CANTON – Staff and parishioners of Little Flower Parish have been hoping, praying and waiting for a new addition to be built onto their church on Diamond Street.
For five years, plans have been in place to build the 5,000-square-foot space. On Sunday, Nov. 27, their dreams came to fruition.
Bishop David Bonnar compared the anticipation to that experienced in the Advent season.
“After much work and prayer by so many members of this parish, we gather now to bless and dedicate this new gathering space,” he said. “It will be a center for our parish and a place where we may come to know one another and give witness to our faith in Christ. It’s a dedicated time of preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Implicit in this season is, yes, more waiting. Just when you thought all the waiting was over, there is more waiting. And thus, a need for continued anticipation and patience.”
Bishop Bonnar celebrated the 11 a.m. Mass with the Very Rev. Canon Christopher Henyk, pastor of Little Flower Parish. Following the Mass, the bishop blessed the new addition, which includes a gathering entry space, Little Therese Chapel (which serves as a 24-hour adoration chapel), St. Cecilia Hall (a multipurpose area), a choir practice room, storage area, new men’s and women’s restrooms and a transition into the church with a new confessional and cry room.
The $1.8 million project took about 14 months to build.
“It’s very exciting because it has been a long road,” said Rhonda Turner, director of finance and operations at Little Flower, as well as the project manager for the new addition. “I call it a piece of artwork, it’s so much more than just an addition. It’s marvelous.”
Fundraising for the project began in 2017 with a capital campaign. Father Henyk arrived at Little Flower in 2019 and continued laying the framework for the project. There were some delays due to weather, supply chain issues, labor shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic, but as the space was revealed to parishioners and blessed by the bishop, all involved agreed that it was worth the wait.
Since last September, Masses were held across the parking lot in Varble Hall due to the construction happening in and around the existing church building.
“Our parishioners have been very anxious to get back,” Turner said.
The architect on the project was Rick Ziska of Ziska Architects, based in Cleveland. He attended the Mass and blessing with his wife, Judy. Craig Cureton, Jeff Craven and Kyle Craven of Craven Construction in Akron led the construction efforts on the parish campus.
Ziska “had such a vision to make this gathering space so beautiful,” Father Henyk said. “We want to give God thanks to the construction company for helping us in this endeavor, and to all our staff and parishioners who worked very hard to make this happen. We wouldn’t have been able to have the beautiful addition if it wasn’t for your generosity and your prayers and your great attitude and your hard work.”
The pastor said new rooms in the addition will be dedicated to the memory of longtime parishioners James, John and Nancy Pastore. The Little Therese Chapel features a high altar made of Italian Carrara marble originally built in an old center for children with disabilities in Cleveland. The church’s old gathering entry space was incorporated into the church area, along with a new baptismal font.
Other renovations include an updated electric grid, the installation of a sound system with hearing-impaired capabilities, a new fire alarm system, video surveillance system and carpet in the church area.
During Mass, Deacons Brook Benedict and Fritz Schlueter assisted the bishop.
Afterwards, the parish Altar and Rosary Society and the Men’s Club hosted a luncheon.
In his homily, Bishop Bonnar gave advice and instruction on how to navigate the Advent season. He recalled an old Heinz commercial where the ketchup was taking forever to come out of the glass bottle. Advent is a special time to “catch up” on chances to put God first in our lives, the bishop said.
“We begin this holy season of waiting, the season of Advent, as we wait for that first coming of Jesus and to anticipate His second coming into our lives,” Bishop Bonnar said. “A time of joy-filled expectation that no doubt demands patience and trust … Jesus is coming to love and to save us. It is important that we live in this moment together and collectively do our part. It is easier said than done.”
