By Brandon Fey
St. Christopher Roman Catholic Church, 13301 Proctor Road in Somerton, recently completed renovations and refurnishing to its church building. This initiative is part of a larger building project that includes the construction of a new community center and gymnasium for the parish school. This process began with a groundbreaking ceremony in February 2023, during which the ground in front of the church was blessed by now-retired Bishop Michael Fitzgerald.
Since then, the church has installed new permanent tile flooring and has replaced the carpeting of the sanctuary. It has also added cushions for its newly varnished pews, in hopes of making them more comfortable for parishioners. Additional furnishings include a new section of chairs with attached kneelers beside the organ, which are capable of being arranged for use by the parish choir.
St. Christopher Pastor Monsignor Joseph P. Garvin is pleased to provide these upgrades for his congregation.
“St. Christopher Church was built in 1978,” he said. “The church has never had a real makeover in that time. I wanted to do something for our loyal folks who come to church on a regular basis. The padded seating in our refurbished pews is arguably the most appreciated change for our senior members; many had been bringing their own cushions for the hard surfaces on the pews. They no longer need to do that.”
The project also involved the construction of new restrooms by the main entrance of the church. On the other side of the vestibule, the church has added a narthex as well. Garvin intends for this room to be a gathering space, where refreshments can be served occasionally following Mass.
He hopes to decorate this space with a statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a contemporary church figure from Milan, who was particularly dedicated to the Eucharist. With assistance from a parishioner, Garvin has already acquired a relic of Blessed Acutis, who will eventually be sanctified by the Catholic Church.
The eagerly anticipated updates have been immensely popular with the congregation.
“I have gotten favorable reviews not only from our senior members but also from the others who come to church every week,” Garvin said. “Our people have always been proud of our church. Now they are even happier with the changes.” ••
