THE OLD CHURCH; 1974-1992
THE 1974 CHURCH: The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph sold the 13.93 acres it owned in Lacy Estates to the Maier Development Company, then purchased 5 acres from Roger Maier for $12,500 to build a new church. The campus at 700 Trevis Avenue was dedicated on May 12, 1974 by Bishop Charles H. Helmsing and the pastor, Fr. Roger Miller. The new facilities included a two story brick church with a nave and vestibule above 5 classrooms and a parish hall. Religious education classes were moved there upon completion. A rectory was built across from the church at the same time, with similar construction. The rectory was built on land that was originally a lake with the dam being alongside the current Hwy 58; parts of the dam can still be seen. The cost analysis of new church which seated 500 was $314,233, not including furnishings, carpet, sound, landscaping, and paving. It was designed by Julian Ominski of Duncan architects.
In 1984 in the Annual Report for Religion Programs, our Religious Education teachers were Jenny Leslie, John Ryan, Jane Meissen, Margaret Raysick, Cathy Davis, Karen Connaughton, Terry Jewell, Dick Armstrong, Gene McEwen, Bob Kottenbrock, Msgr. Crowell, and Dick Bell.
In 1987 an Altar Society was renewed, with Veronica Cisetti serving as the first president and Margaret St. Louis was the second President. The Altar Society organized the St. Joseph’s Table, receptions for new parishioners, parish picnics, and took care of the sanctuary.
A newsletter from August, 1987, Vol 1 #4, written by Charles Cummings, welcomed new parishioners and the newly baptized. There was news of the bowling league at Royal Lanes with Dick Bell as the contact. Featured pictures show Bernard and Frena Schmedding, original parish members and Pat and Lois Simpson, who joined in May of 1953. Pat was the chairman of the Maintenance Committee. Tom Iseman was Liturgy Chairman. The Altar Society requested recipes for a church cookbook. The Parish Council met with architects, who presented the initial drawings for an education and recreation building with a basketball court on one floor, and classrooms on the lower floor. Elmer Larkey was the contact for the Pre-Marriage program. The Knights of Columbus had a Father and Son Breakfast at Richards-Gebaur Commissary Club. Mary Pat Biondo was the contact for the St. Joseph Table.
NEW GYM AND EDUCATION WING 1989:
Bishop John J. Sullivan dedicated two new buildings at St. Sabina on Sunday, April 16, 1989. Monsignor John F. Huhmann, pastor, welcomed a number of other special guests at the ceremony, including State Representative, Jan Martinette, Belton Mayor Gary Mallory and former pastor, Father Roger Miller. At the dedication of the gym and education wing, Msgr. John Huhmann said that discussions concerning the need for additional facilities began the year before. He added, “Little did we think at the time we would be courageous enough to build what we did.” The record of generosity of the parishioners determined the idea was feasible. They started with $410,000 in the bank and finished with a debt of less than $300,000. A modest new cross was added to the church building as part of the improvements. In 2007, that cross was placed on top of the newly built Cross Tower at the suggestion of Fr. Chuck Tobin, pastor.
Education Wing: Added to the church campus was an eight-classroom educational wing. The 6,000 square foot classroom addition to the main church building is of poured concrete, block and brick. It also includes two offices, restrooms, a storage area, mechanical room and foyer. A storage room on the west side was designed as a future stairwell to a second story. The education wing was designed to add a 2nd story in the future by lifting off the rubber and gravel roof. Msgr. Huhmann planned to build a gym on the 2nd floor, but the diocese wouldn’t allow it, and thus a separate building was built for the gym. The education wing is carpeted, and has 500 square feet in each class room. Three furnaces and three compressors heat and cool the addition. The Architects were James E. Taylor and Ed Gilmore of James E. Taylor Design Group, and the General Contractor was A.L. Huber and Sons Construction Company and the cost was $780,000.
The gym is a separate 9,000 square foot recreational building, a pre-fabricated metal recreational building that has a decorative brick veneer to conform to the rest of the St. Sabina complex. It features a junior high basketball court, foyer, office, conference room, storage areas and a large kitchen. In 2008, the Knights of Columbus continue to use the large back room as their meeting room. The gym can accommodate a variety of sports activities and provides space for meetings, receptions and parties. It is heated by 3 furnaces, and an oversized exhaust fan cooled and ventilated it in warm weather. The gym was later air conditioned in the spring of 2003 for about $24,000 when Fr. Matt was pastor.
At the time of the dedication of the Education Wing and the Gym, Gene McEwen was the president of the Parish Council and 5 members of our original parish were still living. They included Bernard and Frena Schmedding, Lena Catron, Leona Mucke, and Loretta Gray.
SR. LUCILLE: Msgr. Huhmann hired Sr. Lucille Buhl on July 1, 1987, from St. Stephen’s School, where she served as principal. She was a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Manitowoc, WI and later in 1980 joined the Sisters for Christian Community. She came to Kansas City in 1979 and taught at St. Patrick’s. The St. Sabina School of Religion celebrated its 30th anniversary in 1989 and at this time Sister Lucille Buhl was the religious education coordinator. She also served as the pastoral assistant for 8 years until she retired on June 1, 1995. At an open house held in her honor on June 9, 1995, Sister Lucille was celebrated by members of the parish and community, plus four sisters and a brother along with other family members from Wisconsin and New Hampshire. In all, she spent nearly 40 years as an educator in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Missouri. Sister’s smiling face and comforting hands were welcomed at hospitals and nursing homes, as she tended to the sick, elderly, and sorrowful. She volunteered with the battered women’s shelter, Hope Haven, in Harrisonville, selling a record number of their cookbooks to raise money for women and children. She helped form the senior citizens group at St. Sabina and worked with the Bel-Ray Opportunity Center. She lived in a rented house on 4th street for 8 years. She worked 2 years with Msgr. Huhmann and 6 years with Fr. Matt. In 2007 she has been in the parish for 20 years. After retiring in June of 1995, Sr. Lucille moved into the guest house on Oct. 1, 1995, that the parish had bought from Lee and Gertrude Willimetz. She began helping Greg Cullen at the Cullen Funeral Home where she is currently working.