Church to celebrate feast in new hall

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NAUGATUCK — St. Francis of Assisi Church will welcome the community to its new parish hall with a celebration.

The church is hosting a two-day celebration of the Feast of St. Francis Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 in the parish hall, 318 Church St.

The celebration starts Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation on “The Value of Belonging to a Faith Community” by Tracey O’Shaughnessy, the associate features editor of the Waterbury Republican American. A free-will offering will be accepted at the presentation.

The church will hold its first Oktoberfest the following night from 5:30 to 10 p.m.

“We wanted to bring the community together and have an event that honors our patron saint,” Anne Burgess, parishioner and Oktoberfest committee member, said.

Burgess said the church wanted to tie the event in to the Feast of St. Francis, which takes place on Oct. 4 each year.

The event will feature traditional Oktoberfest food, such as bratwurst, kielbasa, apple strudel, and pretzels and a live band, Burgess said.

“We thought this would be a nice event to try. Now that we have a beautiful hall we have a perfect place to hold it,” Burgess said.

This is the first event the church itself is hosting in its newly renovated parish hall.

The hall was severely damaged during a heavy rain storm in August 2012 when the drains backed up and water flooded the hall.

The hall reopened in October 2013 following a rededication ceremony performed by Archbishop Henry Mansell of Hartford.

Burgess said the hall is brighter than before and is able to accommodate more people. She said the Oktoberfest, in addition to raising funds for the church, will also be a chance for people to see the changes made to the hall.

“We want to bring the parishioners here. It’s a place where people feel comfortable,” Burgess said.

Tickets for the Oktoberfest are $10 and are available through St. Francis Church by calling (203) 729-4543.