The modest Most Holy Name of Jesus church in Morrisville has been serving its parishioners since 1913, likely built by the parishioners themselves. The church building is not without its charm, but also not without its frustrations. There are many issues, but three stand out. First, it has no accessible bathrooms. Second, none of the three entrances are ADA complaint. Third, it does not have side aisles — a major safety issue as well as a liturgical limitation, such as for holy communion at Mass, processions, and Stations of the Cross. In addition to these three architectural issues, the aging building is expensive to heat and maintain.

In 2019, when Father Jon Schnobrich was first assigned to the parishes of Blessed Sacrament in Stowe and Most Holy Name of Jesus in Morrisville, his letter of appointment from Bishop Coyne tasked him with the mission of building a new church in Morrisville. Though he began working on the new church project right away, progress was delayed by the pandemic. But now, after several years of careful study and planning, Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish is embarking on a capital campaign to raise the $3.7 to $4 million required to build a new church. The date to begin construction is contingent upon the money being raised. It is diocesan policy to require that parishes have 100% of the money pledged and 50% of the money in-hand in order to begin construction.

In 2024, Father Schnobrich commissioned a feasibility study that looked at a campus-wide plan of building or renovating not only the church, but also the parish hall and rectory. In the end, the cost for a campus-wide plan was too high, and with input from parishioners the focus moved exclusively to the greatest need: the church building. Considering renovation versus new construction, the architect, Lyn Wood of Scott & Partners Architects in Essex, advised that a renovation would cost only slightly less than new construction, and that the lifespan of the renovated church would not be as long as that of a newly constructed church.

With the final plan to build an entirely new church, Father Schnobrich gave the architect a directive to focus on three things: simplicity, function, and beauty. Now, with architectural plans and renderings in hand, he feels that she has delivered on all three counts. “Based on Psalm 29,” Schnobrich said, “I chose Building Something Beautiful for God and His People as our campaign theme. I see beauty as an essential aspect of worship, as it makes visible something of the transcendental beauty of God … and I believe that is so important for people to encounter.”

The new design calls for the church to be built on the same spot as the present church but rotated 180 degrees so the main entrance to the church faces the parish center rather than the road. This will give parishioners easier access from the parking lot to the entrances of the church, parish hall, and rectory. Instead of the entrance facing the road, the church’s handsome new apse will face the road, gracing the community with several of the 14 stained-glass windows.

The capacity of the current church is 175 people, which Father Schnobrich says is “uncomfortably full.” The new church will comfortably seat 225 people, and this additional room is needed. For several years now, the attendance at Most Holy Name of Jesus has been steadily increasing. This year Father Schnobrich has 11 participants in the OCIA program, and has even added a second class that began in January with 10 more participants. The parish is located in Lamoille County, one of the three counties in Vermont currently experiencing population growth (Chittenden and Franklin being the other two).

In 2023, Father Schnobrich was able to obtain a set of stained-glass windows from a closed church in New York. These 14 windows featuring scenes from Jesus’s life are in excellent condition, and the architect has incorporated these windows into the new design. New stained-glass windows of this caliber would have been financially out of reach for the parish.

In this same spirit of frugality, the new church design will utilize several liturgical items used for worship from the now closed Immaculate Heart of Mary church in Rutland, including the altar, ambo, pews, and Stations of the Cross. Needing some refurbishment, this will not only save the parish a great deal of money, but it also rehomes these items to a church within the diocese.

Parish administrative assistant and self-professed “numbers person” Tracey Morin is looking forward to a church building that is more efficient and less expensive to maintain. “The new church is what we need space-wise, and to serve our people better. We cannot make that happen with this building.” She went on to say that most people in the parish are supportive of the project, but that she has also seen people who were on the fence become in favor when they see the plans and learn the details.

Though the date of construction is not yet known, it is estimated to take 18 months to complete, and the parish will have no church building during that time. Several different options were considered as a location for Mass, such as using neighboring churches in Stowe or Hardwick. The decided upon plan is to use their parish hall, the Crosby Center, as a temporary chapel for the construction time. This frugal solution will also allow the parishioners to see the progress each week. Undoubtedly, this additional sacrifice will make the prize of a new church even sweeter for this dedicated parish.

Father Schnobrich said that the parish is continuing to seek support in reaching their goal or even surpassing it. “This project is so much bigger than me. It’s about our parish family. It’s about our growing community. It’s about our diocesan family. And I trust that God’s generosity and providence are at work well beyond my understanding.” If you are interested in learning more or supporting this project, please contact the Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish office to speak with Tracey Morin, Mary Elfer, or Father Schnobrich.  [802.888.3318 / [email protected]]