New church named after John Paul II

The name of beloved Pope John Paul II will live on through a new Catholic church in Bigfork.

The name of beloved Pope John Paul II will live on through a new Catholic church in Bigfork.

Parishioners of St. Catherine's Church in Bigfork and St. Ann's Church in Somers learned over the weekend that Bishop George L. Thomas has approved the name Pope John Paul II Church for the new facility under construction north of Bigfork on Montana 35.

Thomas made the announcement during confirmation ceremonies, saying that to his knowledge it's one of the first new churches, if not the first, to be named for the popular pope who died a month ago.

Roman Catholic canon law stipulates that names of churches can't be transferred. Each church must have its own title, and that title can't be changed after the church is dedicated, according to a letter sent to parishioners.

Monsignor Donald Shea, pastor of the two parishes, said all parishioners were asked to suggest names for the new church. The top three names were given to Thomas for final approval.

"By far, the vote was in favor of naming our church after Pope John Paul II," he said.

Parishioner Ted Habarth, a member of the church building committee, said he's very happy with the new name.

"It's very fitting for what the new parish will try to be," Habarth said, noting the late pope's ability to reach out and communicate with people.

He also pointed to Pope John Paul II's work with youth as one of the focuses of the new Bigfork church.

"He gave importance to youth," Habarth added.

The existing St. Catherine's building, near Marina Cay Resort off Grand Drive, will be moved to the new church campus for use as a parish youth center.

The new $3.2 million church occupies a 20-acre tract at Montana 35 and Coverdell Road, and will be completed in late June or early July. Ground was broken for the 15,000-square-foot building a year ago following a decade of discussion about options for the growing congregations. It will seat 500 and feature a fellowship hall on the lower level that can seat 300, as well as classrooms, a library, conference room and kitchen. There will be parking for 226 vehicles.

"We have simply outgrown our facilities in both communities," Shea said in an earlier interview. "This is especially evident at the Saturday Vigil Mass and Sunday Masses in late spring, summer and early fall."

In 1997, Bishop Alex Brunett met with parish leaders and suggested they look to the future and plan for a capacity of 500. Since neither the St. Catherine's nor St. Ann's site could accommodate that large of a facility, a steering committee decided to buy property.

The diocese first bought acreage at Holt Drive and Chapman Hill Lane, but by July 2001 the steering committee determined the Coverdell Road site was more feasible.

The Diocese of Helena sold the St. Catherine's property to Vacation Properties LLC of Bigfork for $1.2 million and is leasing it back until the new church is finished.

St. Ann's Church, built in 1904 and dedicated a year later, has been put up for sale. Items from the historic church will be incorporated into the new facility, such as the St. Ann's church bell. Wood from the century-old pews, which was originally milled in Somers, has been remilled for use in panels at the new church.

Controversy erupted over the building project once the decision was made to relocate the church and merge the two congregations. Some argued the sale of the property and plans for a larger facility went against the wishes of many parishioners. A lawsuit was filed to delay the sale but was later dropped.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com