The local parish without a church took the first step toward building a home on Saturday.

More than 250 parishioners of the Church of St. Katharine Drexel filled the rectory grounds of Rev. Joseph Ferrara on West Jersey Avenue to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for the church's new 17,000-square-foot life center.

"We finally have a home," Father Ferrara said.

The life center will contain a social hall, meeting rooms and offices. It will be located on the parish's 32 acres on the corner of English Creek and West Jersey avenues.

"It will have everything we need," he said.

The Catholic parish was formed on June 1, 2000, and has held its weekly services in the Egg Harbor Township Intermediate School.

"However, you need your own building," Father Ferrara said.

The hall will be large enough for the parish to move its services from the school.

"I've conducted services everywhere- in fields, homes, parks-and you can pray anywhere," he said. "But there is no place like home."

The new facility will allow the church to hold social events as well, he said.

Actual work on the $2.8 million project will begin later this month as workers clear the heavily wooded land, Father Ferrara said. Work on the building will follow immediately after.

"Everything should be completed by Christmas," he said.

The money for the project was raised through donations, he said.

"The people of Egg Harbor Township are just great," he said. "It was great to see how many people came out in the pouring rain."

The church hopes to pay off the loan in three years and then begin construction of its church. That process will take several years.

"We wanted to build the hall first because we wanted to take our time designing the church," he said. "The church needs to be special."

Ferrara said he hopes to have the church completed in about seven to 10 years.

Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, archbishop of the Camden Diocese, joined in the groundbreaking ceremony.

<<To Events Page