by Marc and Julie Anderson
mjanderson@theleaven.org
TOPEKA — Do something beautiful for God.
It’s more than part of a famous quote from St. Teresa of Kolkata; it’s why she continues to inspire.
During her lifetime, the woman known worldwide simply as Mother Teresa, encouraged people by saying, “What you are doing, I cannot do; what I’m doing, you cannot do; but together, we are doing something beautiful for God.”
That “something beautiful” for the parishioners of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Topeka, that serves some 700 Catholic families living north of the Kansas River, is the building of a church.
On Aug. 2, a 4 p.m. Mass celebrated by Archbishop Shawn McKnight and concelebrated by pastor Father Tom Aduri marked the auspicious occasion. Then the archbishop and pastor joined a host of parishioners who made the project possible as they turned the first ceremonial shovels full of dirt on the construction project.
In his homily, the archbishop talked about the importance of Catholic churches reflecting the heavenly mysteries of the faith.
“Whenever we enter the domain of the Eucharist, whenever we enter a Catholic Church,” he explained, “we leave the world behind and cross over into the new heavenly reality. This is why it is important that our church architecture, sacred art — all the bells and smells of our Catholic religion — speak to us of the heavenly reality that is behind it all.”
“Although the people are the true Church of God,” he added, “your new physical structure will be a necessary means of evangelization. In a very real sense, your new church building should speak loudly of our Catholic faith, especially its beauty and as a place of quiet prayer and devotion.
“May your parish become a true center of Christ’s charity and a sanctuary of his mercy for all who gather in this sacred place.”
The actual groundbreaking was a moment that parishioners had dreamed of for years.
In the cover letter for the campaign brochure, Father Aduri, pastor since 2012, wrote: “Today marks a pivotal moment in our parish’s history. We stand at the threshold of realizing our long-cherished dream: the construction of a permanent church. This endeavor is not merely about bricks and mortar; it is about manifesting our faith in a tangible form that will endure for generations, drawing countless souls closer to the love of Jesus Christ.”
When completed, the 14,000 square-foot church will feature seating for 500, a eucharistic adoration chapel, choir loft, cry room, bride’s room, an ushers’ room, sacristy and a narthex. Future plans include stained-glass windows, an enclosed building connection and additional paved parking. Designed by the Schwerdt Design Group, the new church will be built by KBS Constructors. It’s expected to take around 18 months.
The church’s design recalls the life of the parish’s patroness.
“We basically wanted to appeal to the simplicity of Mother Teresa,” said Tom Konrade, building committee chairman. He has been a member of the parish since its inception.
Konrade noted while the parishioners wanted to recall the saint’s simplicity, Father Aduri also wanted to “build something beautiful for God.”
“There’s certainly a balance there,” Konrade said. “But that’s what we’re trying to achieve.”
Konrade couldn’t be happier with the team he had to work with.
“We have such a great team, starting with Father Tom. His leadership has been awesome,” he said. The two permanent deacons, the church staff, the parish council and the finance council, he continued, have been amazing to work with as well.
“To me, the most rewarding thing is to see so many people work so hard and be so dedicated to building a church,” said Konrade. “It’s time, and a lot of people are behind it.”
Francine Martin, chair of the parish’s finance council, agreed.
“When the parish was established, the goal was to build a church. To see that come to fruition and know that some of the founding members didn’t live to see that happen and for us to be able to see this happen, that is very rewarding,” she said.
“The building committee has done a tremendous job listening to the input of many different people with many different values of what is the most important and coming up with something that will reflect the mission of our parish which is Mother Teresa’s mission,” Martin added.
Konrade later added that every meeting about the project starts with prayer, specifically asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom.
“That’s so critical to what we’re trying to do,” he said. “Everybody is continuing to work so hard and to pray. We know we’ll get our church built. It’s been challenging, but I keep telling everyone, ‘The Holy Spirit is undefeated. It’s just a matter of time.’”
The church is just the latest phase of development for the parish.
Phase 1 was dedicated in December 2007 and included the temporary worship space, church offices and a multipurpose hall for religious education classes and meetings. The building was designed as a parish hall, one that could double as a gym and cafeteria. At the time, the facility was the only public one in Topeka developed with a geothermal system to heat and cool the building.
The second phase of development, known as the Mother Teresa Family Faith Formation Center, was dedicated in April 2015 and added classrooms, a hospitality room, storage space, relocation of the church offices and a full remodel of the kitchen. It was built to accommodate a third floor, if needed, for a future grade school.
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