‘Proud that’s my church’
Dedication where three parishes became one

DEDICATION MASS — Worshippers enter St. Gabriel Church for the dedication liturgy of the new church in Richfield Aug. 28. (Catholic Herald photos by Sam Lucero)

By Brian T. Olszewski
Catholic Herald Staff

RICHFIELD — The parish known since 2002 as St. Gabriel now has a parish church. Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan joined with members whose previous parish affiliations were St. Hubert, Hubertus, St. Mary, Richfield, and St. Columba, Colgate to dedicate the $5.5 million structure.

According to Fr. Charles “Chuck” Hanel the process of merging the three parishes and of building the 800-seat worship space was “very invigorating.”

The donated 40 acres on which the church was built is central to each of the previous churches.

“We’re a mile from St. Hubert’s; one and one-half miles from St. Mary’s; and two miles from St. Columba,” he said, noting that early in the process parishioners agreed that the new church would not be built on one of the existing parish sites.

The church in Colgate is being sold, while the other two buildings will be used as chapels for weddings and funerals. Since the St. Gabriel School is located at the St. Hubert site, school liturgies will be celebrated in the old church, which has been designated a chapel.

The name of the merged parish was chosen democratically, with the one condition being that it would not be the same name as one of the three parishes from which it was being formed. The initial list of 80 names was pared to 10.

“We put it up to a vote,” Fr. Hanel said.

The priest, who has served the Hubertus area since 1997, said that when the newly-named parish celebrated an outdoor Mass in July 2002, parishioners at St. Gabriel, Randolph, whose church had closed, presented a gift to the new community.

“They brought us a wooden crucifix from their parish,” he said. “It was a gift from the old to the newly-formed.”

The crucifix is being used as a processional cross in the new church.

Fr. Hanel said that “anywhere from 20 percent to one-third” of those affected — 1,100 families or about 3,000 people — “were excited from day one” about the merger. He estimated that another 50 to 60 percent took a “Well, OK, if this is the way it has to be” approach.

“It has really been difficult for 10 to 20 percent of the people,” he said.

He said that comments from people who have seen the church, located on Highway 164, describe it as having “volume to it” or having “real majesty.”

“People will say, ‘I am proud to say that’s my church,’” the priest said.