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St. Anne Sanctuary To Be Dedicated

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

yhammett@tampatrib.com

Published: February 11, 2009

RUSKIN - The congregants at St. Anne Catholic Church, "the living stones" of the church, will receive the first blessing Sunday when their new sanctuary is dedicated.

After seven years of planning and construction, the new 1,375-seat sanctuary, which replaces the existing 440-seat sanctuary, is ready for worship services.

The dedication ceremony begins at 4:30 p.m. The Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch, bishop for the Diocese of St. Petersburg, will officiate.

"It's the same as the grand opening of a new building" but with much more pomp and circumstance, said the Rev. John McEvoy, who has been pastor of the church since 2003.

Since his arrival, the congregation has grown from 650 families to 1,500. He expects more people to join once the new sanctuary opens and the community continues to expand. By 2025, the population of South Shore is predicted to be as much as 250,000 - up from about 100,000 today.

Three years ago, parishioner Henry Jude spearheaded a pledge drive to raise half of the nearly $7 million needed to construct the sanctuary on the site of the original church, built in 1956.

"Each parishioner was contacted and asked to make either a one-time pledge or a five-year pledge," Jude said. "It was strictly up to each individual or family.

"We exceeded our goal," Jude said.

The remainder of the money came from the diocese in the form of a loan, McEvoy said.

The dedication is expected to last until 7 or 7:30 p.m. A dessert reception will follow. The church is at 106 11th Ave. N.E., off U.S. 41.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 865-1566.

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