Parish finds temporary home

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
Devon

After 45 years as the place of Catholic worship for Devon, St. Maria Goretti Church is being renovated.

Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated Oct. 11 by Father Frank Laverty with about 80 parishioners. Afterward, a large trailer was backed up to the entrance doors and everything inside the church was carried out.

Building committee member Gerald Rhodes said the expansion will double seating capacity. The project is known as Raise the Roof.

"We are expanding to accommodate about 500 people," said Rhodes, former Devon town manager. "The roof will be raised by two feet because there will be a large balcony. The altar will be relocated."

The parish purchased six metres from the town to expand the church to the south.

"We are growing from about 4,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet of useable space," Rhodes said.

Joe MacLellan moved to Devon 10 years ago. He is an active member of the parish and was involved with Raise the Roof from the beginning.

"Getting our Holy Spirit Catholic School and expanding the church, you know how important the Catholic faith is here," said MacLellan, Devon trustee with Evergreen Catholic Separate Regional Division. "It's really growing."

Renovations will cost in the area of $1.6 million. They are to be completed in time for Easter 2006.

Some items will be kept in the parish hall, while Holy Spirit School gymnasium will temporarily house contents for Mass.

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