Father William DeSalvo, second from right, discusses future plans for the church's building with Associate Bishop Roger Kaffer while parishoners check out the construction site, right, after the ceremony that blessed the bells that were put into the building.
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Ken Karrels and his wife, Audrey, cart a new fiberglass statue of Mary and Jesus to the rear of the church. Ken, a church member, poured the concrete for the statue's base and mounted the statue on it.
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The Most Reverend Joseph L. Imesch, D.D Bishop of Joliet blesses the walls and parishoners as the first ritual in the new Our Lady of Mercy church building during the consecration service.
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Nancy Luna sheds tears of joy during the consecration ceremony before parishoners entered the church. Luna has been an active member of the church during its almost decade of temporary living.
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Our Lady of Mercy Church parishoners celebrate their first mass in their new building. The church's 3,000 parishioners spent nine years without a building, worshipping at Waubonsie Valley High School and a stark office space in a neighborhood strip mall.
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