St. Paul's Catholic Church breaks ground for $5.17M church

Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 10:45 am, Mon Feb 20, 2012.

NAMPA — For nearly 50 years, St. Paul’s Catholic Church has planned to build a new church on 21 acres of farmland on Roosevelt Avenue between Midland Boulevard and Canyon Street.

The wait is almost over. After 10 years of fundraising, ground was broken Sunday afternoon for a $5.17 million church.

A year from now, the parish’s 2,200 families will move into the 22,285-square-foot church. St. Paul’s current church, located at 1515 8th St. S., is 101 years old.

 “When you give to your church, you give to your community,” Mayor Tom Dale said. “There’s nothing that we can build in the city … I don’t care if it’s a road, a building or … that blesses the community more than a church.”

This ground was created to produce food and that food has fed bodies for years, Dale said. 

“It’s going to be fun to watch as the seeds of this church planted here grow into fruition, and it will feed the souls of man.”

Idaho Bishop Michael Driscoll and The Rev. Gerald Funke presided over the 30-minute English and Spanish celebration of speeches, songs and prayer. It ended with the 12-shovel ceremonial groundbreaking to symbolize the new beginning.

“This is one of Father Jerry’s (Funke) great desires to finally and ultimately build a church that you have worked so hard to have,” Driscoll said. The church will be “built on a great foundation, not only on the foundation of the land right here, but on the foundation of you people – the people who have been the heart and soul of the parish of St. Paul’s,” Driscoll said. 

Funke, who has been the pastor at for 14 years, is excited to finally reach this point.

“It’s a special challenge and a special opportunity,” Funke said. “You build for the community of today, knowing that the church will be here 100 years from now.”

Parishioner Chris Veloz and his family attended the service. 

“It means a lot to our family and to all the families of the church,” Veloz said.

“I’m happy to see it,” parishioner and steering committee member Brad Tanberg said. “You’re never sure if it’s going to come off. I’m amazed at the turnout,” he added as he gazed out on the crowd that pushed over 300 people as the temperature hovered at 39 degrees.

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St. Paul's Catholic Church breaks ground for $5.17M church