St. Aloysius community excited about expansion BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer DAVE BENJAMIN The Rev. Scott Shaffer joins students from St. Aloysius School, Jackson, to break ground for a new 1,000-seat church at the parish on Bennetts Mills Road. JACKSON - Ground has been broken for a new 1,000-seat church, parking lot expansion and access roads at St. Aloysius Parish, Bennetts Mills Road. The project will accommodate a Roman Catholic community that has grown from 2,500 families five years ago to 5,000 families today. The church offers six masses each week (one on Saturday and five on Sunday). Business manager Sherri Kroesch said the present facilities are not large enough to accommodate all of the congregants. The new building will have 1,000 seats and a unique roof, which she described as a hyperbolic-parabaloid. St. Aloysius parishioners have worked hard to raise the money needed to begin work on the project, soliciting nearly $3.5 million in pledges. The total cost of the project is expected to amount to almost $8 million. "So many people are new in town and the community is constantly growing," said the Rev. Scott Shaffer. "People are making new connections. It's just a sign of the growth in Jackson." Jackson Shaffer said when he looks at some of the thinking behind the building he has looked into how God has revealed himself to man throughout history. "Early on the ark of the covenant was carried by the Israelites and was housed in a tent," the reverend said. "They moved from place to place and the architect kind of picked up on that idea. The roof line could evoke the image of a tent." Shaffer said the songs that are sung in church refer to being a pilgrimage people who are on a journey from birth to the everlasting birth of God in heaven. "I think the new building will symbolize that we are growing, that we are a people who are open to the Lord and that we celebrate God's presence in a way that is very open," he said. Shaffer said that for him, the new building is a pastoral response to the needs of the community he serves. "When I arrived there were five masses on a weekend and standing room only at all of them," he said. "We talked to the people, did surveys and tried to address the issues. Obviously parking was one issue; the fact that it was always so crowded and could we have more masses." He explained that each additional mass means another time slot and another priest. "We read all the time about priest shortages," Shaffer said. "I'm not the only priest in the diocese. There's more than one parish that I administer. I'm also the pastor at St. Monica's on the other side of Jackson." Shaffer said he views the new church as his response to the people of his parish, to address their needs and to build a beautiful house of worship. When the new church is completed, the existing building will be able to be used for more meeting space, a place to gather for theater-type activities, choir rehearsals and other parish activities. Director of Religious Education Ronnie Perry said, "I have 1,600 children who will be worshipping in this space once it is finished." Perry said the new church will give the children a better sense of worship, a better sense of the awesomeness of God and community. Looking to the future, Shaffer said he sees a thriving community with a school that ranges from prekindergarten to eighth grade. "The school is doing very well," he said. "I think we'll continue to be a sign of moral presence in the town. We do great outreach to those who are on the margin and I would love that our church would become a center for affairs for our people. Between the school, the athletic program and religious education programs, we're dealing easily with more than 2,000 children between the ages of 7 and 14. There's big numbers here." Shaffer said he would like to see the church be a light and a gathering place and a center where people can come to be fed spiritually and then be sent out to be the presence of God in the world. Kroesch said site work should start within two weeks. Construction of the new church will begin in February or March, with a construction timetable of between 12 and 14 months, depending on the weather. If all goes well the new building could be ready in early 2008.