Gloster Holy Family makes room for growth VIEW GALLERY -- use arrow keys to navigate through photos
GLOSTER — On Saturday, Feb. 9, Bishop Joseph Latino congratulated Holy Family parishioners for the direction their faith was leading them.
“I’m not talking about north, east, south or west,” he said, alluding to renovations which changed the place of the altar.
“I’m talking about the direction you’ve taken for the growth of your faith,” Bishop Latino said.
This small faith community in the southwestern part of the Diocese of Jackson recently completed significant renovations to their church building. Those renovations doubled the space for seating and new include a new altar and table for the sanctuary, a processional cross and additional pews.
“More people are coming to the vigil Mass,” said Father Patrick Smith, pastor. “Every time we have Mass we had to set up a number of folding chairs to accommodate them.”
The renovations, which involved closing in the building’s carport, new paint, granite tops for the altar and a table and other improvements cost about $35,000, according to Leon Born, finance council president.
Funding sources for the renovations included a Catholic Extension grant for $13,000 grant, another grant from the Diocese of Jackson, donations and a loan, according to Borne.
“We have a beautiful problem — more people coming in than leaving — so we needed to expand,” he said. On any Saturday Mass attendance can fluctuate between 35 to 75 people.
Borne said people originally fleeing New Orleans in the wake of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina and from other southwestern Louisiana towns are building retirement or second homes in the area.
In addition to that, a nearby heretofore shuttered paper mill reopened providing several hundred jobs.
“We’ve taken the plunge and expanded and are ready to go into the future. This is a hard-working group of people and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished,” said Borne.
Founding member June Valley was inspired by the need to expand the church building.
“It’s amazing,” she said, “and just wonderful. Father Pat has been such a blessing and our growth is continuing.”
Father Smith said everyone is “super-active.”
“With these renovations has come a lot of blessings,” he said. “Our carpenter gave us a break, we got a break on the paint, someone donated the granite table tops and our costs for everything came in several hundred dollars under the estimate.
“This community, these people work just like beavers,” he said. “It is amazing what this small mission church has done. This is a real good example of what people can do when they really want to do it,” he said.
Bishop Latino said the growth for Holy Family signifies “your faith is alive. That is why the dedication of this altar today is so important.
“Without it there would be no place where Jesus’ sacrifice is made present to us. That is why we consecrate it, dedicate it.
“With its anointing with Holy Chrism, its incensing and blessing, this altar is preserved for Jesus’ sacred sacrifice,” Bishop Latino said.
During Lent, the parish is selling Lenten lunches, not only to parishioners, their families and friends, but all over town.
“It’s not really a big money-maker,” said Borne. “The Lenten dinners help to keep us together as a church communit, as well as increase our presence in the community. The shrimp etouffee is really good.”
