All Saints celebrates feast day by breaking ground for new church
By Ambria Hammel | Nov. 17, 2009 | The Catholic Sun
MESA — All Saints parishioners’ prayers were answered Nov. 1 when community leaders broke ground on a new church.
Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted joined Fr. Robert Caruso, the parish pastor, other priests, the city’s mayor and 500 parishioners in the church parking lot to celebrate the groundbreaking.
“We never thought we would live to see the day,” Fr. Caruso said.
He started working with the diocesan Office of Buildings and Properties on a feasibility study for a new church soon after becoming pastor 16 years ago. That began a long series of discussions to determine if upgrades to the current church or selecting a new site, designing and financing it proved the better option.
Fr. Caruso said All Saints — a “poorly designed warehouse” — was built when it was still under county jurisdiction, making upgrades to city code costly. The exterior walls made of white brick are coming apart and the building has an inefficient air conditioning system, no windows and minimal art.
Like many diocesan projects these days, the new $6.5-million cruciform-shaped church will have Styrofoam and concrete walls. An underground air duct system will ease the cooling process.
Fr. Caruso remembers touring the new St. Peregrine Cancer Shrine at Christ the King Parish this summer. Its walls are built in a similar fashion.
“It’s amazing the temperature difference in there,” he said, and that was without the air conditioning on.
Parishioners have been eager to see the new 35,000 square-foot church get off the ground. Attendance at All Saints nearly doubles in the winter months to 4,000 families.
The 35-year-old church, which only holds 640, has been overflowing into at least one other location for the last 10 years. Priests offer 13 Masses in three locations each weekend to accommodate everyone.
The current church will feature cushioned pews seating 1,600 — a dramatic difference.
Parishioners have raised more than $4 million for the project and handed over another $500,000 in the two weeks before the groundbreaking. Monies are being put toward securing furniture, fixtures and other equipment.
“They wanted it to feel like a church,” Fr. Caruso said. “They want something that’s holy.”
That’s why the stained glass windows are selling fast and the ciboria, altar, tabernacle, candelabras and sanctuary lamp are sold out. A glass wall will close off the church’s adoration chapel.
The property will also include offices on each side of the choir loft and meeting rooms.
D.L. Withers Construction, which is just finishing its latest diocesan project at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Scottsdale, is finishing the site preparation of All Saints this month and should start building in December.
“It’s finally coming to the point where we’re seeing something happen,” Deacon Al Wilson said. He reminded the crowd that they’re building for themselves and future children of the parish.
The bishop agreed and reminded them to keep Jesus as the focus, the “capstone.” That would help them continue to embrace each other as the project moves forward.
“Our own decisions made with the Holy Spirit can help build up the living Church, the people around us,” the bishop said.
