San Juan de la Cruz Mission dedication Bishop Erik Pohlmeier blesses the church during the dedication ceremony.

San Juan de la Cruz Mission Catholic Church celebrated a dedication Mass on Dec. 13 to mark the completion of renovations that had been years in the making.

The church has long been a cornerstone of the Catholic community in Branford. The original church was established in 1981 after Bishop John Snyder purchased and renovated a former grocery store to serve the mission community.

More than four decades later, the church reached the point where another building project was needed. The final Mass in the former church building was celebrated in April 2023 as preparations began for the renovation project.

“They’re overjoyed at having their church back finally and at the way it looks,” Father Bob Hoffman said.

According to Father Hoffman, the new church is about the same size as the previous building but appears larger because of its 17-foot vaulted ceilings.

Located in a rural part of the state, the Catholic community in Branford is unique in the way parishioners practice their faith. Many families travel considerable distances to attend Mass compared with Catholics living in more populated cities.

“They are very devout people and often have very large families,” Father Hoffman said. “They pray the rosary before every Mass and the Divine Mercy Chaplet after. They are a very tight-knit community.”

That strong sense of faith and community helped sustain parishioners during the renovation process.

There are many new and exciting developments at the church. In addition to the renovated worship space, the mission now also has a new name.

“For more than 40 years the mission had been known simply as San Juan, but no one knew which one of the San Juans it was named after,” Father Hoffman said.

Curious about the parish’s history, Father Hoffman began asking questions and researching the mission’s origins. Eventually he discovered a homily from Bishop Snyder acknowledging the church’s patron saint as St. John of the Cross, which in Spanish translates to San Juan de la Cruz.

“After discovering this, it was very fitting that the dedication fell on the feast day of St. John of the Cross,” Father Hoffman said. “It also came about a year after Bishop Erik Pohlmeier officially proclaimed the church’s new name on Oct. 22, 2024.”

During the renovation process, Sunday Masses were celebrated in the cafeteria at Branford Elementary School while construction work continued on the church.

The temporary location allowed parishioners to continue gathering for worship each week while they waited for the renovations to be completed.

“We’re expecting a considerable number of people to come back now that the church is open again,” Father Hoffman said.

Another factor that may help grow and evangelize the Catholic faith in the area is the church’s prominent location on State Road 247.

The church sits along a well-traveled roadway, making it visible to many people who pass through the area each day.

Shortly after the dedication, a Saturday vigil Mass was added to accompany the English and Spanish Masses already celebrated on Sundays, reflecting the renewed energy and enthusiasm the renovated church has already brought to the local Catholic community.

“As people drive by, they’ve seen the construction for months and have been aware of what was coming,” Father Hoffman said. “Geographically, it’s the center of many missions and churches in the northwest region of the Diocese of St. Augustine. We think this definitely opens up opportunities for spiritual growth.”

For the parishioners of San Juan de la Cruz Mission, the renovated church represents more than a construction project. It reflects the faith and perseverance of a rural Catholic community that has continued to grow and worship together for more than four decades.

Photos courtesy of San Juan de la Cruz Mission