Ground broken for new church in Oxford By Lucy Schultze
Senior Staff Writer, Oxford Eagle
OXFORD — Some two and a half years after bidding their former church building good-bye, St. John parishioners celebrated Sunday, July 1, on the site where its new incarnation soon will stand.
At a groundbreaking ceremony held after the 11 a.m. Mass, the site on the corner of University Avenue and South Fifth Street received a blessing from Bishop Joseph Latino.
“Hopefully the next time I’m here is when we’re blessing the new building,” Bishop Latino said, emptying a canister of holy water onto the ground. “This church will be a symbol to the community of who we are and what we believe.” Building a new, bigger church for the St. John Parish has been a priority for the diocese, Bishop Latino said — given the church’s role as not only a spiritual home to its local small-town congregation but also to Catholic students at the University of Mississippi.
The parish also serves as “home away from home” for many people who regularly visit Oxford on the weekends, said Father Joe Tonos, pastor.
“I’m overjoyed that this is happening,” Bishop Latino said after the ceremony. “Some people have waited a very long time for this moment to arrive. It is time to see a lot of hard work and efforts coming to be realized.”
In a process that began several years ago, the local congregation has so far raised $2.7 million toward the $3.8 million construction cost. Outstanding pledges are expected to cover about half of the remaining balance, with a loan through the diocese covering the remainder.
The church is working with Howorth & Associates Architects and Panola Construction for the project. The parish hopes to celebrate its first Mass in the new church about a year from now.
Current plans call for a 15,250-square-foot building on two levels, with a new worship space to seat as many as 400 — twice as many as fit in the old facility. The worship space will face University Avenue at ground level, with the parish hall, kitchen and nursery tucked below the worship hall on the sloping lot.
In the future, a tentative second phase may include new offices, classrooms and possibly a larger social hall. For now, though, two houses owned by the church on South Fifth Street will continue to serve as additional office, classroom and gathering spaces.
(Staff Writer Chris Kieffer contributed to this report.)
Mass, the site on the corner of University Avenue and South Fifth Street received a blessing from Bishop Joseph Latino.