Something Old, Something New
Trust the goodness of creation;
Trust the Spirit strong within.
Dare to dream the vision promised
Sprung from seed of what has been.
Verse from "Sing A New Church"
Text: Delores Dufner @1991 Srs. of St. Benedict Music: from J. Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music
We begin our journey many years ago. When St. Kilian was inaugurated as a new mission parish Farmingdale was a rural farm community of 1,000. In 1896 parishioners belonged to the parish in the woods under the guidance of our first pastor, Rev. Father Gerard Spielmann, OSB, from the Order of St. Benedict in Collegeville, Minnesota. At the time only 50 Catholic families lived in Farmingdale, though the parish extended geographically to include Deer Park, Half Hollow, Melville, Bethpage, Plainedge, and North Massapequa. Yet, for the first two years Mass was celebrated in a little Lutheran church on Washington Street between Conklin and Front streets. Prior to the Benedictines' arrival these families had traveled over rutty roads to the Queen of the Holy Rosary Convent in North Amityville or all the way to Hicksville or Lindenhurst for Mass. Imagine their excitement when the new church opened on July 4, 1898.
Fr. Gerard served the parish long and well. Not only did he build our historic church, but in 1900 assisted the Dominican Sisters in opening the Nazareth Trade School for orphaned boys and in 1906 the St. Rose Industrial School in Melville for orphaned girls. Both served the area until 1942.
In 1909 the Benedictines of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville ceased work on Long Island, and the Benedictines from St. Leo's in Florida took over the direction of St. Kilian. Rev. Father Michael Michel, OSB, served as second pastor, and several years later Rev. Father Roman Kirschner was named its third. Then in 1921 Rev. Father Joseph Haldmaier, OSB, who had been assistant pastor since 1915, was appointed pastor and served in that capacity for the longest duration of any pastor during our 100 years-from 1921 to 1955.
But things change, and after WWII, as happened across Long Island, Farmingdale became home to many veterans who had been given G.I. loans. Houses sprang up everywhere, and soon the Baby Boom was under way. The parish had about 2,500 to 3,000 families which was average size at the time. In 1955, Rev. Father Raphael Schoof, OSB, became our fifth pastor and served here for 19 years. During his tenure we experienced a tremendous population explosion, growing as a parish to about 4,000 families. Along with it came schools, including St. Kilian's 50 Cherry Street School, which opened its doors in 1963 (mortgage free, incidentally), and the convent for the Sisters who taught in the school that opened in 1968 (the current rectory).
A natural progression of the Benedictine commitment to Sacred Liturgical music led to an extraordinary parish music program including that of the Men's and Ladies' Chorales and St. Kilian Boychoir. The St. Kilian Boychoir performed at Lincoln Center, made several recordings, and became known worldwide.
The Mother's Club, which had been founded in 1942 with the help of Sr. Jeanne Monica Mayer, OP, was very active with the boom in students in the school, which now had a waiting list for enrollment. The Holy Name Society, which was inaugurated in 1909, was also busy running social events, raising money for charities, and helping with any type of service the pastor called on it to do. It was also during this period that bingo was established, just one of the many inspirations of Father Raphael to bring a source of revenue to our parish. Sadly, when Father Raphael retired in 1974 after a productive pastorship, it remained his unfulfilled dream to have built a new church.
In 1974, after nearly 80 years of service, the priests of the Order of St. Benedict left St. Kilian, and responsibility for the parish was assumed by the diocese. Rev. Father Donald Shane was appointed sixth pastor at a time when the results of the Second Vatican Council set in motion forces that permanently changed the relationship between the church and her people. New ministries were opened to men and women of the parish. A Parish Council and an elected School Board began assisting the parish in setting priorities and goals. Lay people began serving as lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, and cantors. The role of the permanent diaconate was reinstituted in the diocese. Right-to-Life groups, prayer groups, the folk group and SKY, (St. Kilian Youth group), were firmly planted in the fertile soil of parish life.
In 1985 Rev. Monsignor Charles W. Swiger was appointed pastor of St. Kilian. He brought with him a rich, diverse background to begin his new ministry. He called upon his background, training and his gift of listening to learn the talents of parish members and staff to inspire them to use their own gifts for the community as a whole.
Parish life began to flourish under his leadership. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a process of catechism and preparation for the reception of sacraments for new members of our church, brought abundant blessings on our parish. The Renew program involved hundreds of parishioners in large and small faith group sharing. The bereavement program for those who lost loved ones was enriched and enhanced during the past few years, as was the baptismal program for new parents. Rev. Father Chuck Romano founded and directed the St. Kilian Parish Players that involved young to old in musical and dance extravaganzas that are still a rite of summer. In collaboration with Joanne Kolasa, Rev. Father Joe DeGrocco guided our tykes and grammar school children through an active religious education department, family Masses, and vacation Bible school. Family Masses that are filled to capacity with our youngest parishioners are still being continued today. Other important ministries are the Spanish Apostolate, the 12-step programs that take place almost nightly at our parish, and the Parish Social Ministry Outreach and St. Vincent de Paul Society, which provide sustenance to those in our community who are in need.
Unfortunately, a downturn in the economy in the early '90s and a lack of funds sent some of our buildings into disrepair. The church, which was now 100 years old, needed extensive work. The "old" school, long closed for regular classes, was deemed unsound and needed expensive repairs and asbestos removal in order to be restored. So, when an offer came to remove the entire decrepit building at no cost (a gift of approximately $600,000), it was an offer the parish couldn't refuse.
Meanwhile, dwindling enrollment at Catholic elementary schools on Long Island precipitated the Diocese of Rockville Centre's decision to regionalize schools. St. Kilian School became the St. John Baptist de la Salle Regional School, incorporating students from neighboring towns. At the same time, the number of priests and ordinations in this diocese and throughout the U.S. was declining and the prospect of one worship space that could accommodate the entire congregation was deemed a better allocation of resources. If the auditorium was to remain a worship space, students would need a separate place for a gym.
Then in the mid-'90s the economy revived, and Farmingdale began experiencing another quasi-boom in population. Smaller patches of vacant land were scooped up by developers and construction began popping up in places unimaginable before, including three complexes specifically designated "senior" housing. Several new subdivisions and townhouse communities also suddenly appeared. What's more, the Boomers and Boomers' children all began to have children, leading to a residual mini-boom we are experiencing today. The latest parish census tells us we stand at over 6,000 formally registered families.
It was at this time we began to explore our possibilities. . .
New Beginnings...
Draw together at one table
All the human family;
Shape a circle ever wider
And a people ever free.
Verse from "Sing A New Church"
Text: Delores Dufner @1991 Srs. of St. Benedict Music: from J. Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music
Shortly after Monsignor Swiger came to the parish, he observed that worshiping in two places seemed counterproductive to a cohesive sense of community. "The historic church was attractive, but small," and couldn't house the total congregation, he noted. "It became clear to me, that we needed one worship space." Because of the burgeoning size of the parish, he also believed that if we had a larger church where people would feel more comfortable, it would be more conducive for worship and even more people would attend.
"We began asking 'What should we do?'" he continued. "The diocese has a general policy that you must remove the old church before you can build a new one."
For eight years he discussed options with the Pastoral Staff and the Pastoral Council. In 1996, he formed a centennial committee consisting of several subcommittees. The theme of the centennial year was "A People. A Place. A Promise."
At that point, Monsignor and the Building & Grounds committee explored the possibility of making the auditorium more church-like, adding windows, statues, and the like-as well as the feasibility of taking the church down completely. However, at the prospect of razing the lOO-year-old church in which parishioners had celebrated many baptisms, confirmations, weddings, funerals, parish missions, and Sunday masses, a great ground swell of dissatisfaction came from the community.
After much thought and consultation with the Diocesan Building Commission and the Diocesan Building Office, the idea of expansion and renovation came about-albeit not without complications. The old school was removed at no cost to the parish through parishioners in the various trades; and the old rectory, which most recently housed the Sisters of St. Joseph, was demolished.
Two years of planning demanded many revisions and flexibility - from changes in the architectural plan and modifications in construction materials to the selection of artwork to be restored or replaced. What the Building & Grounds committee eventually arrived at was a dream that combined restoration and new construction - a structure that was to be a fully modern facility that retained the Old World flavor of the Romanesque style it was fashioned after.
St. Kilian’s contains numerous beloved remnants of our historic church. Whether old or new, it has become part of one church community blending together so well that, like a family with a new addition, it's hard to imagine it as it was before.
Of course the church is primarily a reminder to call us to worship. Its holy people are what count most; its layout is simply form following function.
One Spirit, One Church
We are a pilgrim people. We are the Church of God.
A fam'ly of believers, disciples of the Lord.
United in one spirit, ignited by the fire.
Still burning through the ages, still present in our lives.
Refrain from "One Spirit, One Church" Text: @1990 Ursuline Academy of Cleveland Music: @1990 Kevin Keil
In 1995, as part of the centennial celebration, a Building & Grounds committee was broadened to discuss the feasibility of a new worship space. Disparate and diametrically opposing ideas flew in from all directions: tear down the historic church - build a completely new church-accurately restore the old church to its 1898 appearance-make the auditorium more church-like-were among a slew of proposals. While all these things were considered, one resolution was at the heart of the discussion: the need for a warm, prayerful environment in which all can worship in one building at once. Our little church was about to grow to fulfill the needs of the parish, while still keeping ties with our storied past.
As you walk through the main entrance into the historic church you first step into a grand two story foyer, whose upper level once housed the pipes of the organ. The beige tin ceiling is now in view, as are double arched windows, which were once obscured by the choir loft. On either side are the vesting sacristy and a bridal room that will double as a history room, each with three windows that also had been eclipsed by the loft, which are now visible. A restored radiator will warm visitors in the vestibule.
The gathering space offers the best of the old and the new. The bricks were stripped, cleaned and repointed. Two giant murals of St. Benedict and the Sacred Heart of Jesus that were originally positioned on either side of the altar have been totally and stunningly restored by EverGreene Painting Studios, Inc. and are hung on the east and west walls of the gathering space. Some original pews have been strategically situated in the gathering space for resting or quiet meditation.
Throughout the construction, details most admired in the historic church were incorporated into and carried through the new work. The original confessionals, for instance, set the tone for the warm golden stained oak throughout the entire structure. The oak panels with glass panes (the fellowship screen) dividing the gathering space from the main church are reminiscent of the confessionals' style, while the screen's peaks are topped with a fleur de lis design that mimics the original high altar. The crest of the original confessional is replicated to crown a second reconciliation room, and is carried into wood peaks adorned with a trefoil over the south entrance and two side entrances. Another major instance of carry-over is the apse, the half-moon space behind the altar, which was duplicated and also integrated into the architectural plans at the south most addition to the church.
Details such as the set of twin windows in the steeple are mirrored throughout the church. A stained-glass transom over the original front door was replicated and added at each of the new side entrances. Two front pew screens (the wooden panels that once housed the front-row kneelers) also did not go to waste: each has been converted to a chest to hold food donated to the Outreach ministry. The original chandeliers hang from the high ceiling in the gathering space, and the original church entrance doors were restored and have now become the vesting sacristy and history / bridal room doors.
You may recognize other recycled items: pew screens have also become part of the stairway to the basement; wood from the choir loft was milled into moldings and risers for the stairway; and the handrail and knobby balusters from the choir loft staircase were reworked to become part of the interior stair leading to the lower level.
Set on a platform sanctuary, the altar is positioned so that everyone has an excellent view-no obstructed seats here! A reservation chapel behind the altar replicates the former apse. A wooden reredos, a screen to separate the reservation tabernacle from the main altar, is modeled after the former high altar with its Gothic spires. Reminiscent of the former altar, the two pillars are refinished in faux marble.
Look up and you will notice original gold floral capitals atop the brick pillars, which you may not have noticed in years. The domed ceiling above the main altar, which has changed over the years from its original dark blue night sky with stars to the light blue of late, and several other designs in between, is painted a daytime sky blue.
The new altar, crafted from three panels of marble that comprised the lower third of the former high altar, is angled so it can be seen from any position. The upper two-thirds were restored and used as the altar of repose in the chapel behind the main altar and as the base of the tabernacle. It is a great feat that, although the church now holds nearly three times the number of people (it accommodates 850 including flexible seating for the choir), no seat is any further from the altar than any seat in the historic church.
The pipe organ from the Bishop Pipe Organ Company, with a console from the Schantz Organ Company, is a work of art unto itself. Paul C. Phinney, director of music, is still stunned at its beauty. In keeping with tradition, and for several other reasons, we chose to remodel our pipe organ, rather than introduce the digital sounds prevalent in new churches today. A pipe organ is said to have a far richer sound than a digital organ. The emotion conveyed is both softer and stronger when you move air via real pipes, as noted by the music director. Our pipe organ is composed of thousands of pipes, some as large as 16-feet tall and others as small as a pencil. It retains the best of its original pipes, while also containing pipes donated from other churches combined with some new pipes. (It is rumored that sundry churches in the tri-state area may be missing a pipe or two.) The trumpets, or Cor d'Gabriel (heart of Gabriel) as Paul refers to them, are polished copper resonators that are mounted on the top wall of the fellowship screen. The front caseworks that can be seen in the arched chambers to the right and left of the altar contain new pipes. Amazingly, the longevity of a pipe organ is nearly limitless. This instrument can be expected to be playable for our bicentennial anniversary.
While the new church integrates so much of the old church's designs, it introduces its own style and the latest in convenience and modern technology. In short it has the conveniences of modern day technology with the textures of the Old World. People today prefer natural lighting, as reflected in skylights, Palladian windows and the like in our homes: the church was designed with an updated airy feeling, with soft muted natural light. Key was central air conditioning for comfortable services even on the hottest summer days; two handicap accessible entrances on the new wings and a third automatic entrance that allows independent access to handicapped visitors; and a sound system that addresses the needs of the hearing impaired. The hearing impaired can use a special wireless device, called an Assisted Listening Device, which looks like a portable radio with tiny earphones, that can tune into the amplification system, adjusting the sound to individual needs.
Inside this House of God where God's people come to celebrate God's love and Presence in our lives every day, there is so much to focus on, to connect to. We have created a dignified space to unite us as a people, and to give glory to God. In this new place not only can we experience God's Presence in the Eucharist but also God's gift in ourselves and in each and every person around us.
The entire church is a living history lesson, a perpetual partnership with the past, present and future. Not only is it a building with character, it is a people with character, a people with a history, and a legacy. The original cornerstone reads 1897; the new cornerstone 1997. We have come so far as a faithful people, our ancestors before us, our scions after us. The Catholic church, as well as our tiny part of it, is a continuum, a connection with the past, present and future. This is our gift for today, and for our posterity.
Pierre Lehmuller, Ed Thompson, Ellen Pence, Jo Colwell, Deacon Herman Rodenburg, and the entire history committee are gratefully acknowledged.