YOUNGSTOWN St. Patrick's will celebrate renovated church

YOUNGSTOWN -- St. Patrick Parish will celebrate its anniversary renovation at its 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday.
The church, at 1420 Oak Hill Avenue, has undergone a renovation in recent months undertaken not only as part of the building's 75th anniversary, but also in observance of the 90th year since the parish was formed on the city's South Side.
As part of the work, the church's stained glass windows were cleaned.
The frames were repaired where needed, and new safety and weatherization coverings were installed.
The sanctuary's wooden floor was sanded and refinished.
Clean ceiling: The ceiling was also cleaned for the first time. Dr. Fred Kurtz, the project's finance committee chairman, said that work revealed a vine pattern painted on the ceiling.
"That came as a surprise to us," said Kurtz.
The work was estimated to cost $200,000. During the renovation, other problems were discovered, such as worn wiring. That extra work increased the project's total cost to $263,000.
With the cleaning and some interior painting, the inside of the church is now significantly lighter, said Kurtz.
New altar: A new altar will be seen by the public at the Mass. Kurtz said it was built by Don Creque, a longtime member of the parish. The wooden altar is in an octagon shape in a contemporary style.
A dinner will follow the Mass.
The reopening will begin with a march around the church at 10:20 a.m., followed by the raising of the American flag and The Great Pretenders leading the national anthem. The church will be open for tours until 7 p.m.