OLEAN St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church is completing work to make the church more accessible to all parishioners.

I have had many parishioners come up to me and say that they have never been in our cafeteria, in the basement, St. Marys business manager Joseph McLarney said.

What we are planning to do would offer the ability for these members of our church to use the newly renovated Congregation Hall.

In remodeling work already completed at the church, the old cafeteria for Southern Tier Catholic Elementary School has been converted into a fellowship hall, with less of a food-service feel.

Southern Tier Catholic moved to the Archbishop Walsh campus in 2009.

The old school building is now used by community groups, including Boy Scout Troop 617 as well as a dance school.

One proposed project is the construction of a 500-square-foot addition including an elevator for the disabled, according to McLarney.

The addition will be constructed of the same stone as the rest of the church.

A parapet on top of the addition will house the elevator machinery.

The three-floor elevator will access church offices, the new congregation hall and the sanctuary.

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Olean church plots moves to make facility accessible to all parishioners

The Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk (Nepomucen) was built by architect Jan Blazej Santini, combining Baroque style with references to Gothic elements in its construction and decoration, in 1719-1722.

After assessing the property claim thoroughly, the NPU concluded that there were no legal obstacles to the return of the whole church complex. The institute will launch talks with the Roman Catholic parish in Zdar nad Sazavou about the particular form of the contract on the complexs return, Jurackova said.

The NPU, which is assessing the return of state-administered landmarks with the status of cultural heritage, has received about 40 requests. It has rejected more than ten of them and sent a few of the others to different institutions for assessment.

The planned agreement on the St John of Nepomuk churchs return is to be the first contract of this kind that the NPU will sign.

According to the law on the return of the churches' property confiscated by the communist regime, which took effect in January 2013, churches are to be returned land and real estate worth 75 billion and given 59 billion crowns plus inflation in financial compensation for unreturned property during the following 30 years.

Simultaneously, the state will gradually cease financing churches. The Catholic Church will get 47.2 billion crowns of the total plus inflation.

The six-month deadline for concluding contracts on the churches property return will expire at the end of June. However, the respective state authorities do not manage to assess all requests in time.

Out of them, the State Land Office has received the highest number of property claims.

NPU director Nada Goryczkova recalled that the state had invested 90 million crowns in the reconstruction of the church at Zelena Hora, mainly in connection with its UNESCO listing in 1994.

Tens of thousands of people visit the unique complex annually.

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Czech state to return UNESCO-listed sight to Catholic Church

Christ Church Construction Promo 3
Construction progress as of June 20 2014.

By: Loren Zimmer

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Christ Church Construction Promo 3 - Video

Investors will get 70 cents for every dollar they invested in an $85 million Ponzi scheme operated by a fundraising branch of the Church of God.

A federal judge in Indianapolis on Monday gave final approval to the terms ending the case. As part of those conditions, U.S. District Judge David Hamilton also granted permission for properties causing a financial drain on Church of God assets to be abandoned. The case is expected to be finalized in September or October.

Court documents said the Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit against the church's prior fundraising organization in 2003, alleging it had defrauded investors who believed their money would go to church-related construction.

Instead, the judge said the leaders of the former fundraising organization used the money raised to make interest and principal payments to prior investors to cover up bad business decisions, The Herald Bulletin reported.

"It's more of the same old cliche, if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging," Hamilton said.

The 70-percent payback will go to unsecured investors. Under those terms, someone who invested $100,000 could receive about $70,000 back.

Much of the money has already been repaid. Hamilton has approved a final installment of about $750,000 before the case is closed. Any unclaimed funds would then go to the unclaimed property division of the Indiana attorney general's office.

Records show more than $73 million was recovered from the liquidation of church assets and other funding such as private contributions. However, part of that went for professional fees associated with the case.

Hamilton called the recovery of funds "extraordinary."

Frank Johnson, president of the Reconstituted Board of Church Extension, said the new fundraisers were determined to recover as much money as possible for church members who had invested their money.

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Investors in church-related fraud to get most of their money

Investors will get 70 cents for every dollar they invested in an $85 million Ponzi scheme operated by a fundraising branch of the Church of God.

A federal judge in Indianapolis on Monday gave final approval to the terms ending the case. As part of those conditions, U.S. District Judge David Hamilton also granted permission for properties causing a financial drain on Church of God assets to be abandoned. The case is expected to be finalized in September or October.

Court documents said the Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit against the church's prior fundraising organization in 2003, alleging it had defrauded investors who believed their money would go to church-related construction.

Instead, the judge said the leaders of the former fundraising organization used the money raised to make interest and principal payments to prior investors to cover up bad business decisions, The Herald Bulletin reported.

"It's more of the same old cliche, if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging," Hamilton said.

The 70-percent payback will go to unsecured investors. Under those terms, someone who invested $100,000 could receive about $70,000 back.

Much of the money has already been repaid. Hamilton has approved a final installment of about $750,000 before the case is closed. Any unclaimed funds would then go to the unclaimed property division of the Indiana attorney general's office.

Records show more than $73 million was recovered from the liquidation of church assets and other funding such as private contributions. However, part of that went for professional fees associated with the case.

Hamilton called the recovery of funds "extraordinary."

Frank Johnson, president of the Reconstituted Board of Church Extension, said the new fundraisers were determined to recover as much money as possible for church members who had invested their money.

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Investors in church-related fraud to get some money

St Luke #39;s Church Construction - 2014
Time lapse video of the St Luke #39;s construction. The first part that you see rising up is the new school gymnasium.

By: Ryan Schon

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St Luke's Church Construction - 2014 - Video

Photo by Lynn Bruggemann

The church on Irving Street that is at the center of a controversy involving its possible use as a mosque.

MIDLAND PARK The boroughs first Islamic house of worship has received a zoning certificate to operate at 218 Irving St., the site of the former Han Maum Reformed Church.

Construction Official Mark Berninger said the El-Zahra Education Foundation Inc. received a zoning certificate to operate a "house of worship and related activities."

"A house of worship is a permitted use in a residential zone," Berninger said.

Established in 1997, the Teaneck-based foundation is a non-profit religious educational organization serving the Muslim community.

Sheikh Mohhamad M. Charaf, president and founder of the foundation, confirmed the congregation received the certificate and was in the "process of purchasing" the property, but declined further comment.

The 12,000-square-foot building it would occupy sits on 2.81 acres and has a sanctuary with seating for approximately 300.

The building also features eight classrooms/offices, four bathrooms, two kitchens and an additional large meeting room. It has a large lawn area, playground and parking for 80 cars.

Located at the end of Irving Street, the property sits near the intersection of Fifth Street. It was listed by RE/MAX for sale at $2.59 million.

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Teaneck-based group to buy church on Irving

A former Milwaukee priest was suddenly removed from his position at a suburban Chicago church over the weekend.

Father James Dokos was a trusted leader and pastor for years at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church until 2012, when he transferred to Glenview, Ill. Then questions began surfacing about some lavish spending of church money.

VIDEO:Former Milwaukee priest may soon face criminal charges

The famous Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church on Milwaukee's northwest side has been gaining new attention because of allegations of fraud against a former pastor.

WISN 12 News began investigating last fall, after Milwaukee County prosecutors served multiple search warrants stating they were seeking information on Dokos' use of more than $100,000 in a trust fund.

In October, the church's lawyer told WISN 12 News, "Our mission was to get the explanation out, and we got the explanation out, and it's in the district attorney's hands, and we have all faith in the District Attorney's Office," Annunciation Greek Church attorney Emmanuel Mamalakis said.

According to those warrants, the money in a trust fund was intended to be used by the church, mainly for construction of the church's new cultural center.

Instead, Dokos is suspected of using tens of thousands of dollars to pay his personal bills, including meals at Fleming's Steakhouse in Brookfield and Trieber and Straub Jewelers -- a luxury jewelry store also in Brookfield.

Dokos transferred to Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview, Ill., in 2012.

WISN 12 News has obtained a letter sent to members there this weekend by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago that they've been informed that the Milwaukee district attorney, "intends to file a criminal complaint" against Dokos, and in light of that he's been placed on administrative leave and "suspended from his pastoral and administrative duties as parish priest."

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Former Milwaukee priest removed from Chicago area church

GIFFORD Volunteers from Paxton and Loda churches have completed two weeks of volunteering on a blitz build of three houses under the auspices of Champaign County Habitat for Humanity.

The Paxton Area Ministerial Association raised nearly $50,000 and provided volunteers for the home for Christy and Benjamin Calhoun being built on Gifford's east side.

Though that home and the one next door for Randy and Tracy Westmoreland, where volunteers from American Baptist Home Mission Societies and the Great Rivers Region of American Baptist Churches USA are working, aren't complete, much was accomplished.

Ron Dudley, a member of the Loda United Methodist Church and Loda's mayor, spent all two weeks on site. He's never built a house before, but said he learned a lot of construction techniques. He worked part of the time with fellow church member Jay Ross, an experienced carpenter who has traveled even to Europe to volunteer his services.

Dudley had worked in the fall in Gifford on post-tornado clean-up and earlier this spring he and Ross completed demolition of a house there. Dudley said he'd be happy to volunteer at a Habitat site again.

Chuck Werner, 74, a member of the Paxton Church of Christ, knows his way around a construction site, having made his living earlier in life as a contractor. He noted the construction business has changed a lot since then. Another first-time Habitat volunteer he said he learned new things and was pleased with the willingness of the volunteers to pitch in, and of the Habitat construction staff to lead.

Werner's wife, Mary, delivered meals in town one day and worked three days on the building site. She said she noticed that lots of older people were working and figured she could as well. She learned and participated in siding the house, cleaned up the drywall mess before interior painting could start and even sorted nails.

She likes the premise of Habitat in which the new owners put their own sweat equity in their home.

Norris Skonberg is another member of the Church of Christ. He spent six days at the site. His wife, Susan, helped deliver meals along with other church members.

It is Tom Anders, pastor of the church, who initiated the effort and moved the process along. Norris Skonberg, retired from the plumbing business, spent his time working on siding, soffits and framing.

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Church volunteers finish two weeks of Habitat work in Gifford

TOWN OF GRANT, Wis. Seventeen months after an explosion destroyed a Dunn County church, a new building is scheduled to be rededicated with a service next week.

The old St. John's Popple Creek Lutheran Church was one year shy of its 100th birthday. With the new building nearly complete, members said they hope it will take them into the next century.

In Jan. 2013, an explosion from an L-P leak burned the church into a pile of charred rubble.

Oh, it was shock. We had a lot of memories in that church, but it's just a building. We still have our faith, that's the main thing, church president Bruce Winget said.

The general consensus was that if possible, we were gonna rebuild and thanks to the Lord I guess, for having good insurance and we were able to keep the congregation together and rebuild, he said.

Kristi Welle, who lives nearby, said although she's not a member, the church is an important part of the rural community.

It reminds us of what's important, the important things of family, community and faith, Welle said.

Winget, who was baptized and confirmed in the old building, said members found a temporary place of worship at a nearby church while a new church was being built.

It's important we keep it going and we're so pleased we're able to do that, Winget said.

After a year of construction, the new building opened in Jan., but was getting its finishing touches Monday. Windows from Eau Claires Epiphany Lutheran School were installed and Winget said all the costs were covered by the church's insurance, allowing for necessary upgrades.

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17 Months after explosion, Dunn Co. church puts finishing touches on new building