Florida Catholic | Parish Survives Hurricane Despite Destruction Of Church

Parish survives hurricane despite destruction of church

Sacred Heart Parish members embed messages of hope and prayer into the walls of their new building.

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC VENICE BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 04.18.08

Marie Geggis signs her husband’s initials on the wall on the partially constructed Sacred Heart Church. Geggis wrote a message of peace and love while honoring her children, especially her son James who died in 2004. The original church was destroyed during Hurricane Charley in 2004. The new church is expected to be ready to open by Thanksgiving.
BOB REDDY | FC

PUNTA GORDA | The floor is dirt-covered. The walls are concrete blocks. The steel roof is exposed metal.

None of that mattered to the hundreds of people who attended a special event at the incomplete building that soon will replace the Sacred Heart church building destroyed by Hurricane Charley in 2004.

Those who attended April 6 for a special wall-signing day saw the beautiful church as it will be, not as the half-complete structure it is. Some saw the new altar and others the new chapel, and envisioned a place of worship where everyone will be welcome once the long rebuilding of the parish is complete.

Ed and Becci Bartolomeo of North Fort Myers wrote, “Thank you, God, for bringing us to Sacred Heart” on the wall, to the right of the altar. Entering the half-built church and being able to sign the wall was the first chance everyone had to be inside and see it as the construction has progressed, Ed Bartomoleo said.

“Being in here and seeing it. Now you know it’s really happening,” Becci Bartolomeo said. “You know that this will be our church soon.”

Only a small portion of the building survived the hurricane and has been used by the parishioners as a reminder of what once was.

Construction of the new church is expected to be complete in November. The wall-signing was a significant point in the history of the building of the church because the “Beginning Today” capital campaign began two years earlier to the day.

Marie and Dave Geggis are looking forward to the day the building is done. They wrote on the wall in honor of their family and specifically their four children. They drew an outline of their handprints.

“This is very meaningful for us,” said Marie Geggis, a choir member at the church, of the message they left on the wall, behind and to the left of where the new altar will be. “This is a memorial to our son.”

Their youngest son, James, 26, died in 2004, not long after Hurricane Charley destroyed the original church. The Geggises’ message is for “Love, Peace and Joy!”

Father Jerry Kaywell, administrator of the parish, was unable to attend the wall-signing, but Father Jim Simko, parochial vicar, spoke on his behalf. He welcomed everyone who entered the church and prayed for reconstruction not only of the church, but also of the faith and spirit of hope of current parishioners and future generations.

The walls were quickly transformed into a colorful rainbow of messages with people wishing the best for the church and its parishioners. Others left messages in memory of their departed loved ones. The walls will be covered and the messages gone from sight, but that did not deter anyone.

Helen Kovacs wrote a message for her husband of 64 years, Gabriel, who died two years ago, saying she and her daughter will always know where her message is: “On the Wings of a Dove, Faith Brings Peace and Warms the Heart.” Not being able to be there, Father Kaywell wrote on the wall a few days earlier, “Dear Lord, Thank you, thank you, thank you!” It seemed appropriate that the planned dedication will be sometime around Thanksgiving.

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Parish survives hurricane despite destruction of church

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