A major step in Grenada's post-hurricane recovery was realized on October 15 when Bishop Vincent Darius OP blessed a memorial plaque in the new Catholic church walls rising at Beaulieu.
The original Our Lady Help of Christians church was completed in 1953 when the parish priest was Fr. Justin Field OP, who later was Grenada's first Catholic bishop.
The new plaque is above the cornerstone for the first church, blessed on September 20, 1953 by Archbishop Finbar Ryan of Trinidad.
That church was so damaged by Hurricane Ivan on September 7, 2004 that it had to be completely demolished.
Steel for new walls and roof went up in 2005. It is the first of the churches damaged by Ivan being rebuilt from the ground up.
"I know funds are hard to come by",Bishop Darius said, indicating the unfinished walls under a new roof, "but it is harder to rebuild ourselves, to adjust the attitudes that keep us from being more loving".
"We are called to help build God's kingdom here on earth. We need to build ourselves into a beautiful people, not just raise up new church walls", he added.
Fr. Sean Doggett, Beaulieu parish priest, explained the new layout of the unfinished church.
The construction site was cleaned up for the October 15 blessing but the building will not be used again while work continues.
It is hoped the church might be used again for Christmas, with full completion foreseen for early next year.
Also present were two former Beaulieu pastors, Frs. Jimmy McDonnell and Jim Regan, and representatives of A’M Track Construction Ltd, the company rebuilding the church.
Chris Ann Charles was asked to unveil the new plaque before Bishop Darius blessed it.
Glen Phillip, chair of the parish pastoral council, opened and closed the official proceedings.
