After the fire: Steel framing for Most Blessed Sacrament in Franklin Lakes completed
FRANKLIN LAKES — It took more than six years before "the holy place will be properly restored" in the book of Daniel, but members of Most Blessed Sacrament Church are hoping to get the job done in 4½ years.
A "topping out ceremony" was held in June as the last steel beam of the new church building was signed by students of the church's adjacent Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament before it was installed at the building's highest point.
"We have come together as a community and we have made great progress," said the Rev. John Job, the congregation's pastor. "The parish is grateful for all of the hard work of so many on this project and that we have reached such a significant milestone."
The congregation's 38-year-old worship building was destroyed by arson in December 2019. A combination of insurance evaluations, COVID interruptions and resulting supply shortages prevented work from beginning on the new structure until January, when the cement foundation slab was poured. Since then, progress has been made on the structural supports for what is most recently estimated to be an $18 million building.
The construction has become an educational tool for the church's grade school. Several members of the Donnelly Construction staff have facilitated "field trips" to the site, where students have learned the roles of various building trades and structural design. Students write about their observations on returning to class, to improve their language skills.
"We have come so far from the burning down of the church, to watching it be rebuilt," wrote fifth grader Sabrina Wojokh. “At the signing of the beam, I felt very honored to be getting to do something so special. I will hold this special day with me for the rest of my life."
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Other milestones of the project have been the installation of the wood roofing of the Chapel of Mary, Our Good Mother, and the front entryway. Framing has also been completed on spaces at the front of the church, including the narthex, restrooms, kitchen, Children’s Liturgy of the Word room and sacristy.
Exterior masonry finishes have been delivered and will be applied soon. Exterior windows and openings for the stained glass are next to be installed.
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In January, Job estimated that the church had recovered $13.7 million toward the project and had established a capital improvement drive to make up the estimated $4 million still needed to finance its completion. Services continue in the school's multipurpose room during construction.
Former Mayor Frank Bivona, who has headed the church's reconstruction committee as a member of the congregation, could not be immediately reached for comment.
Parish member James Mayers, 26 at the time, was arrested at the scene and confessed to setting the fire. A year later he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris Plains. He was moved to a group home in January, according to attorney Lee Vartan.
The church is due for completion in late spring 2024. Donations may be made in several ways to the church's capital improvement fund, as suggested on the church's website, mostblessedsacrament.ws/support-mbs.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Most Blessed Sacrament in Franklin Lakes NJ gets steel framing
