The dedication of the newly renovated Holy Spirit Church in Pequannock, N.J., is “an opening of a new chapter in our storybook,” said Father Cesar D. Jaramillo, the parish’s pastor.
On Sept. 6, Holy Spirit parishioners and community leaders gathered for Mass for the dedication of the renovations and the consecration of a new altar, as well as the celebration of the parish’s 75th anniversary. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated the Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Jaramillo and former pastors of Holy Spirit, including Father Stephen Prisk, now pastor at St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J. He had envisioned the Rebuild My Church capital campaign as the parish’s previous pastor.
“Let us give thanks to God and thank all those who have made this day possible and have completed this project,” said Bishop Sweeney. He called Holy Spirit “a vibrant, growing parish and school, a true blessing in our world today.”
Parishioners were thrilled to be in the refurbished worship space. Mass had been held in the school gym since June 23.
Betty Cass-Schmidt, a parishioner for 35 years and a trustee, said it was heartwarming to see the culmination of the project. She had given the overview of the campaign to parishioners at the Masses one weekend in November of 2023.
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“The Rebuild My Church campaign yielded so much participation and funds, so it was exciting to see that rebirth. It was truly a community project,” Cass-Schmidt said.
Parishioners exceeded the $250,000 goal, pledging $420,000, which made it for major possible renovations including the new altar and ambo, lighting, floors, and refurbished pews by Donnelly Construction in Wayne.
Father Prisk started exploring the idea of renovations more than two years ago, coinciding with the approaching 75th anniversary.
“With the parish council, we had recently reformulated our mission statement, and so many great things were happening in the life of our parish community. But the church needed some TLC. It seemed right for the church building to reflect the vibrancy of the parish community,” said Father Prisk, who is also vice-chancellor of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey. He called the dedication “a joyous occasion that was the culmination of a lot of hard work and commitment from so many people. ”
Father Jaramillo, who took over as Holy Spirit’s pastor on July 1, said the community welcomed him with “faith-filled hearts.” It was “baptism by fire” to continue to build on the work that had already been done for the project with the leadership of Father Prisk, Father Jaramillo said.
“I’ve learned more about sheet rock and plywood than I care to admit,” said Father Jaramillo. He said it has also been “a blessing to witness the great sense of ownership by the parishioners.”
The history of the Holy Spirit Parish dates back to the late 1940s when parishioners attended Mass in Engine Company # 2 Firehouse in Pequannock Township. The first Mass in the new Church was held on Feb. 12, 1950, and dedicated by Bishop Thomas A. Boland on June 18, 1950.
Father Jaramillo thanked Holy Spirit’s previous pastors who “laid foundations of faith, service, and sacrifice that we now stand upon.”
Thanking Father Prisk, Father Jaramillo said, “Without your leadership and devotion, today would not have been possible.” The current pastor also thanked parishioners for “your love for this parish — our parish, your generosity of time, talents and treasures, and your unwavering faith have made this moment possible.”
Father Jaramillo called Holy Spirit “a community where the Church is alive, where a school forms young hearts and minds in faith, where families gather in hope, and where Christ is made present every single day in word and sacrament.”
The dedication of Holy Spirit’s newly renovated church is a time to “renew our own calling to be living stones built on Christ, the cornerstone,” Father Jaramillo said.
“Future generations will look back on this day not only on the restoration of these sacred walls, but also on the way we strengthen our commitment to the Gospel,” he said.
Colette M. Liddy is a correspondent for BeaconNJ.org
Church renovations dedicated to celebrate Pequannock parish’s 75th anniversary