Limerick parish breaks ground on new church

Five years after its founding, the parish of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta broke ground in Limerick this morning on a church building to call its own.

"This magnificent church will provide for us, as a pilgrim people, the anchor for our faith, our families, and our future," said Reverend Paul Brandt, speaking on a dais next to a wooden cross that marked the site of the future church's altar.

The parish was created in 2006 through the merger of two existing parishes: St. Peter's in Pottstown and St. Clare in Linfield.  Masses were initially held in the old churches and in the gymnasium of St. Pius X High School in Pottstown, since closed. The Pottstown church was closed in 2008, and most of the parish's services are currently held in the multipurpose room of the , which is behind the site of the future church.

The Most Reverend Daniel E. Thomas, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, led a groundbreaking liturgy that culminated in a blessing of the construction site with holy water.

"What we celebrate today is the result of the sacrifices of our many dedicated parishioners. Their generosity of time, talent, and treasure has resulted in making this day a reality in the life of our parish, and for those sacrifices, I am especially grateful," Brandt said.

Brandt thanked Thomas, the Dolan Construction Company, the Knabb Partnership architecture firm, and Limerick Township, in addition to a number of other individuals and companies who he credited with providing administrative or financial support to the project.

"Since the beginning of developing this parish campus, they have been strong partners with us in achieving the success of our parish," Brandt said of the township.

Pennsylvania State Senator John Rafferty (R-44) congratulated the parishioners on "a big step being taken in the life of the parish" and noted the Memorial Day holiday.

"We're celebrating Memorial Day because men and women have worn and continue to wear the uniform of the U.S. military, and not too many years ago, some brave men stormed shores in the Pacific and in Europe to make sure that we could be here today to celebrate, as Catholics, our faith. And down the road they can celebrate as Methodists or Presbyterians. Because of their bravery then and today, we're able to choose our religion, be reared in our religion, and to celebrate, day in and day out, the glories of God and the Catholic faith," Rafferty said.

"It really is the people here who are the parish," said Pennsylvania State Representative Tom Quigley (R-146).

"The people who have come together from the two previous parishes have formed a strong bond here and I've been privileged to watch it grow from the very beginning," Quigley said.

The church building is expected to be complete in the fall of 2012.