recent article in the Milwaukee Catholic Herald

Holy Family Church is 'new beginning' in Fond du Lac
Building is ‘symbol of unity’ of six merged parishes
By Amy Guckeen
Catholic Herald Staff
FOND DU LAC - They are one body, one church.
While the six parishes of Fond du Lac that became Holy Family merged in 2000, 2007 marks the year that together they built one church.

"The new church is kind of like a new beginning," said Fr. Patrick Heppe, priest team moderator, said. "We came together as a new parish. The new church seems to solidify the deal."

Holy Family, 271 Fourth Street Way, on the east side of Fond du Lac, joins the other three sites being used by the parish - Sacred Heart on the west side, St. Mary downtown, and St. Peter in the country to the east.

"It's really a rededication of a community to Church," Fr. Heppe, said. "How do you put that into words? You can't."

"It makes us feel more like one Holy Family," said Kathy Bunge, parish receptionist who helped in the planning of the new church and dedication ceremony. "We're six churches together, and this is a symbol of our unity."

The blood, sweat and tears of parish volunteers have been put into the new church, Fr. Heppe said, something that rings especially true for Paul Thelen, director of liturgy and music, who put in countless hours since he joined the concept committee in 2001-2002.

"It was incredible," Thelen said of the dedication of the new church by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan on Dec. 2. "The only thing that made me more proud or was more of a fulfilling experience was the birth of my children. Seeing it all come together was just incredible."

Volunteers helped the new church to come alive, Thelen said.

"Anything we needed done, we had lots of folks who just stepped in," Thelen said. "It really emphasizes our unity as a whole Catholic community in Fond du Lac. This new worship space belongs to everyone. It's the identity of the whole parish."

The new building includes signs and symbols from the six churches that have become Holy Family - Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, St. Mary, St. Peter, St. Patrick, and St. Louis, which was destroyed by fire in March. Accoutrements include the organ from St. Joseph, processional cross from St. Louis and tabernacle from St. Patrick.

"There are six beams that are part of Holy Family that hold up the church," Fr. Heppe said. "Each of those six beams represents the six churches that make up Holy Family parish."

Approximately 16,000+ parishioners belong to Holy Family, constituting much of the Fond du Lac community, which has a population of roughly 43,000.

- By Amy Guckeen