Blessed Sacrament relocating to 20-acre property

Pastor says the goal is to be moved to the new location by spring 2017

Published: November 20, 2015

By Aprille Hanson
Associate Editor

John Griffin

The current building for Blessed Sacrament Church on South Church Street in Jonesboro has been sold, along with other structures on the two-and-a-half-acre property, to St. Bernards Healthcare.

John Griffin

The current building for Blessed Sacrament Church on South Church Street in Jonesboro has been sold, along with other structures on the two-and-a-half-acre property, to St. Bernards Healthcare.

Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro received approval from the Vatican to sell its two-and-a-half-acre property and move to its new location, a plan that has been in the works for 15 years.

According to a Nov. 12 letter from Bishop Anthony B. Taylor, the sale proposal for $3.5 million to St. Bernards Healthcare was sent to the Vatican and was approved the first week in November. For the Diocese of Little Rock, Vatican approval is required for all transactions of $3.5 million or more.

As a result of the sale, the church, former school, now called the Ministry Building, church offices and parish hall at South Church Street will be torn down and a new church will be built on 20 acres owned by the parish on East Highland Drive.

“Now everyone has a transformation in their hearts and minds,” said pastor Father Alphonse Gollapalli. “It’s difficult for them to understand the fact this church building will not be there anymore, but they also understand the logistics of maintaining it and the limitations of the place itself; our parish is growing tremendously … There were only a handful of people who were resisting the idea itself, but they also have come back into the fold. I think I have now 100-percent support of the people.”

The property will be sold in two stages, allowing parishioners to stay in the current 360-seat church building until December 2017. However, Father Gollapalli said because some furnishings and architecture from the building are going to hopefully be taken to the new church, including stained-glass windows and the stations of the cross, staying there until that date would be a challenge, saying instead the goal is to be moved by spring 2017.

“I’m trying to plan on how to hold Mass and manage Masses during this time of transition,” which for now includes using the Knights of Columbus hall and school, which are already located at the new location.

The bishop explained this two-year move will allow for construction to be completed at the new property as well as a capital campaign to raise funds for the new church. Father Gollapalli said the capital campaign will begin in February.

Franck & Lohsen Architects, based in Washington, D.C., was chosen out of four presentations to prepare a master plan that will determine the location and floor plan for the new church on the East Highland Drive property, which Father Gollapalli expects to hold about 800 people. An estimated 2,000 families are registered at the church.

“Because they are Catholics and have built a number of churches … and also they have their sister company here in Memphis, they can give us better services,” he said.

Over a two-year span starting in 2000, Blessed Sacrament bought 20 acres on East Highland Drive to allow for expansion that was not possible on South Church Street. In 2003, the Knights of Columbus built a hall on the East Highland property and the elementary school relocated there in 2011.

In 2014, then pastor Father Jack Vu and the Blessed Sacrament Parish Council told the bishop about the interest St. Bernard had in the property.

“Knowing that a move to the Highland Drive location had long been planned and knowing that St. Bernard Hospital was by far our best prospect for a buyer, we entered into negotiations with St. Bernard’s for the sale of the property,” Bishop Taylor wrote.

The diocese announced June 1 it had signed a non-binding letter of intent May 21 to sell the property. A St. Bernards spokeswoman said the hospital has not made an official announcement on what it plans to do with the Blessed Sacrament property.

Though parishioners have known for years that a move would eventually happen, Bishop Taylor said he understands the attachment that comes with a parish building.

“We understandably develop strong attachments to church buildings in which we worship week after week and year after year. We have memories of baptisms, first holy Communions, weddings and funerals of loved ones,” Bishop Taylor wrote. “However, I think we all understand that the Church is really the people, not the buildings, and that communities grow and sometimes move into new facilities. I want to commend your parish for the growth and faith which I see among you, and I will journey with you in this crucial time of transition for your parish.”

In order to make the move a positive experience, Father Gollapalli said he will also hold a healing Mass for the parish closer to the time to switch buildings.

“We’re all excited, and it’s not time to think about mourning,” Father Gollapalli said. “We are going to bring the Blessed Sacrament with us. We’re only going to lose some bricks and mortar by taking this church down.”