By Dan Sullivan
Catholic Herald

Parish center dedicated in Lake Nebagamon

LAKE NEBAGAMON -- St. Anthony Church in Lake Nebagamon is over 100 years old and its basement hall and space for religious education were outdated and inadequate. This all changed with the dedication of a new parish center on May 28.

Days before the event, parishioners put final touches on the structure, located near the church. Beth Lattery explained how a committee came together to plan the kitchen and the center's color scheme and decor.

"We wanted to do it the right way," Lattery said. "We have come a long way from a small kitchen in the church basement. It only had a household oven and now we can cook up a storm."

Imogene McGrath recalled how the church was not equipped with running water or bathrooms when she first joined the parish some 50 year ago.

"We didn't even have water to wash dishes," she said. "This is a very big time for the parish. We have been earning money for many years. We have a kitchen that many restaurants would be envious of."

Parishioner Bob Ronchi came out of retirement from the construction business to volunteer his services as project manager.

"This building is spectacular," Ronchi said. "This didn't happen overnight, we've been planning things for over three years. We sat in the old house that was torn down to make room for the center and started drawing plans."

He explained that the new center is phase one of a proposed two-part project. The second part calls for the construction of a new larger church that will connect to the hall.

Besides space for social gatherings, the new hall includes classrooms and office space. Secretary Colleen Klein, who used to work out of a former bedroom of the house that was demolished, welcomes this new work area.

"Everything was crammed into it," she said. "The copy machine and other supplies were even kept in the church sacristy."

Jay Gallagher, chair of the parish building committee, said with the final paint stroke taken and other finishing touches complete, it was time to use the facility.

"It's been a long time coming," Gallagher said. "In its 105-year history, this is one of the top three or four days for the parish and it's a whole new start of things for us."

Festivities began with a Mass in the church celebrated by Bishop Raphael M. Fliss. Fr. Dean Buttrick, pastor of the Lake Nebagamon parish and St. Anthony Parish in Superior, and Fr. Robert Urban, a retired priest from Superior, were concelebrants. Deacons Tim Kuehn and Phil Martineau assisted at the altar.

Referring to the rays of sun showing through an otherwise cloudy sky at the start of the liturgy, Fliss said, "The Lord is smiling down on us with the completion of the construction of the new parish center."

Calling the center beautiful, the bishop said in his homily that one of the last times he was at this church was to help celebrate its centennial in 2000.

"I congratulate everyone involved," he said. "It's going to be a wonderful place."

Following Mass, those in attendance processed to the hall for its blessing. A prayer service was held prior to the bishop sprinkling the building throughout with holy water. During the service, Fliss called on God and offered the following blessing, "We ask you now to bless this parish hall and catechetical center. May all who come here know the presence of Christ, experience the joy of his friendship and grow in his love."

After the blessing, parishioners and guests took part in a meal that was prepared by parishioners in the new center's kitchen.

During the evening Buttrick offered his thanks to all who made the day possible. Among those he praised was parishioner Marge Drews, who donated an extensive angel collection to the parish. The angels were either handcrafted by Drews or purchased on global travel with her late husband, Larry. For some 22 years, Drews also helped in decorating the altar at St. Anthony Church.

"I would use some of the angels at Christmas," Drews said. "The angels became my friends and I have a lot of good memories from all of them. I saved all of them, but I recently broke up my home and decided to donate them to the church."

The angel collection now rests in a newly constructed cabinet that was paid for with funds donated as a memorial to Larry Drews.

Butrick said the center was made possible through the sacrifice of many people and through other fund-raising activities. "It made it feasible to undertake such a task for the good of the parish," he said.

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2005