Catholic community prepares for new church

Visalia Times Delta, Aug. 10, 2011

As liturgical coordinator Patty Call smoothed an altar cloth over the new altar at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Community in Visalia, she said it was the donors that have touched her heart the most.

"Seeing the community pull together to build the church," she said, "It's exciting."

The altar was donated by Jaime and Beth De La Cerna, St. Mary's parishioners. The mission-style mahogany altar was made by Jeff Eastman of Visalia, a landscaper by day and an artisan woodworker by night. He fashioned the 6-foot-long altar in his garage, he said.

Eastman, a parishioner at Holy Family, said he was honored to be asked to make the altar.

The Catholic Church of Visalia is preparing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of St. Mary's in Visalia, while at the same time readying its newest church, St. Charles Borromeo, for parishioners.

The new 17,000-square-foot parish center has been completed at 5049 W. Caldwell Ave. in southwest Visalia and that is where masses will be held until the new church is complete. A campaign to pay for the construction begins next year.

The portable altar is now in place and an organ was being moved in on Wednesday.

The doors to St. Charles will formally open Aug. 19 with afternoon tours and a prayer dedication at 6:30 p.m. Weekend Masses begin Aug. 20-21.

With the opening of the new church, Mass schedules will change permanently at St. Mary's and Holy Family, said Monsignor Ray Dreiling, head of the Catholic Church of Visalia. Four priests and one retired priest share duties for the three churches in Visalia and St. Thomas in Goshen.

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