St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church breaks ground

(West Jordan Journal) Members of the St. Joseph the Worker parish gathered on Jan. 24 to celebrate the groundbreaking of their new church building, which has been planned for since 2006.

"Our new building is a wonderful thing and we have long anticipated it and it's coming rapidly down the way," Reverend Patrick Carley said. "How quickly the few years have passed since we began this. Before we know it, we'll have our new church here. But a building is a building and only a building without the people. It's first and foremost always about the community, about us, about our lives, about our relationship with God."

The new church has been a community effort. Committees spent hours developing the plan for the church and Father Carley held classes, conducted open houses and visits to other parishes to understand the facets of building a new church and to allow members to participate in the process.

Over 600 individuals and businesses donated $2.9 million to the project. Many were not parish members, including one individual who donated $1.1 million.

"As outstanding as that may be, and it truly is, each donor in and of themselves is just as important, whether it be a dollar or whether it be a million dollars. We feel equally blessed to have your participation," said Ronald White, New Church Steering Committee chair.

Children were invited to decorate a stone with their name, a saying or decorations and were invited to put the stones in the first yards of concrete being poured.

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