful church for people to worship in."

The lowering began in Jan. 2001 and ended in Dec. 2001. The church once had a 17-step entrance and is now wheelchair accessible.

The church has been connected to the parish center. Parishioners enter the church through the parish center because of the connection.

"There is a gathering area for parishioners to talk before or after Mass," said Dave Rezac, a parishioner and member of the building and grounds committee who worked with the architect.

Besides exterior remodeling, which included landscaping, updates included a change in the floor plan.

The two sacristies were taken out and the altar was moved to the east side of the church. So the priests still have a place for their vestments, one of the classrooms in the parish center was converted to an office for a place to put those things.

With the new position of the altar, stain glass windows. Rezac commented that when light come through the windows it is "quite awesome" to see.

The church received pews from St. Francis Church in Sioux City, which is now closed. The pews are in a fan shaped arrangement around the altar. Along with pews, light fixtures were also received from St. Francis Church.

There is new carpet and a fresh coat of paint. Both the paint and carpet are in neutral colors.

"It is a beautiful place to worship," added Rezac. "It shows the accomplishments of the parish."

Accompanying all of the other new things, a new baptism fountain was put in the back of church and St. Mary's has a new tabernacle as well.

The addition of air conditioning has made life a little cooler for parishioners. The whole church was rewired and new furnaces were put in.

With becoming handicap accessible, a unisex, wheelchair accessible bathroom was put in when the remodeling was done.

"Everyone is happy with the change," commented Father Cosgrove.

The lowering and remodeling cost St. Mary's $275,000. The money was raised through a campaign and taken from what the church had saved.

"All comments have been great and financial support has been fantastic," said Rezac.

On Assumption Thursday, Aug. 15, Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo blessed and rededicated St. Mary's Church during a Mass. The priests in attendance were Father Cosgrove, Father Dan Guenther, head of the Northwest Deanery, Father Gene Schumacher and Father Jerome Degen.

A meal was served following the service.

"There was a good representation of area people," said Rezac, who was in attendance. "It was an honor to have the bishop come bless the church."

In the future, they plan to make additional exterior improvements such as work on the roof.