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Smithfield parish celebrates new church

By Barbara Hughes
Special to The Catholic Virginian

Despite inclement weather that moved starting ceremonies indoors, there was no mistaking the celebratory mood as the assembly processed into the new worship space at Church of the Good Shepherd in Smithfield on June 26. With hearts and voices raised in song the community celebrated a day that had been long in coming.

Bishop Sullivan blesses the water and baptismal font during dedication of the new worship space at Church of the Good Shepherd. With him, from left, are Chelsea Elliott, altar server, Father Robert Cummins, canonical pastor, and Joanne Gordon, pastoral coordinator.

Bishop Emeritus Walter F. Sullivan acknowledged and thanked Joanne Gordon, pastoral coordinator at the parish, for her guidance and leadership. As a lay woman, Joanne rose to the challenge of overseeing the building of the worship space, a challenge that was entrusted to her five years ago by Bishop Sullivan when he appointed her pastoral coordinator.

As the bishop looked around the space, he noted how all the parts, walls, roof, windows, heating and air conditioning systems were all interconnected, related and interdependent. He pointed out that it served as a good image for church community.

“All of you helped make this day come to pass,” he said. “Your different roles, gifts and ministries fit together. We form a building, a dwelling place for God founded by the apostles with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.”

Bishop Sullivan reminded the people that a church is more than a building.

It gives people a sense of belonging, but it’s also about caring for one another as a community.

“As we share our lives, we grow together in the life of Christ,” he said. “As we celebrate the realization of hopes and aspirations, the joy does not remain behind the walls of a building, but we take it with us to bring about the reign of God. As we gather we invite Jesus Christ to be with us as host.”

Father Robert Cummins, pastor of St. Therese in Chesapeake, who serves as canonical pastor for the parish, concelebrated the Liturgy. Also present were Msgr. Thomas J. Caroluzza, who served as canonical pastor from 2000-2004, and priests from the diocese and ministers from neighboring churches.

During his remarks, Father Cummins said, “This is what church is about, the collaboration between clergy and laity. In Joanne Gordon I see a woman who is just as much a leader here as I am at St. Therese.

“She puts her whole heart and soul into the community. She’s a full time shepherd working together with the Spirit to make all of this happen.”

In the words of Ms. Gordon, “The seed was planted in good soil, carefully nurtured throughout droughts and harsh weather conditions, until it really started to grow.

“This is because we trusted in the plan of God and acted upon it,” she added.

Ms. Gordon said that during the most difficult times people would say things or send her inspirational messages and it helped to confirm her mission.

“It’s like being pregnant or running a marathon,” she explained. “When you’re going through the hard times, you think, ‘I’ll never do this again,’ and then when it’s over and the baby is born, you find yourself thinking, ‘Who knows?”

Ms. Gordon is quick to acknowledge that it would never have happened without the work and commitment of parishioners who served as leaders, fund raisers, landscapers and vehicles of support. She thanked contractors, E. T. Grisham and Company builders, architect Robert Magoon and Associates, and her husband Lars who chaired the Building Committee.

Mr. Magoon, who is also a liturgical consultant, studied at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

“Building churches is a passion for me,” he said. “When I hear the music ring from the rafters and the Word proclaimed, it all comes together. It doesn’t get any better than to see a church come alive.”

His goal in designing a space is to facilitate a pattern of rhythm that enhances acoustics and disperses light. He was able to accomplish this through the unique design of the windows that he said mirror the rhythm pattern in the windows of the old cathedrals in Europe, minus the stained glass.

Bishop Sullivan blesses the Tabernacle.

The building which measures 7,817 square feet, is an extension of the existing building and has a seating capacity of 560, a daily Mass chapel and a chapel that accommodates 50 people and is used for wakes and for Liturgy of the Word and Communion services held on Thursday evenings.

Regarding the status of a parish with no regular priest assigned, long-time parishioner Judy Miller said, “It would be nice to have a priest but Joanne is fantastic.

“She’s been here when we needed someone. For the many years that we haven’t had a priest, Joanne fit right in.”

Michael and Sherry Berry, who have been in the parish for only one year, said, “Joanne is fabulous. She knows everyone’s name and that was the quality about her that impressed us most.”

In a letter to the parishioners, Joanne Gordon wrote, “Today we pause to celebrate – tomorrow we once again take up the work of Jesus’ mission… I am blessed to have had the opportunity to serve as your pastoral coordinator.”