Brookhaven
St. Francis
of Assisi
rededicated By Fabvienen Taylor
BROOKHAVEN — On Sunday, June 17, Bishop Joseph Latino celebrated the rededication of their church with the St. Francis of Assisi Church Parish community.
“It was a beautiful ceremony,” said Father Patrick Noonan, pastor. “Bishop Latino did a lovely job. All of the parishioners were delighted and we had a wonderful reception afterwards.”
The rededication of the 1887 church was necessary because of its new altar and extensive renovations to the interior. Bishop Latino anointed the new altar with chrism oil. Also the walls of the church were anointed.
While the rededication of any church is a very holy and auspicious occasion, the impetus for the big changes at St. Francis was less so.
It all began about five years ago when a “hole in the wall gang” besieged the church building.
As was his custom, Father Noonan would go over to the church early to pray before the start of the Saturday vigil Mass. “But there would be this tremendous rattling of squirrels or something in the ceiling,” he said. “It was so bad I used to get a book, a missalette, and throw it up to the ceiling to try and stop it.”
One morning in the rectory as he was getting up and about he glimpsed out a window and saw a squirrel going into a hole in the fascia board on the east side of the rear of the church building.
“I called Becky Corkern. who was then president of the parish council, and asked if she could get someone out to close the hole. Well, the guy came to close the hole and that was the beginning,” said Father Noonan.
The beginning, that is, of a $940,000 five-year project of building repair, interior renovation, refurnishing and outside beautification of the church.
“There wasn’t just one squirrel, there were millions of them in there,” said Father Noonan. “It was a home for squirrels, but it was that one I saw that got everything going,” he said. In the attic the maintenance crew found a truckload of bushy-tailed rodents, whose romping had disturbed the pastor’s prayer. They also found the rodents’ stash of acorns and plenty of moisture and insect damage.
According to parish records: “There was extensive rotting of the exterior walls around the sacristy. Termite and powder post beetle damage was found underneath the church building as well as moisture and tree roots that had compromised the brick and mortar pilings supporting the main columns of the church.
“Rot caused by the moisture in the steeple was extensive enough to threaten its safety. There was also rotting underneath the vinyl siding on the front of the building. As the inspections continued more and more repair necessities were exposed.”
General contractor James Haley began repairs in 2002 with architect Robert Canizaro and structural engineer Britt Maxwell.
In addition to the repairs, the heating and cooling system was replaced and ventilation and drainage problems were repaired. Other improvements were made and the entire exterior of the church was repainted.
New landscaping made the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto more visible and a fountain added.
“After all that was done (2005) we then received a sizeable gift from the Behan family to the parish for new pews, altar, crucifix, ambo, and other furnishings in memory of William Lambert Behan Sr., and his grandson, John McEvoy Behan.
In addition to the gift, parishioners donated the required funds for additional improvements. Parish savings had funded the aforementioned squirrel damage, according to the pastor.
A renovation and restoration building committee was chosen and the renewal of the interior of the church began. The plan for the church’s interior was to combine the original 1887 vision of St. Francis Parish and the 21st century vision of modern church doctrine and guidelines for sacred spaces, according to parish records.
With approval from the Diocese of Jackson’s Liturgical Committee, another contractor, Juan Smith, was chosen for the interior renovations and work began in December 2005.
In addition, the original heart pine floor, hidden under three layers of floor coverings, was revealed and refinished.
Father Noonan expressed great admiration for his parishioners in the restoration and beautification of St. Francis of Assisi Church.
“The people who could afford gave very generously, and the people who couldn’t afford still gave. The whole parish was praying for it, we had a prayer every week asking the Holy Spirit to guide us.
“Even the people who couldn’t support financially, we felt their support in prayer, which probably was the greatest gift. Everyone is very proud of it. There was a great spirit of cooperation, great pride in their faith and in their church,” Father Noonan said.
In the attic the maintenance crew found a truckload of bushy-tailed rodents, whose romping had disturbed the pastor’s prayer. They also found the rodents’ stash of acorns and plenty of moisture and insect damage.