Stratford Relocation
Ladies and Gentlemen: We are pleased to report that the proposed Church Development at the Lordship Point Site in Stratford is feasible ...
The above quote was taken from the feasibility study completed by Kasper Associates, Inc., which was discussed on May 31, 1987 at a special parish meeting. Following a day of prayer, abstinence, fasting and after the Sunday morning Holy Mass, 88 parish members convened to deliberate on a parish board recommendation to build a church and hall on a 1.3-acre site at the parish cemetery. By a 3-to-1 majority vote the reommendation was accepted. Subsequent motions were immediately made to implement the proposal, which included relocating the rectory to Stratford as well.
The vote capped a six-month joint study by the parish committee and the local engineering and planning firm. The study was conducted on the question of relocating the parish to the Lordship section of Stratford, which focused on whether the cemetery property could accommodate a new church. Once the work with the company's planners was completed, parish officers and directors continued to meet for many more long evenings to evaluate the findings of the feasibility study.
After all the possible advantages and disadvantages of relocating the parish were carefully considered, the parish committee issued a nine-page report that was mailed to every parish member. The report contained the following plan of action:
- That the parish relocate the rectory, as soon as possible, to the vicinity of the parish cemetery.
- The church be relocated to the southeastern section of the cemetery property in two phases of construction: First, a parish hall; second, a church.
Parishioners were asked to make a personal study of the report and to come prepared to vote on May 31 on the proposed relocation. Members were also asked to approach the meeting in a spiritual way. May 30 was designated as a day of prayer, abstinence from meat and fasting from 6 p.m. until after Holy Mass on May 31. The intention was to have parishioners direct their thinking to seeking and performing the will of God on the question of relocation.
After a 90-minute discussion, a vote by ballot was called. There were 66 votes in favor of relocation to the parish cemetery and 22 against. People voted against the proposal for three basic reasons:
- Some thought the rectory should be included in the proposed cemetery site plan.
- Others preferred continuing to search for a different building site.
- Still others believed that the parish should remain at its present location.
The proposal included relocating the rectory as a first priority with the options of either buying or building a house near the proposed church building site. It was decided to place the pastor's residence in a neighborhood that has residents in a closer proximity than exists with the cemetery site and, therefore, more parking and yard space could then be planned for around the new proposed church.
It was thought that the construction of a parish hall should be first, so that financing would not go beyond the means of the parish. The hall could have been used as a temporary place of worship until the church could be constructed; and it would be necessary to have a hall in order to hold fund-raisers for the entire building project. However, the decision was ultimately left to the elected building committee. They determined that the parish could afford to build the entire church and hall complex at once, instead of in phases.
In the days after the special parish meeting, the parish board started working to relocate from Bridgeport to Stratford by initiating plans to:
- Sell the existing church property;
- Locate a new rectory;
- Raise funds;
- Build a new church and hall.
In less than a month, four committees were formed to accomplish these tasks:
- Negotiating;
- Rectory Relocation;
- Fund-rasing;
- Building.
What follows is a history and review of the accomplishments of each committee.
Negotiating
The negotiating committee wasted no time in contacting firms to appraise the existing church and adjoining rectory. Once an appraisal was made, the committee met to draw up a proposal for the sale of the property.
They then met with several potential buyers and entered into serious negotiations with the Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana Emanuel (Emanuel First Hispanic Baptist Church). It was felt that they had the greatest financial resources among the 10 interested congregations. On July 25, 1987, the Hispanic Baptist Church demonstrated their commitment with a deposit of more than $6,000.
Attorney Robert Nicola volunteered his services to assist the committee in the negotiating process. After several months of meetings and much correspondence, the conditions for the sale and the legal contract were mutually agreed upon with the sale price set at $645,000. The balance of a $64,500 down payment was received on April 10, 1988.
Conditions contingent upon the sale of the church on the part of St. Joseph's were:
- Approval by the congregation;
- Approval by the bishop of the Eastern Diocese;
- Approval of the building plans for a new church by the Town of Stratford planning and zoning commission.
Contingencies on the part of Emanuel Parish included the ability to raise $100,000 and most importantly for both parties concerned, the approval of a $430,000 loan from the American Baptist Church. The Hispanic Baptist parish met both and the way was cleared to close on the sale of the church. On June 7, 1988, the American Baptist Extension Corporation approved the loan, reportedly the largest it had ever made.
Originally the sale of the church was not to close until December 30, 1988. However, in order for St. Joseph's to meet the monthly progress payments on the construction of the new church, it became necessary to close the sale on November 30. Since construction of the new church was not expected until Christmas, it also became necessary to rent the church from its new owners, Emanuel parish, for one month.
On the last day at the corner of Barnum Avenue and Harriet Street, St. Joseph's held a joint prayer service of thanksgiving with Emanuel parish. Leading the service were Father Anthony D. Kopka and Rev. Ruben Rios Cordero. At that time (December 30, 1988) the keys to the property were turned over and the electric organ was left behind as a gift to the new owners. A smorgasboard of Hispanic and Polish foods was then enjoyed by members of both parishes as a celebration of what God had accomplished for each.
The Rectory Relocation Committee
The rectory relocation committee, recognizing the urgency for the pastor and his family to live in a safer environment, diligently investigated the real estate market near the church building site in Stratford. By the semi-annual parish meeting June 28, 1987, the committee reported its findings and proposed the purchase of a newly built house at 275 York St. in the Lordship section of Stratford. The parish voted to authorize the committee to negotiate the purchase and to authorize the parish board to buy the property.
The rectory committee was successful in bringing the sale price down from $249,900 to $228,000. The brand new colonial house is highly presentable as a parish rectory and it was only about one half of a mile from the church.
Receiving financial loans from several parishioners and from the Polish National Union of America, the parish board was then able to complete the financing for the purchase and received approval from the bishop of the Eastern Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Gnat. On Aug. 5, 1987 the York Street property became parish property.
In the weeks that followed the young men of the parish moved the pastor and his family to their new home. In the next month parish societies combined their resources to buy new furnishings, appliances and window decorations. With the help of the Women's Society for the Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Young Men's Society of Resurrection, the house was ready for a proper dedication.
On Oct. 25, 1987, the house was dedicated as the new parish rectory. The blessing ceremony was led by the Very Rev. Joseph Krusienski, administrative senior of the Southwest Seniorate.
The Fund-Raising Committee
The fund-raising committee began their work by opening a bank account for the collection of building fund donations. By Dec. 31, 1987, a total of $36,292 was raised, which included monies from the committee's holiday candy and gift sale and its ongoing can and bottle redemption fund-raiser.
On Oct. 10, 1987, the committee sponsored a one-day seminar on fund-raising conducted by Stanley Laski, a member of the P.N.C.C. living in Florida. He retired as a professional fund-raiser for the American Red Cross. He gave the committee valuable guidance and professional advice for planning and running a major fund-raising campaign.
After a feasibility study was conducted by the committee, it was decided to start the campaign at a special dinner and dance on Feb. 6, 1988. That night parish members witnessed three significant developments toward the relocation of the parish. It began with the presentation of the architectural drawings of the new church by the building committee. Bishop Gnat then announced his approval of the sale of the Bridgeport church and the plans to build the new one. And in dramatic fashion, only hours after the capital funds campaign was kicked off, the fund-raising committee announced that nearly $69,000 was raised in donations and pledges.
The Building Committee
The building committee began its task by evaluating the current and future needs of the parish to be addressed in the design of the new church and hall. The also deliberated on an estimated construction budget. The committee was then ready to engage architectural services and sought several bids. Kenneth F. Ironside, a Bridgeport architect with significant church design experience, was awarded the contract.
On Jan. 19, 1988 the architect completed the drawings and specifications. In the weeks that followed the plans were shown to five general contractors selected by the committee and another five who had asked to bid on the project. After a month had passed, other construction companies asked to be given a chance to bid, so that a total of 18 area contractors had viewed the building plans.
The committee set June 17, 1988 as the deadline for construction bids to be submitted. That evening the building committee began its selection process for hiring a general contractor by opening bid proposals from 13 construction companies. The bids ranged from $635,000 to $985,000. The building committee narrowed the field down to three possible contractors who were then investigated through the checking of job references and the most recent work each had completed.
The committee based its decision on five areas:
- The company resume and job experience of key personnel.
- Job references, particularly projects similar in size and type of construction planned for the new church.
- Most recent work completed and an evaluation of the quality of construction and service rendered.
Start and completion dates propsed for this project.
- The cost.
On June 30, 1988, the committee announced that the bid was accepted from Garwood and Sons, Inc., of Trumbull, Conn. Groundbreaking took place on July 9, with Bishop Gnat officiating. He was assisted by Very Rev. Krusienski and Rev. Kopka.
On July 11, 1988, St. Joseph's entered into contract to construct the church and hall complex with limited interior finishing and substantial finishing of the exterior and grounds for the sum of $657,300. The church was finished in time for the first Holy Mass on Jan. 1, 1989.
With Everlasting Gratitude
A debt of gratitude was owed to several parishioners without whom the building project would not have progressed as well as it did. Because of the following people, the financial burden of the parish was eased tremendously. They made private loans to the parish so that a commercial loan or a bank mortgage would not have to be taken out at conventional interest rates. Because of the following members, the parish was able to purchase the rectory when it did and was able to meet each monthly progress payment on the construction of the new church and hall complex.
So that the rectory could be purchased, $85,000 was loaned by the following: Estelle Scalzi, $30,000; Mary and Joseph Kafara, $25,000; Chester Kafara, $20,000; and Helen and Edmund Krasko, $10,000. Those loans were repaid in one year.
So that the construction of the church complex could be completed without having to procure a bank loan, the following parishioners loaned $196,081.14: Estelle Scalzi, $50,000; Joseph and Mary Kafara, $50,000; Chester Kafara, $41,200; Helen and Edmund Krasko, $20,000; Helen and Frank Steele, $19,281.14; Helen and Walter Patusky, $10,000; and Margaret and Kenneth Krasko, $5,000.
Special thanks and heartfelt appreciation went to everyone who donated to the building fund. Many parishioners made $1,000 donations and a number pledged between $3,000 and $30,000. Most of the pledges were paid in full within two years. Every one who made a donation of $500 had their names inscribed on bronze plates that make up the leaves on a special donor tree on the wall of the church lobby. A tradition that continues until this day.
A debt of gratitude was also paid to every parishioner who contributed sweat equity in the relocation of the parish. Many members donated hours and hours of free labor during the two-year relocation and construction project.
In just two years, St. Joseph's had sold the former church and rectory, relocated the rectory by purchasing a new house, raised its goal in the capital fund drive, and completed the construction of of a new church and hall complex in time for it to be dedicated on June 25, 1989. Thus, the relocation of the parish from Bridgeport to Stratford was complete and a new beginning dawned. The achievements clearly show what tremendous amount can be accomplished by a small number of people in a short period of time by the grace of God.
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