McQuillen Place apartments blessed for residents
The Rev. Joshua Jacobs passes a low hanging part of the ceiling of McQuillen Place as he blesses it, room by room, accompanied by a crowd reciting "Hail Marys."
The Rev. Joshua Jacobs blesses McQuillen Place as it is under construction, room by room.
The Rev. Joshua Jacobs blesses McQuillen Place room by room, accompanied by his twin brother, Jordan Jacobs.
The Rev. Joshua Jacobs blesses McQuillen Place.
Steve Blanford, a construction worker at McQuillen Place, places a blessed crucifix on the upper portion of the wall on the inside of the buildings.
The Rev. Joshua Jacobs and his twin brother, Jordan Jacobs, go from room to room in the McQuillen Place to bless it. They were accompanied by around 40 others reciting "Hail Marys." Press photos by Thomas Nelson.
The Rev. Joshua Jacobs and his twin brother, Jordan Jacobs, in an unfinished McQuillen Place.
By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com
The Rev. Joshua D. Jacobs blessed McQuillen Place Saturday, July 29. Jacobs went through the building blessing every room with holy water, accompanied by his twin brother Jordan Jacobs.
The event began with Jacobs blessing the aspergillum, an implement for holding holy water, and then he blessed a crucifix, that was placed high up near an open entrance to McQuillen Place.
Steve Blanford, one of the construction workers present, placed the crucifix in its place.
Jacobs spoke in Latin and performed the Benedictio Loco vel Domus, or blessing of a place or apartment.
All in all 40 people, including project developer Charley Thomson, followed and recited “Hail Marys” through the halls, of the unfinished building as Jacobs blessed each room.
Charles City Mayor James Erb and Charles City Council Member Dan Malaro were present for the blessing and went through the building as Jacobs blessed each room.
On the second floor the building had dry wall and floors put in, with an unfinished ceiling.
The ceremony took place in a open air room on the bottom floor overlooking Main Street, as construction continued on the outside.
The floor was partially covered in bricks where Jacobs and those present took part in the blessing. The other part of the floor was covered in sand.
“I’m a Roman Catholic, and Catholics have believed for centuries that its important to make a priority in our lives and not forget where the blessings come from,” said Thomson.
There isn’t a fixed date for when McQuillen Place is expected to be opened, Thomson said.
“We think we’re very close to having approval on a certificate of occupancy, and then when we have approval we’ll start leasing apartments,” Thomson said. “Apartments will come before the commercial space.”
Poultry producer Simply Essentials is the only confirmed business to lease space on the first floor. The business will use the location as corporate and training office space.
Thomson has people calling him everyday about the project, he said.
“It’ll be very soon,” Thomson said. “I want to get them moved as soon as possible.”
The building will have 12 apartments for people to move in to.
Earlier this month a clock tower was placed on the top of the building on the corner of Main Street and Clark Street.
Jacobs, the priest that blessed the building, was recently ordained at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Buckingham County, Virginia on July 7.
“It was fortunates that Father was ordained this year, because he’s from Greene,” Thomson said. “He’s been spending several weeks with his family in Greene.”
Jacobs has been providing weekly mass for a parish church in Bremer, Thomson said.
“I thought it would make a lot of sense for him to do the blessing and the consecration while he was here, since the building is nearly complete,” Thomson said. “Rather than try to juggle everybody’s schedules when he’s not here.”
Thomson appreciates that Jacobs is from Greene and has a twin brother that works in Charles City, he said.
“It worked out really well,’ Thomson said.
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