Stairs project helps church take an important step in Magadan, Russia

Published: 2003-10-23

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNS) -- You've heard of spinning gold from straw. Father Michael Shields, a priest of the Anchorage Archdiocese who is serving in Magadan, Russia, recently learned that his adopted homeland has its own version of the colloquialism: Making a barrel of honey from a spoon of tar. Father Shields' lesson began with the construction of Nativity of Jesus Church, the first Catholic church in the eastern coastal city of Magadan. After months of negotiating, the city allowed the parish to erect the church on a small plot of city land. When the project was nearly complete, Magadan officials sent word that the parish should also put in a set of stairs up the steep hill next to the church. Father Shields said he didn't relish the idea of adding another $5,000 to $6,000 to the cost of the church construction project. But since the hill could be difficult to navigate, the parish decided to turn the stairs into an occasion to celebrate and evangelize. On Oct. 12 Nativity of Jesus had a blessing ceremony for what parishioners have dubbed the "friendship stairs." About 130 people gathered for the ceremony, which concluded with a procession into the church for refreshments and a tour of the new building.

Copyright (c) 2003 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .