Liebenthal’s Saint Joseph steeple nearing completion

The restoration on the Saint Joseph Catholic Church Steeple in Liebenthal is nearing completion.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Andy Littrel, project foreman, with one of four copper crosses that he reconstructed by hand for the Saint Joseph steeple.

LIEBENTHAL — The new copper glinted in the summer, prairie sun as four handcrafted copper crosses were placed Thursday on the base of the Saint Joseph Catholic Church steeple in Liebenthal.

The cross installation was one of the final projects on a two-month restoration by Roofmasters Roofing and Sheet Metal of the church’s steeple, which reaches 167 feet at the tip of its spire.

“They are all very excited about it and proud that we have managed to do this … to accomplish this … to take the bull by the horns and to get the job done to last and stay pretty true to the original construction,” Judy Hoffman, Saint Joseph church secretary said of the parishioners.

Saint Joseph was established by Volga Germans in 1876, and the current church building was was dedicated on May 28, 1905. Although the steeple has had repairs many times over the years, it has not had a major renovation for 55 years.

The steeple was damaged over time by Kansas wind, rain and hail. In March 2018, the steeple sustained significant storm damage, and the parish immediately began fundraising for a major overhaul. The church estimates the cost of the project will be about $100,000, and only a fraction of the repair cost will be covered by insurance.

The church has raised about $50,000 toward the repairs, and the rest will come from its emergency fund. The church continues to raise funds for the project. Some donations have come from passersby who have admired the work being done on the historic church this summer, many in small amounts of $50 or $100.

But Hoffman said every dollar has been important to the small congregation of only 50 families. The church has had a Mass said for the donors and they continue to keep them in prayers, she said.

New copper has been installed on the exterior of the steeple, the wood gables were replaced, and extensive work was done to the framework of the steeple. The project required three pallets of 20 ounce copper sheeting.

The old copper that was removed from the steeple was recycled.

Four new copper crosses were installed at the base of the Saint Joseph Catholic Church steeple on Thursday.

Andy Littrel, project foreman, said the steeple, with its new cooper, can be seen from up to 6 miles away.

Hoffman said Roofmasters has done excellent work on the project.

“You can see it from a distance,” she said of the steeple. “If you are approaching from an angle where the sun is bouncing off of it, my gosh, it is just so stunning. It just makes you proud that you were able to do that … to dare to do that.”

Littrel handmade the new copper crosses for the steeple. Each cross is almost 5 feet tall.

“Well what I did was take one of the old crosses back to my shop and copied it piece by piece,” he said.

The old crosses had received a lot of hail damage and had big dents in them. Each cross took a full day of work to complete.

Workers from Roofmasters have spent two months making repairs to the steeple at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Liebenthal. The steeple is 167 feet at the top of it spire.

The new crosses are being secured with copper braces, so they will not move so much in the Kansas wind.

One of the old crosses is being displayed in the entryway of the church. The church has considered auctioning one or two of the remaining old crosses to raise money for the repairs. Church officials have also considered dismantling one of the crosses and selling the pieces also as a fundraiser.

Littrel will make a lid for an existing hatch for the steeple, and the crew will be adding lightening protection, and then project will be complete. Littrel said he hopes the church will get another 50 years out of the renovation.

“It is stronger now. All of these gable ends are rebuilt. They are stronger than they ever were to begin with,” he said. “The copper is heavier than the original steeple was. The design is a little bit different, but it’s solid. It should be able to take a lot of wind and a lot of punishment. It should be able to last for a long time.”

The church hopes to have a celebration to honor the completion of the steeple project. No date has yet been set, but it likely be scheduled for this fall.

“It is inspiring when you top the hill and you can see Liebenthal by the church steeple,” Hoffman said. “That’s our landmark, as far as I’m concerned. And I know a lot of people when they see that, they know they are almost home.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the steeple project can do so directly through the church’s website. Go to rushcountycatholicchurches.com and click on the St. Joseph Parish Giving icon. Donors can also send checks to 202 Main St., Lienbenthal, KS 67553.