St. Teresa of Calcutta Takes Groundbreaking Step
Bishop Michael Olson blesses the construction site with holy water during the groundbreaking ceremony at St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Roanoke on Nov. 30, 2024. That day parishioners, led by Bishop Olson, broke ground on the construction of a parish hall that will house the celebration of Mass, events, and other functions. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)
ROANOKE — The air was crisp, the sun was shining, and wispy clouds dotted the blue sky on Saturday, Nov. 30 when more than 100 parishioners and friends gathered at St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Roanoke for the groundbreaking ceremony of its first permanent structure.
Bishop Michael Olson, on hand for the groundbreaking, acknowledged the occasion by saying, “You've been preparing the ground by coming together to worship God as He desires to be worshipped in the celebration of the Eucharist by works of charity, by fellowship together, and by prayer. … May God bring to fruition this good work He begins today, and may He bless you and sustain you in the shared project that we all undertake as God's people in His Church.”
The groundbreaking is an important step for a parish that celebrated its first Mass just over two years ago. The construction, overseen by Deacon Daniel Zavala, coordinator of parish life of St. Teresa, and Diocesan Director of Construction and Facilities Tom Ross, is moving forward with the goal of building a fellowship hall in which Mass will be celebrated. Eventually, a church will be constructed.
Currently, weekend Masses are held in the auditorium of nearby Hughes Elementary School; parish councils meet in portable buildings that accommodate a chapel and administrative offices. Masses and other activities will move to the parish hall once it is complete in 2025.
According to Dcn. Zavala, the lack of a church building or fellowship hall hasn’t stopped the parish from offering all the sacraments and traditional activities one would expect in a long-established parish.
On this Saturday, the parish Knights of Columbus Council 18179 had grills sizzling with hamburger sliders and hot dogs; the Women’s Ministry Pastoral Council served sweet treats; and bounce houses entertained the youngest guests attending the ceremony with their parents.
Parish families weren’t the only ones on site to witness the groundbreaking.
For Teresa Velasco, the groundbreaking was such a momentous occasion she flew from California to join sons, John Paul and Daniel, and their families for the event. Her grandchildren, baby Velasco cousins, were among the first to be baptized in the parish.
“It is amazing to start a church,” she said with evident excitement. “It is hope for the future.”
Church growth is tough to predict but Dcn. Zavala sees evidence that St. Teresa Parish, located at 13517 Alta Vista Rd., is growing rapidly. While the first Mass on Sept. 4, 2022, attracted about 100 area Catholics, Dcn. Zavala said, “We are up to about 300 families now.”
He is optimistic about the future.
“We are attracting those who are excited about not having to drive 20 to 30 minutes to church. They join St. Teresa because the parish is closer to them. Others come and check us out and then you won't see them again, but parishioners say, ‘Oh, they'll be back’ [when the church is built],” said the deacon.
Church and hall construction requires an enormous amount of capital, skill, and project management to make sure the parish has the best contractor support. That job falls to Ross. His expertise from 29 years in the construction industry is what led to his employment by the diocese to oversee the construction and maintenance required by 92 parishes and 17 schools.
At St. Teresa, Ross works closely with Dcn. Zavala to ensure plans are developed and follow the needs and specifications of the parish and the diocese.
In the six years that Ross has worked in this position, he has built other diocesan churches and church halls and is personally invested in the outcome.
“I don't think I've ever been in a position where I wasn't proud of the product that I provided,” he said. “The people that are going to use the [facilities] — the parishioners, when you see the bishop dedicating the church. … It has an impact on me personally and everybody I work with.”
While the community as a whole looks forward to seeing the completed parish hall, some like Joan Allen view the portable buildings — or “double-wides” [trailers] as the 88-year-old calls them — just part of the process. She was part of a church opening in Aurora, Colo., before moving to North Texas to be close to her adult children and their families.
Allen joined St. Teresa because she loved the welcoming environment and the energy of the parishioners who are committed to this fledgling community. The buildings are ancillary to her faith.
As Allen described, “God just opened the window up in heaven and sent a bunch of grace fluttering down to our little double-wide, and He created the best parish. So many graces have come down upon us to meet all these wonderful people, all of whom are committed to making this a real Eucharistic community. And it just warms my heart because everyone is so grateful.”