Sunday Mass in IHM Church is a 'Maybe'

As Father Stephen Howell prepared for 5:00 p.m. Mass Saturday in the at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish hall, construction workers were busy removing sections of the compromised bell tower that fronts the church's main building.

Howell, the parish pastor, says he won't know until later on Saturday whether Sunday Masses will be  held in the main church or in the parish hall.  The decision, he says, depends on how much progress the construction workers make on removing the 65-feet tower. As of about 4:00 p.m., the structure was about 50 percent demolished.

City of Belmont chief building official Mark Nolfi is optimistic that the construction crews will finish up by Saturday evening and Mass will be able to take place in the main church sanctuary on Sunday. Nolfi said the project is moving along on schedule and he expects crews will have the entire tower down in time for Sunday services. 

During a building inspection Thursday, structural engineers discovered dry rot and termite damage in the church's bell tower and the City of Belmont building inspectors deemed the building unsafe. Crews were called out on Friday morning to start preparing the tower for demolition.

Meanwhile, Howell praised the IHM eighth grade class who had to adjust their graduation ceremony on Friday.

"We learned about the problem at about 10:15 on Friday morning. It couldn't have happened at a worse time," said Howell.

But he said the students rallied and shifted their graduation ceremony from the church to the parish hall.

"They were wonderful," Howell said. 

Howell said that if Sunday services are not able to be held in the main church sanctuary, a sign will be posted out front directing parishioners to the parish hall.