Since opening its doors in 1857, the historic St. John the Baptist Church in Folsom has served people seeking California gold followed by generations of families celebrating the sacraments of their faith or simply searching for a quiet place to pray.

The passage of time has faded its exterior white walls, caused the bell tower to slightly sag, and worn out its wooden pews and the gold leaf trim on its altar.

While the old church was replaced and has not been in full-time use since the late 1950s, Father Ignatius Haran, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, said the time had come for some renovation work to be done.

“With the church’s 150th anniversary coming up next year, parishioners wanted the church looking good,” said Father Haran about an ongoing restoration effort begun 10 years ago.

“For the native Folsom people, this church has been a major part of their lives from the beginning, a part of their Catholic faith,” he said.

The project included interior and exterior painting, window repair, replacement of pews, and the addition of an air conditioning system and ramp.

To celebrate the completion of the church renovation, a special Mass is planned at 10 a.m. on May 29, followed by a reception coordinated by the Knights of Columbus.

While only used each year for a few holiday Masses, weddings, anniversaries and funerals, for many parishioners the church remains an important touchstone of faith.

They are people such as relative “newcomer” Bob Porter, who has been a member of St. John the Baptist Parish since 1988. Porter, who put his craftsman skills to work building a new ambo for the church fashioned from a pew, frequently stops to pray there during the week.

“I close the door behind me and just sit there,” said Porter, who often finds himself thinking about others who were there before him. “A lot of men came out to California to strike it rich and didn’t. I have to think (some) sat here praying.”

Lifelong parishioner Elizabeth Moore, 92, walked to the tiny church with her family as a child to attend Mass and was chosen queen of the parish’s Portuguese festival. She was married there, watched all five of her children baptized there, and served as the church’s first organist.

Moore’s favorite memories are of people who were her neighbors for close to a century, “many of them Catholic.”

They were people who enjoyed celebrating their faith together, whether at Portuguese festivals or the feast of Pentecost, a day one parish priest hailed as “one of the greatest days in the world.”

Other parishioners with fond memories of the historic church are Fred and Pat Zanetta, who were married in the church in 1948. The Zanettas had the first four of their seven children baptized there and watched their eldest daughter be married in the church eight years ago.

Elaine Massey, who was baptized, received her first Communion and was confirmed in the old church, believes that the renovation project will now make it possible for future generations of Catholics to continue to enjoy “a beautiful historic church precious to so many.”

The renovation project, completed by both craftspeople and parish volunteers, has been a labor of love for St. John the Baptist parishioner Logan Johnston.

Johnston, who operates an antiques and restoration business, repaired the church’s floors, windows and the water damaged slats in its ceiling.

He also facilitated replacing the church’s plywood pews — used for the past 25 years — with original pews from the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, removed during its recent restoration.

“It’s a beautiful old church and it just felt empty,” said Johnston, who noticed many times when he was working on repairs, people eagerly poking their heads in to check it out. “It feels like a loved church again.”

Copyright © 2006 Diocese of Sacramento - All Rights Reserved