By Jeff Peters
Catholic Herald Correspondent

Phillips parish breaks ground

PHILLIPS -- During a milestone celebration on Saturday, April 17, Our Lady of the North Parish officials were joined by a large group of parishioners during the groundbreaking ceremonies for the parish's new $1.8 million worship center next to the parish's South Building (formerly St. Mary Church).

Our Lady of the North Parish resulted from the merger of two Phillips parishes, St. Mary and St. Patrick, in 1991.

Following a Mass celebrated by Fr. Gerald Hagen, assisted by Deacon Jim Celba, parishioners and officials gathered at the building site. Circling the building site and holding the "chain of prayers" fashioned by the parish's religious education students during the past two years, parishioners joined Hagen as he conducted the rite of blessing the site.

Hagen said it was a long journey leading to the groundbreaking ceremony, noting the planning for the new building was a lengthy four year process. "Our parish began looking at our future needs through the parish pastoral council in 1999, He said.

"In 2000 we formed a parish building committee which began the exploration of options such as remodeling, renovation or building an addition onto our existing structures," Hagen said.

"From our studies and hired consultants, we decided to pursue a new church building project. The building committee has met once a month for the last four years. During that time, all of the building committee meetings have been open to the public," Hagen said.

Input from members of the parish was a top priority during the entire planning process, Hagen said. "We have also held a number of 'town hall' meetings, informational meetings, and have engaged in in a series of meetings to explore our values, treasures and traditions."

Hagen said the site next to the South Building was chosen because "we already own the land, it has high visibility being located on state Highway 13, and it allows us to convert the present church into a social hall, resulting in the saving of about three quarters of a million dollars in construction costs."

He said the new $1.8 million building will include a new gathering space and a worship center with seating for 600 people. "The timeline calls for completion by February 2005, with the possibility of being in the new church by Christmas of this year, should the construction be completed ahead of schedule. Weather and subcontracting would need to work in our favor to beat the projected timeline."

Hagen said the new worship center will allow the Catholic community at Our Lady of the North to worship in one church for the first time since St. Mary's was established in 1916.

Hagen noted, "Administratively we have been one parish since 1991 but have continued to worship in two different churches. Parish unity will be significantly aided by having one church. Additionally, in light of the ongoing clergy shortage, we will be able to get down to one weekend Mass should that be necessary because of potential additional parish clustering."

He said the entire building effort has been operated on a consensus model. "At two critical junctures -- the series of parish planning meetings and at the parish meeting held in March of this year -- the consensus of the parishioners who participated was to move ahead with construction.

"This consensus has also been evidenced by the capital campaign which we undertook in 2003 and which resulted in nearly $600,000 in pledges to the building fund appeal," he said.

Hagen noted the fund-raising efforts were assisted by Mark Davy and Associates of Minneapolis, Minn., and locally by parish member, Ron White.

"We have solicited pledges over a three-year period," Hagen said. "We had approximately $586,000 in pledges and just over 40 percent has already been paid in. Our parishioners are being very generous and conscientious in meeting our financial needs."

He said that while the project was both challenging and time consuming, it was a positive step for the future of the parish.

"I feel strongly that this is a project that is very important in creating parish unity, in preparing us to meet the inevitable demands of limited availability of priest presence because of the clergy shortage, and of giving us a gathering space that will well serve our social, liturgical and devotional needs.

"It will be a positive experience, in the end, to have one center of parish life and worship," Hagen said, noting Bishop Raphael M. Fliss has also been a key figure throughout the entire process. "We have carefully followed the diocesan building policy and have consulted with Bishop Fliss in all steps and components of the six phases of the diocesan building policy.

"Bishop Fliss granted permission from the initial step of conceptual approval and establishment of a building fund to our recent steps of awarding and signing construction bids and contracts," Hagen said. "He will also be there to dedicate our new church when it's completed."

Matt Gidley, chairman of the building committee, who spent countless hours on the project, said the groundbreaking was a milestone in the history of the parish. "It marks the unification of the Phillips Catholic community after 72 years.

"There is a strong Catholic presence in Phillips, and in addition to that, the people here are known for their work ethic, generosity and penchant for getting things done despite the challenges before them."

He added, "If it's right and needs to be done, the people of this parish and the Phillips community will make it happen," he said.

Addressing the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony, Gidley said, "This day is the culmination of several years of hard work, dedication, generosity and prayer by the members of Our Lady of the North Parish.

"Today, we ceremoniously embark on a journey that in a few short months will have us gathered in a new, united worship space, one that will stand as a testament to our Catholic faith in the City of Phillips. For that, you can all be proud."

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004