St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church Rebuild 1955

Father Lenk instead for being discouraged immediately began sketching a new church in his mind. The adjoining rectory which had been built in 1950 remained unscathed by the fire.

Until a new church is built Catholic services will be held at the El Rancho Theatre on Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. Holy Mass will be celebrated on weekdays at the rectory on College Avenue.

Basic construction cost of a new Catholic Church in Culver has been placed at $165,000, according to previous announcement.

The ultimate cost of the proposed church and St. Thomas More off-campus club will be $250,000. The church will have a seating capacity of 310.

Within weeks the Culver parish began rebuilding. The quarter of a million dolar building included space for the St. Thomas Moore Club, an off-campus club for cadets attending Culver Military Academy.

Groundbreaking occured on 23 May 1954, for the new structure and below is the rendering of the archetict of the building

and the cornerstone for the church as we know it today was laid sometime before 1 August 1954 as related in the article below:

Culver - The cornerstone of the new St. Mary's of the Lake church, here, was laid recently. The new edifice, which will also house the St. Thomas More Off-Campus club for Culver Military Acasemy, will cost upwards of $250,000 and will have a seating capacity of 310.

The Cornerstone was laid by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Charles J. Feltes, chancellor of the Diocese of Fort Wayne. He was assisted by the Rev. Leander Troy, O. Carm., deacon and the Rev. James Cis, pastor of St. Dominic's church, Bremen, subdeacon. The Rev. Joseph A. Lenk is Pastor.

Ground breaking ceremonies were held on May 23. This followed a disastrous fire which completely destroyed the church on January 28 of this year. A. previous edifice for the St. Mary of the Lake parish had burned to the groung in 1897.

Holding the schedule for the completion of the stately new church by next January is the assignment of A. J. Glaser & Company of Munice, which has been awarded the general contract. The church was designed by Medland & Bowman of Logansport.

The new church will be a model of modern ecclesiasticl architecture. Of modified Norman diesign, with buttressed and tower, it will be finished in buff brick.

The initial cost of construction called for an outlay of $150,000. An additional estimated $100,00 will be needed for pews, altars, confessionals, sacred vessels, vestments, an organ, baptistry, ornamental windows and the furnishing of the new St. Thomas More Club. The club rooms will include a lounge, snack bar, game room, TV and phonograph room and other recreational facilities. - - 1 August 1954, Pg. 5a Our Sunday Visitor, Ft. Wayne Edition

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St. Mary's of the Lake Church dedication and formal opeing was August 28, 1955; the dedication booklet.