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St. Thomas the Apostle Parish breaks ground for new church
St. Thomas the Apostle parish breaks ground for
By LINDA M. LINONIS
VIENNA
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, which was among the first mergers of churches in the Diocese of Youngstown, again is breaking new ground — literally.
A ceremony took place Monday morning for a new church at 4453 Warren-Sharon Road, which is next to the current parish.
When the Diocese of Youngstown initiated downsizing in February 2010, St. Bernadette Church in Masury and St. Vincent de Paul Church in Vienna merged and took a new name to signify a new beginning. The parish was established in 2010 with the name that means twin.
Bishop George V. Murry and Monsignor Robert Siffrin, vicar general, attended as did state, county and local government officials and parish members. The crowd of more than 100 braved the off-and-on rain and temperature in the 40s.
Bishop Murry referred to a verse from Psalms, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it ...” and noted it would be a “house of God.”
The bishop also said the new church was a sign of “new hope.” He said he was excited at the prospect of a new church and “moved by the spirit that made it possible.”
Monsignor Siffrin said the last new church built in the diocese was St. Peter of the Fields in Rootstown, established in 1868, in the
mid-2000s.
“The new church here is a sign of vitality,” he said. “It is a symbol of the two parishes coming together and bringing new new hope.”
The Rev. Frank Zanni, pastor, said dirt mingled from the two sites and used in the groundbreaking symbolizes the unity of two congregations that became one. He credited the parish of 500 families with working together to make a new church possible. The parish has raised about $1 million of the $2 million needed through donations, “Building Our Future” new church-building campaign and an array of fundraisers.
“It was a united effort,” Father Zanni said. He said St. Thomas previously had bought the land to be used.
The new church’s sanctuary will seat 350; each church had room for 225. “The parish made sacrifices,” he said.
The pastor said the parish hopes to sell the St. Bernadette site to another congregation or social-service agency. The former St. Vincent de Paul site has a business that is moving into Trumbull County and is interested in leasing the space.
Father Zanni said the new building will incorporate stained-glass windows and statues from both churches. The cornerstones from both sites, along with a new one, also will be featured.
Architect Andrew R. Bednar of Baker, Bednar and Snyder and Associates in Howland said his firm has been involved in church renovations but this will be “the first from the ground up.”
“We want to respect the history of both,” he said. He added that blond and darker bricks will be combined in the new church. Those colors are from the two church buildings. “We want to incorporate parts of the past,” he said, noting the new church will serve the congregation in the present and future.
Virginia Crum, director of religious education, said, “This is history-making for the parish.”
Carolyn D’Urso of Brookfield, who attended St. Bernadette for 40-some years, said the congregations have come together. Florence Gordon of Hartford, who attended St. Vincent de Paul, said, “This means growth. It’s a great parish and like family.”
Shirley Vojtko of Brookfield, former secretary and member at St. Bernadette, moved into the same position at St. Thomas, where she attends. “It was a smooth merger,” she said.
Frank Fuda, Trumbull County commissioner, attends Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Niles and belongs to the Knights of Columbus 13260 at St. Thomas. “It’s a great parish,” he said. “There are a lot of good people who came together from the two churches.”
Theresa Boring of Howland Township, who had attended St. Vincent, said the merger “was a good thing.” “Change is a part of life,” she said.