New Church

The last Mass ever to be held in the old St. John Bosco Roman Catholic Church in Warminster had just finished, leaving only empty pews and many happy memories of its 36-year history. Sunday morning, as the organist played "Alleluia! Sing to Jesus" on the small Wurlitzer organ at the rear of the church, several parishioners stopped to look back with tears of sadness. Others, however, were in a hurry to rush over next door to the new 18,000- square-foot church building, which was to be dedicated at the 11:15 a.m. Mass by Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, archbishop of Philadelphia, in his first official appearance since returning from Rome for his elevation to cardinal.

Academy of the New Church coach Scott Daum was missing two starters for a nonleague game against host Moorestown Friends on Friday. But it is doubtful whether senior guard Dave Closterman (charley horse) and sophomore guard Steve Viscalla (sprained ankle) would have made a difference. "They were quicker, faster and stronger than us," Daum said after the host team pummeled the Lions, 88-32. "We just weren't able to keep up with them. " Junior forward Jason Reuter scored 12 points to lead the Lions (1-3)

The West Goshen Zoning Hearing Board has held a public discussion about whether to allow the Christ Community Church of West Chester to build a new church on 34 acres on Phoenixville Pike near Greenhill Road. At a meeting Tuesday night, the three-member board discussed the church's request for a special exception to the residential zoning in the area. The church also has sought a variance from conditions of the zoning ordinance requiring public water and sewer service for such a facility.

The Rev. Maximino Cotto's boiler at home blew this month, singeing his eyebrows. Then his car broke down. But the worst part of his month came Friday night when the church he oversees in Camden, Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal (Pentecostal Church of God), burned. The congregation had just purchased the historic church, the former home of Rosedale Baptist Church, on Oct. 1. It spent about $10,000 and hundreds of volunteer hours fixing the building the last few weeks. It had held only one regular service, on Oct. 17, before the blaze.

When the Rev. Ralph Petersen told his daughter, Julianne, that he was moving to a new Lutheran church in the Oxford area, she asked what its name was. He couldn't tell her. Nor could he tell her exactly where it would be. That's because Mr. Petersen, pastor of Advent Lutheran Church in Westtown for the last 22 years, is establishing a mission church, the first step in starting a new congregation. "We don't have a name or a place to meet yet, so she wasn't quite sure what I was getting into," said Mr. Petersen, who came to Advent three years after it began as a mission church and watched it grow to a membership of 1,050.

Today we celebrate with joy. Our years of planning and waiting are complete. Our dreams have come true. That refrain, composed by a parishioner and sung to the calypso cadence of two 12-string guitars, seemed to sum up the feelings of many of the members of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish last weekend as their new church was dedicated. The time-honored ceremony, which may be performed only by a bishop, is solemn, joyous and replete with Christian symbolism. Bishop James T. McHugh, who heads the Diocese of Camden, described the rite as "one of the most important things a bishop can do, second only to ordaining priests.

The concrete shell of what construction signs say will one day become the Cathedral of Love Church in Willingboro stands on an unkempt lawn along Rancocas Road, strewn with gravel by long-departed building crews. But when the Rev. Kirk Baxter, founder and pastor of the church, looks at the three-acre site near U.S. Route 130, he said he sees a miracle in progress. "For us to be building this church is mind-boggling because we don't have the money," Mr. Baxter said in a recent interview.

Corey Kelly collected the rebound from his own shot and scored the game-winning goal with 2 minutes left in overtime as Plymouth Whitemarsh rallied to top visiting Avon Grove, 8-7, in the opening round of the District 1 boys' lacrosse tournament on Tuesday. Kelly scored on the Colonials' first possession of the period after his initial driving shot was turned away by Avon Grove goalie Will Schreiner. Kelly finished with a pair of goals and one assist. Also in District 1, Owen Evans scored three goals and assisted on two others as West Chester Henderson downed visiting Strath Haven, 10-3.

Highlights of Wednesday's contests can be found at: www.philly.com/rally Boys' Basketball CATHOLIC LEAGUE First-round Playoffs LaSalle 69, Father Judge 51 Cardinal O'Hara 45, Conwell-Egan 44 PA. INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT Westtown 55, Kiski Prep 45 Malvern Prep 61, Perkiomen School 52 Friends' Central 67, Hill School 64 Germantown Ac. 70, Ac. of New Church 60...

Mike Hannigan, interim head basketball coach at Germantown Academy, said the team's recent struggles were due in part to "the players pressing too much" in the absence of longtime boss Jim Fenerty. "I think the kids took it upon themselves to win the game on an individual basis," the 23-year assistant said. "They were trying too hard. " The Patriots showed less angst and more togetherness Tuesday afternoon. Putting aside a three-game losing skid, the hosts easily ousted Shipley, 75-57, in the opening round of the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament.

It was about halfway through the season when Westtown coach Seth Berger had a heart-to-heart chat with Daniel Ochefu. "He told me that I needed to play with more intensity," the 6-foot-10, 240-pound center said. "As soon as the new year started, I began doing that. " In Friday night's Friends Schools League championship game vs. Academy of the New Church, Ochefu, playing with that renewed passion, sparked the Moose to a 55-46 victory at Haverford College. In helping Westtown secure its first FSL title since the 1985-86 season, Ochefu, a Villanova recruit, delivered 15 points, 16 rebounds (six on offense)

It was about halfway through the season when Westtown coach Seth Berger had a heart-to-heart chat with Daniel Ochefu. "He told me that I needed to play with more intensity," the 6-foot-10, 240-pound center said. "As soon as the new year started, I began doing that. " In Friday night's Friends Schools League championship game vs. Academy of the New Church, Ochefu, playing with that renewed passion, sparked the Moose to a 55-46 victory at Haverford College. In helping Westtown secure its first FSL title since the 1985-86 season, the Villanova recruit delivered 15 points, 16 rebounds (six on offense)

Glen Mills' convincing effort clinched the Del-Val League title with a 56-15 win over visiting Academy Park. The Bulls won all but three matches, two of which were by forfeit. Travis Abbot's 5:53 pin at 5:53 at 132 pounds over Alex Eskridge was one of Glen Mills' five pins. Maurice Geter at 113 pounds and 160-pound Don Heidelberg both scored major decisions. Suburban One. Norristown captured its fourth straight league title with an easy 72-6 win at Upper Merion. Larry Gordon's 39-second pin at 195 pounds was the fastest of the Eagles' eight pins.

Seth Berger said the turnaround for Jeremy Schulkin came during a holiday basketball tournament at Trenton Catholic. "He hit an NBA-range three-pointer at the buzzer to give us a victory over Rutgers Prep," the Westtown coach said. "Since then, he's been on a big-time roll. His play has given us a major boost in the second half of the season. " On Wednesday, with Schulkin shooting 6 for 7 from the field en route to 14 points, Westtown fought past Friends' Central, 55-53, in a Friends Schools League playoff semifinal at packed Germantown Friends.