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Archives Celebration continues after Mass in newly renovated church hall
CDA Court marks 95th anniversary

Nov. 18, 2015

By Shawn Ryan
Staff writer

Dannemora - Court Mother Admirable #592 of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas celebrated its 95th anniversary Oct. 18, with a Mass and gathering at St. Joseph’s Church.CDA

Father John M. Demo, presided at the Mass with assistance from Fathers Francis Flynn and Scott Seymour, and Deacon Edward Mazuchowski.

The liturgy featured a Lighting of the Candles ceremony, with candles representing the past, present and future of Court Mother Admirable. They were lit by Bertha (Bert) Pombrio, the longest active member, Regent Nancy Clancy, and Shirley Bruce, the newest active Court member, respectively.

“You will find all of the Lord’s goodness manifested in all of the daughters,” said Father Demo in his homily. “No one can look for a steadier source of support for the Church than the Catholic Daughters. One can look at the local and national projects the Catholic Daughters are involved with, and have to be inspired.”

Father Demo pointed as well to his 27 years’ of experience as a priest, and said that through all the parishes he has attended he has not seen another Catholic organization with better attendance at meetings, and that this support leads directly to their willingness to serve as a charitable organization.

CDAIn his remarks, Father Flynn echoed those sentiments.

“There is no Catholic organization that I have seen who does more than the Catholic Daughters does, at the local, state, national and international level,” he said.

Church renovations
After the Mass, Court Mother Admirable members and their families retired down the newly built stairway at St. Joseph’s, to the freshly renovated Church Hall under the Church.

After several years of planning and renovation, the church hall was officially opened in October with a wine tasting fund-raiser; St. Joseph’s hosted its first harvest supper just a few weeks ago.

The new facility features an opened up floor plan with unfettered access to the new serving line, a new walk-in cooler, new cooking and serving equipment, as well as access directly from the church via the new staircase, and an elevator for handicapped access.

Prior to the renovation, people had to leave the church, and walk around to an outside entrance, or tackle a precariously steep spiral staircase.

Another major part of the renovation is a new heating system, replacing a loud andCDA inefficient steam furnace.
“It’s been a long process, starting with asbestos abatement last fall, and getting all the contractors and sub-contractors together,” said Dick Lynch, head custodian and project coordinator. “But now we have an open, cleaner looking, more functional space.

According to Father Demo, he projects the heating system to be the largest positive to the renovation.

“The Church will realize the biggest gain in the new heating system. The new system is 98 percent efficient; much better than the old system,” he said.

“And the improvements in the kitchen are really phenomenal,” he said.

Together, Court Mother Admirable and St. Joseph’s Church are ready to embark on their next 95 years. 

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