Faith formation center at Pompton Lakes parish three years in the making

By CECILE SAN AGUSTIN
Reporter

POMPTON LAKES - A dream has come true at St. Mary Parish here with the completion of its new Father Michael Carnevale Faith Formation Center that will provide a place for the faith community's more than 75 ministries to meet and gather together. Under sunny skies, the building's dedication was held  Oct. 7 with more than a thousand people in attendance including retired Bishop Frank Rodimer, who blessed and dedicated the center, and Franciscan Father Michael Carnevale, the former pastor, for whom the building is named.

Franciscan Father Kevin Downey, the current pastor, said, "It was an achievement of the parish. It began three years ago back in March 2004 when we announced this dream to honor the legacy of Father Carnevale and to provide a faith formation center that will help us meet our needs currently but also the needs of our future."

Serving more than 3,700 families from 17 different communities, St. Mary's new formation center will ensure the parishioners of St. Mary's will continue evangelizing the faith, reaching out to the needy and building a sense of community.

In addition to providing necessary meeting space for the different ministries, the Carnevale center has a choir rehearsal room, a library, a medical assistance center and a large fellowship hall where family liturgies and other gatherings can be held.

Already the center is getting "rave reviews" from the groups utilizing its space. "We have a St. Mary's senior group that was meeting in a tiny room. It was exciting to see their faces. They walked into the Carnevale center and their mouths were on the floor," said Father Downey.

For 72-year-old Father Carnevale, who served at St. Mary's for more than 22 years, having a building named after him is truly a humbling experience.

"I certainly feel humbled and honored. I thanked the people at the ceremony and reminded them this wasn't the work of one person but the community of St. Mary's helped build it to what it is today," said Father Carnevale.

When he learned that the building was going to be named after him, Father Carnevale said, "It was very emotional for me. I didn't know what to say when they told me it was going to be named after me. I still don't know what to say. It's overwhelming."

Building the dream

According to Father Downey, the $3.7 million formation center would not have been a reality without the people at St. Mary's Parish. In March 2004, the parish started its capital campaign titled, "Honoring a Legacy of Love," in reference to Father Carnevale's dedication to the parish. The Franciscan Holy Name Province also provided the campaign with a donation.

Father Downey said, "It's all from the people in the parish. To me, the building symbolizes the strength of our community and their willingness to invest in the future. There's a great sense of compassion and hope."

Calling the community generous and compassionate, Father Carnevale, who came to St. Mary's in 1973, said, "I describe them as an all inclusive community who has always had the doors open to anyone looking and searching for the Lord."

 The three-story building has a warm ambience according to Father Carnevale. He is especially happy the center will hold a Mass for people with special needs on Sundays. The special needs group was a group he helped create during his service at the parish.

"The center is just something to behold. It's just a magnificent tribute to the people," said Father Carnevale.

At the dedication ceremony, four individuals were recognized for their contributions for making the dream a reality. Because of their dedication, the Holy Name Province of the Franciscan Friars has awarded them the Francis Medal, which is the highest honor the Province bestows on an individual.

The four honored were - Blake Pra Sisto, who oversaw both capital campaigns, "Legacy of Love" and "Continuing the Mission" that raised the $3.7 million; Steven Dec and Sean Flannigan who oversaw the construction of the Carnevale Center; and David Wigfield, who providing legal advice and guidance throughout the project. 

Celebrating the dream

The dedication of the Carnevale Center was the culmination of a series of weeklong celebrations in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day was celebrated on Oct. 4.

Events taking place included a blessing of the animals; a program on Green Faith, a N.J. based coalition, of religious communities dedication to preserving the earth; a healing Mass with Franciscan Father Bill Scully as the celebrant; a Transitus service, an ancient prayer service commemorating the night St. Francis died; an evening reflection by Father Anthony Ciorra of Fordham University who spoke on St. Francis and creation; a concert by St. Mary's music ministry; and a day-long retreat on St. Francis of Assisi.

About the dedication, Father Downey said, "It was just a great day with a lot of happy faces especially when you see the people who have been a part of the parish for a long time. For the older parishioners, they have a sense of hope that the community will continue. They see the new building as a continuing."

Said Father Carnevale, "I'm very grateful to the people, the staff and Father Kevin for all they did. This is a great tribute to the people of St. Mary's."