THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 26, 1994 TAG: 9408240238
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Religion
SOURCE: BY ROBYNE R. COOKE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
ST. THERESE'S Catholic Church in Western Branch is bursting at the seams, says Father Jim Griffin.
To accommodate the needs of the growing congregation, efforts are underway to raise money for an addition to the church. Organizers hope construction can begin by next February.
``In order to meet our growing needs, we had to do something. The parish has added about 200 families in the past two years,'' said Griffin. ``There's a very high positive pitch in the church right now.''
The construction, which will coincide with the church's 40th anniversary, will renovate the worship area and expand the social hall. Most importantly, according to Griffin, five more classrooms will be added, doubling the present number.
About 10,000 square feet overall will be added, said Griffin, who has been with St. Therese's since June 1992.
``We lack a lot of space for the children for their religious education. This whole area is really growing,'' said Bernice McCourt, a sister of Notre Dame de Namur and director of education at St. Therese's.
There is currently a lack of meeting space, and the offices are behind technologically, said Griffin. The roof structure also will be changed and updated.
St. Therese's was founded in 1954 on Oregon Avenue. The church built and moved to its current site on Portsmouth Boulevard in 1971. In order to accommodate its 710 families, the church project also will add about 50 parking spaces on the eight acres it owns.
Ed Eaves, the chairman of the building committee, feels that the growth is also because of all the new construction in the area. ``We're in a good area as far as new houses,'' he said.
Fund raising for the new construction began on July 15, but is being limited mostly to church members. Griffin said the project is expected to cost between $1.5 million and $2 million.
``They are happy at their 40th anniversary, and they're surprised at the extent of what we plan to do,'' said Griffin of the church's members. ``They're dubious and skeptical that they can raise the money to do it.''
Members who pledge money to the building fund will be given the opportunity to spread their payments over a three-year period. Fund raising will end in November and then the final decisions will be made by the building committee about how much the church can afford for features such as carpeting and office equipment.
``Reality will set in then. That's when we'll talk about final plans for design and development,'' said Eaves.
A 15-member building committee has chosen W.M. Jordan Inc. of Newport News to do the work, said Eaves.
``They're just members who had an interest in what we wanted to do. But really everybody is pretty excited about it,'' said Eaves, who is confident the funds will be raised.
``We're just trying to meet needs,'' added Griffin. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
Father Jim Griffin shows off a model of the expansion planned at St.
Therese's, which will boost space by 10,000 square feet.
by CNB