News & Events

Bishop announces plans for Renewing the Church in Manville

December 22, 2011

Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski has announced a short-term plan for the renovation of Christ the King Church, which has been closed since late August because of flooding, and a long-term plan intended to create a closer relationship between Christ the King and Sacred Heart of Jesus parishes.

Details of the plans were discussed at an information meeting about the Renewing the Church in Manville process at Christ the King School Nov. 16. The meeting was led by Msgr. Joseph G. Celano, episcopal vicar for Somerset County.

Redemptorist Father Stanislaw Slaby, pastor of both parishes; and Jeffry Odell Korgen, executive director of the Department of Diocesan Planning, who is facilitating the renewal process, also spoke to the crowd and answered questions.

Under the bishop’s plan, Christ the King Church will be repaired for re-use, but will not be repaired again, Korgen said.

The cost of moving heating, cooling and bathrooms out of the basement of Christ the King Church is estimated to be $1.4 million, Korgen said. But spending all of the parish’s savings to pay for the work, when it is not guard anteed that future flooding will not reach higher levels, would not demonstrate good stewardship and would not be approved by Bishop Bootkoski and should not be considered, Korgen said, reading a statement prepared by Bishop Bootkoski.

In addition, the rectory, which received “catastrophic flood damage,” will be torn down, Korgen said.

Christ the King School, which sits on higher ground several blocks from the church, will remain open, Korgen said.

Looking Ahead

Bishop Bootkoski also called for Christ the King and Sacred Heart of Jesus parishes to engage in an eight-month period of prayer and study in the Renewing the Church in Manville process starting in January, Korgen said.

Six delegates from each parish — five lay members and one clergy — to be selected by Father Slaby, will participate in the process and recommend to Bishop Bootkoski a long-term plan that will renew and revitalize the Church in Manville, Korgen said.

“If we succeed,” Father Slaby said to the crowd, “our future as Catholics here will be bright. And I do believe we will because I see goodwill in all of us, the love of Church and the love of people which will help us overcome all the difficulties and challenges.”

Msgr. Celano, pastor, St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish, Bridgewater, said parishioners “stand at the threshold of something new and wonderful and exciting.”

“Will it be easy? No, because living the Christian life stretches us, calls us to examine our attitudes and opinions in light of the Gospel, to reach down deep inside ourselves and find our gifts and put them in service of the larger mission of the Church,” he said.

“But this community comes with a well-established, rich history. You have endured much over the years. You have also risen to many challenges and you have done so with courage, conviction, with faith and charity.

“And relying on nothing but the never-failing grace of God, it is my conviction that you will indeed rise to this challenge, heal old wounds, find new ways to forge community with one another, find new ways to bear witness to Christ and to his gospel and to be one with the work of the Church.”

Prayerful Consideration

Bishop Bootkoski made his decisions after prayerfully considering feedback from Christ the King parishioners and its pastoral and finance councils; diocesan officials; and reviewing an engineer’s report, Korgen said.

Key facts in the decisions, Korgen noted, were: from 1994–2010, the diocesan Office of Insurance handled 12 flood claims from Christ the King Parish, not counting the current claim; to-date insurance has paid out $1,094,000 on those 12 claims, which range from $2,240 to $437,000; and the current claim is $414,000, plus cleanup so far of $83,828.

The cost of fixing the church building is about $135,000.

In addition, the church property is in the “100 year flood zone,” which means it has flooded and will continue to flood during the coming years, Korgen said, quoting Bishop Bootkoski. Since the church sits in the flood zone, a separate insurance policy for high risk properties is needed.

“We have been told that future deductibles could be in excess of $400,000, which means the first $400,000 is not paid by insurance,” Korgen said.

Total claims, including the deductibles and current claim equals about $2 million just in water damage over the past 16 years, Korgen said.

The church’s foundation was not compromised in the most recent flood because an equal volume of water pressed on the walls from both inside and out, Korgen said. However, that occurred because the sump pump failed.

Also, the Federal Emergency

By Chris Donahue, Staff Writer at The Catholic Spirit