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St. John’s celebrates addition of elevator

WELLSBURG -- Church leaders and members were on hand on Jan. 23 to celebrate the recent addition of an elevator at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, a project that involved many people.

Bishop Mark Brennan of the Wheeling-Charleston Catholic Diocese delivered a blessing for the elevator, which offers easy transport of parishioners and guests from the church's nave upstairs to its social hall downstairs.

With the capacity to carry 70 to 80 people, the elevator also will allow smoother transfer of caskets into the church for funeral Masses, noted the Rev. Arul Anthony, the church's pastor.

The nearly $800,000 project was the result of donations by members and others through a capital improvement campaign launched in 2018, financial support from the diocese and a substantial bequest by Herbert George Underwood, a Clarksburg attorney and former member of the church.

Planning for the elevator began in 2018 and involved the Rev. Dan Pisano, the church's former pastor; Krissie Benson of the diocese's office of stewardship and development; and John Reardon, buildings and properties director for the diocese; among others.

Construction began Aug. 13, but its completion was postponed by delays in the shipment of construction materials experienced by many at this time.

Delays imposed by the pandemic also led to the project's cost running 30 percent above its estimate, and the church is accepting additional donations to repay a loan secured to complete it.