For more than a century, St. Patrick Catholic Church has been a beacon of hope in downtown Memphis.
Sunday morning, its light just got a whole lot brighter as church leaders blessed the newly restored tower and cross at the church near the FedExForum.
Father Robert Szczechura says the restoration was a part of a $60,000 parish project that started last November. The goal was to replace the building’s roof and the massive cross on top.
While they’ve been a parish for 160 years, the building itself has been here for 120 years, which means it also has needs.
Fr. Szczechura says saving the tower on the building was a necessity.
“We hope this cross will truly be a witness to our faith, that everybody who comes to downtown, who looks at the Memphis skyline, will see the cross and will be reminded about the God’s presence in our life,” he said.
He says they still have a few more projects to complete, but the work to serve others is far from over.
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church ministered to people during yellow fever and during Civil Rights disturbances, and they are still here with people during time of need, he said.
“This cross is a reminder to us of our past. But we also hope for another 160 years to come that it will be a beacon of hope for people of Memphis,” Fr. Szczechura said.
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