St. Benedict's is no more

LADD — The faithful came to St. Benedict Church in Ladd one last time Thursday.

They came to watch, bundled against the cold or huddled behind their steering wheels.

They came to take a picture, clutching their cell phones in gloved hands.

They came to bend a knee one last time, searching through the strewn rubble for a brick to carry home.

On Friday morning, all that remained of St. Benedict was the bell tower, following the demolition of the rest of the building Thursday by C and H Excavating of Earlville.

There hadn’t been a regular Mass held at the church since June 17, 2009, following a stunning letter from Bishop Daniel Jenky of his decision, which he wrote was based on the challenges of “financial deficits, decrease in regular giving, decrease in parish families and an overall demographic drift from a previous generation.” St. Benedict’s was founded in 1893. The current church building was built in 1930, and the parish served 195 families at the time of its closing.

Another letter was sent on July 11, 2010, from Monsignor Stanley Deptula, the administrator of St. Benedict, who said since the church building would require very expensive repairs, it would be deconsecrated and eventually razed.

Items in the church were sold at auction in November 2010. The stained glass windows were removed to be used at another location, and the empty shell sat for months with boarded up windows.

In December, the village sent a letter to the Diocese requesting they either demolish or repair the building within 30 days to avoid an ordinance violation.

On Thursday, Jim Lehn, who lives just outside Ladd, was picking up a number of bricks from the grass at the rear of the church as the backhoe continued pulling down the front section.

Lehn said he attended a lot of Masses there, and that he was taking several bricks to give to his cousins.

“They knew this was coming, and I know they would like to have them,” he said.

Also picking up bricks was Joe Schwab of Ladd. Schwab asked one of the workers for two small clusters of bricks. He carefully placed them in the back of his car, saying he knew a mason who would clean them up for him.

Schwab said he felt sorry for the elderly people in town because now they have to drive to go to Mass.

Schwab got in his car and started to drive off and then paused to roll down his window.

“I’d just like to know where the Diocese gets all the money to destroy a church like this,” he said, before rolling up his window and driving slowly down the street.

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