REPAIRS REPOINTING TO THE HEAVENS

September 21, 2009 12:00 am • Last Updated: September 21, 2009 11:31 am

By By KATHLEEN EDGECOMB Day Staff Writer

Yankee Remodeler workers Avery Lawson, top, and Pete Gyome scrape old paint off the window louvers of the main bell tower of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in New London.

New London - The Rev. Robert Washabaugh opened the side door of his church early one Sunday morning last February and discovered a crumbled hunk of granite that had crashed onto the wooden handicapped-access ramp."It looked like a bomb had been dropped,'' said Washabaugh, pastor for eight years at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, the oldest Catholic Church in southeastern Connecticut.

"It looked like a bomb had been dropped,'' said Washabaugh, pastor for eight years at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, the oldest Catholic Church in southeastern Connecticut.While church officials had known their 133-year-old granite church was in need of repair, the falling stone sent the parish into crisis mode.

While church officials had known their 133-year-old granite church was in need of repair, the falling stone sent the parish into crisis mode.More than $80,000 worth of scaffolding immediately went up to protect parishioners as they filed in and out of church activities. Workers began assessing the stone work to figure out what needed to be done. Water had been seeping behind the stones of the granite structure, undermining the mortar between stones and pushing the granite blocks forward.

More than $80,000 worth of scaffolding immediately went up to protect parishioners as they filed in and out of church activities. Workers began assessing the stone work to figure out what needed to be done. Water had been seeping behind the stones of the granite structure, undermining the mortar between stones and pushing the granite blocks forward. The church is now trying to raise $600,000 for a repair and restoration project that includes repointing the stonework, restoring woodwork around the windows and replacing a flat wooden roof over the top of the tower.

The church is now trying to raise $600,000 for a repair and restoration project that includes repointing the stonework, restoring woodwork around the windows and replacing a flat wooden roof over the top of the tower.But raising that kind of money from a congregation of about 1,000 families who are described in the 2007-08 annual report as "struggling families, down-and-outers and many immigrants recently arrived,'' is going to be a daunting task. Half of the 1,000 or so Sunday worshipers attend a Mass said in Spanish.

But raising that kind of money from a congregation of about 1,000 families who are described in the 2007-08 annual report as "struggling families, down-and-outers and many immigrants recently arrived,'' is going to be a daunting task. Half of the 1,000 or so Sunday worshipers attend a Mass said in Spanish."We're not a sinking ship,'' said Washabaugh, "but it is a call to all hands.''

"We're not a sinking ship,'' said Washabaugh, "but it is a call to all hands.''The church has begun a three-year capital campaign, the first since 1978 when the congregation raised money for a new slate roof. Edward Wozniak, a member of the finance committee, said the "We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe" campaign is asking parishioners to donate $1 a day. The church has received grants for assessment work from the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation and from the Shea Fund, whose family members once attended St. Mary. It is also getting loans from other parishes.

The church has begun a three-year capital campaign, the first since 1978 when the congregation raised money for a new slate roof. Edward Wozniak, a member of the finance committee, said the "We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe" campaign is asking parishioners to donate $1 a day. The church has received grants for assessment work from the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation and from the Shea Fund, whose family members once attended St. Mary. It is also getting loans from other parishes.But Washabaugh is reaching out to the greater community too, to anyone who has had a connection to the church.

But Washabaugh is reaching out to the greater community too, to anyone who has had a connection to the church."I go to the rest home, and I have 90-year-old ladies tell me their mother went to St. Mary,'' Washabaugh said. "So many people have close and warm memories of St. Mary's.''

"I go to the rest home, and I have 90-year-old ladies tell me their mother went to St. Mary,'' Washabaugh said. "So many people have close and warm memories of St. Mary's.''Wozniak added that there have been thousands of people baptized, married or given their First Communion at the church and have now moved on to other churches.

Wozniak added that there have been thousands of people baptized, married or given their First Communion at the church and have now moved on to other churches."We'd like to get the word out to them,'' he said.

"We'd like to get the word out to them,'' he said.St. Mary was the first Catholic church in southeastern Connecticut, and all other congregations grew from it - St. Joseph on Montauk Avenue, St. Paul and St. Ann in Waterford and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Quaker Hill. Even the churches in Groton were an outgrowth of St. Mary, according to Sally Ryan, city historian.

St. Mary was the first Catholic church in southeastern Connecticut, and all other congregations grew from it - St. Joseph on Montauk Avenue, St. Paul and St. Ann in Waterford and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Quaker Hill. Even the churches in Groton were an outgrowth of St. Mary, according to Sally Ryan, city historian."It basically was the mother church of all the churches in the area,'' said Ryan, whose mother and father were baptized at St. Mary. "It's a beautiful church. It deserves to be preserved. You can't write the history of any church in the area without including St. Mary."

"It basically was the mother church of all the churches in the area,'' said Ryan, whose mother and father were baptized at St. Mary. "It's a beautiful church. It deserves to be preserved. You can't write the history of any church in the area without including St. Mary."The Gothic building on Huntington Street was the third church building for St. Mary's, which was established in 1851.

The Gothic building on Huntington Street was the third church building for St. Mary's, which was established in 1851.The cornerstone was laid in 1870, but after the clerestory, or upper level, on the north side collapsed during construction, destroying almost everything that had been built, the project was put on hold, according to "Catholics in Eastern Connecticut, a History of the Norwich Diocese," by J. Ralph Kelley.

The cornerstone was laid in 1870, but after the clerestory, or upper level, on the north side collapsed during construction, destroying almost everything that had been built, the project was put on hold, according to "Catholics in Eastern Connecticut, a History of the Norwich Diocese," by J. Ralph Kelley.The pastor at the time, the Rev. Edmund O'Connor, who had pushed for the new building, died suddenly a short time later. His death was attributed to the emotional devastation from having the project collapse. His body is interred at St. Mary.

The pastor at the time, the Rev. Edmund O'Connor, who had pushed for the new building, died suddenly a short time later. His death was attributed to the emotional devastation from having the project collapse. His body is interred at St. Mary.Plans were not abandoned, and in the spring of 1876, the new St. Mary Star of the Sea Church was dedicated. By 1883, St. Mary was still the city's only Catholic church.

Plans were not abandoned, and in the spring of 1876, the new St. Mary Star of the Sea Church was dedicated. By 1883, St. Mary was still the city's only Catholic church.In 1891, the Sisters of Mercy opened a parish school, first for girls only and later in a new building for both boys and girls. The school is still open and has 120 students.

In 1891, the Sisters of Mercy opened a parish school, first for girls only and later in a new building for both boys and girls. The school is still open and has 120 students.Michael Strammiello, spokesman for the Norwich Catholic Diocese, said raising money is traditionally a parish activity, but the diocese helps out in other ways, such as providing development advice and funding ministries.

Michael Strammiello, spokesman for the Norwich Catholic Diocese, said raising money is traditionally a parish activity, but the diocese helps out in other ways, such as providing development advice and funding ministries.In this case, the diocese is moving its Catholic Charities operation from the Harris Building to the parish center next to St. Mary and is helping to pay for renovation work. Catholic Charities will pay rent to St. Mary to cover costs.

In this case, the diocese is moving its Catholic Charities operation from the Harris Building to the parish center next to St. Mary and is helping to pay for renovation work. Catholic Charities will pay rent to St. Mary to cover costs."We share the burden,'' Strammiello said.

"We share the burden,'' Strammiello said.He also said St. Mary was considered the "mother cathedral" when the diocese was established in 1953, but St. Patrick Cathedral in Norwich took over that distinction because of its central location.

He also said St. Mary was considered the "mother cathedral" when the diocese was established in 1953, but St. Patrick Cathedral in Norwich took over that distinction because of its central location.Ryan, the historian, said her aunt, who raised her and was born in 1888, always talked about coming into town by horse and buggy to go to St. Mary's.

Ryan, the historian, said her aunt, who raised her and was born in 1888, always talked about coming into town by horse and buggy to go to St. Mary's."Our mother church is old and should be taken care of,'' she said. "The people in the whole area of southeastern Connecticut should feel an obligation to St. Mary's, which provided a place of worship for Catholics in the area for years."

"Our mother church is old and should be taken care of,'' she said. "The people in the whole area of southeastern Connecticut should feel an obligation to St. Mary's, which provided a place of worship for Catholics in the area for years."k.edgecomb@theday.com

k.edgecomb@theday.com

Project Foreman Freddy Douglas of Yankee Remodeler walks the scaffolding Wednesday atop the main tower of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church overlooking downtown New London as renovation and repair work at the church continues.

Renovation and repair work to the main bell tower at St. Mary Star of the Sea dominates the downtown skyline near the church.