Catholic Trends
January Catholic Trends

by Ed Lee

"Welcome to your new home" were the words Father Harry Behan used to open the first service at the new Church of St. Peter, Sunday, November 19, 2000.

A morning Mass and dedication of the new 70,000 square foot Catholic church and school complex rang in a new beginning for the 2,400 member parish.

"I feel like it’s a miracle," said Kay Osborne, pastoral associate and building committee chairperson. "We’ve made it this far and pulled it all together. Everybody has worked really, really hard. I can’t believe it has all happened."

The new church and school, all under one roof, offer about 10,000 square feet more space than the four buildings at the former site. The church, school, convent, and parish center at the old location were badly damaged in the 1998 spring tornado and summer wind storm. Insurance dollars helped the parish fund the new $10.5 million complex.

The November 19 services, along with an open house, marked the end of a challenging two and a half years during which St. Peter’s Catholics used First Lutheran Church regularly. After the tornado, First Lutheran Church members invited the Catholics into their building for as long as they needed it. The Lutherans and Catholics garnered state and national attention for their sharing arrangement. They temporarily named the facility First Lutheran Catholic Church.

Pastor, Father Behan thanked everyone who helped with the building project and provided space during the past two and a half years. St. Peter’s Catholics have utilized eight different churches in town for weddings and funerals while the new church was being built. Members of the two churches will remain good friends, Father Behan said.

The new church seats 950, which is double the space of the 87 -year-old church destroyed in the tornado. The circular pattern of the new sanctuary means no seat is farther than 85 feet from the altar.

John Ireland School has 117 students in grades kindergarten through six. The complex also includes a social hall, kitchen, wooden-floor gymnasium with seating for 135, a chapel, offices and several meeting rooms.

St. Peter Public Schools are contracting with the Catholics to use the gym for athletics. A local pre-school also rents space each week for about 60 children. A walking program began in December for two hours in the morning and afternoon.

The new church is complete with the exception of the organ. Hendrickson Organ Co. of St. Peter is expected to complete work on the organ in January.

Bishop Raymond Lucker presided at the Mass of Dedication and presented service medals to the people who worked hard to make the project a reality.

"There were over 1,000 people here for the dedication," Osborne said.

Father Behan told a story of a king deciding which of his three children would inherit the kingdom. The king tested each child by asking them how they would fill the vast space in the great kingdom. In the end, the first child sang to fill the space with music. The second prayed aloud to fill the space with prayer. Finally, the third child opened his arms and let his heart shine into every wall and corner of the kingdom.

Rather than granting the kingdom to just one child, the king bestowed it upon all three because they all found rich, meaningful ways to fill the space. The story serves as a metaphor for the new, spacious Church of St. Peter, Father Behan said. "You are all indeed children of the kingdom."

The following people received the Bishop’s Medal at the Rite of Dedication for the Church of St. Peter, St. Peter, MN. They are: architects, Milo Thompson, Bruce Cornwall and Steven Brandt; general contractor, R.W. Carlstrom, Lee Carlstrom, owner, Larry Lukens, and Arnie Nimps; building committee of St. Peter parish, William Erickson, Teresa Kienlen, Kathy Kurth, Jim Littig, Marge Miller, Joanne Stangler, John Thoemke, Joan Werner, Barb Wood, Donna Kowal, and Mike McCarty; business manager, Marlene Lindemeier; legal advisor, Bill O’Connor; construction management team, Kay Osborne, chair, Joe Kienlen, Duane DeBlieck, and Terry Endresen.

Ed Lee is Managing Editor of the St. Peter Herald. He is a member of St. Peter Catholic Church.