UPDATED WITH STORY: St. Stephen community celebrates fundraising success

BERWICK -- A year ago July 1, a young priest from Lafayette named Sal Istre became the pastor of St. Stephen Catholic Church on Second Street. His new church, actually 68 years old, was what the real estate agents call a "fixer-upper opportunity."

On Thursday, 13 months later, St. Stephen parishioners gathered at The Old Building to see plans for a refurbished church and celebrate their fundraising success.
In a town of about 5,000 people, and a church parish of 300-400 families, the capital campaign drive has raised $724,000 toward a $1 million goal in about five months.

Janea Giroir, who chairs the church's Capital Campaign Committee, told people who gathered Thursday about the campaign.

"The response we've gotten," Giroir said, "and what our community and our parish have pulled off is ...."

She paused, and got a prompt from Istre.

"Amazing," he said.

"Amazing," agreed Giroir.

Before the event, Istre said the church has serious termite damage and needs a new roof.

The building, dedicated in 1954, also needs an electrical upgrade and improved lighting and sound systems..

"This hadn't been addressed in 40 or 50 years," Istre said.

Giroir chaired a fundraising committee that also included Shelly Adams, Rosalind Conrad and Colleen Askew -- "just a group of ladies," Giroir said.

"Father Istre just kind of pulled us together," she said.

Plans for Phase II of the restoration list a long series of improvements, including bringing the electrical system up to code; improving the lighting and sound systems; refinishing the floor in the choir loft; refinished pews with cutouts for wheelchairs; restoration of the original terrazzo floors in the sanctuary; and a new pulpit and altar rail.

Plans by the Josh Hoffpauir architect group of Baton Rouge include a color palette for the church inspired by a fresco of St. Stephen, Christianity's first martyr, in the Nocoline Chapel in Rome.

"The decorative hand-stenciled motifs on the cieling and in the sanctuary all teach about the life of St. Stephen," according to information from the capital committee. "They include elements such as a martyr's palm, rocks to represent his martyrdom, and the Roman laurel leaf."

Istre told the gathering that "I've kind of been on the architect's case" to complete the plans in five months.

But "our architects have been invested," Istre said. "We're thankful to them."

As for those who donated, "this is sacrificial," he said. "And you sacrifice because you're in love."