RITE OF DEDICATION; SIMI CHURCH OPENS ITS DOORS.

Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer

More than 1,000 parishioners gathered under a hot midday sun Saturday to help dedicate the new St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, a 985-seat facility that its congregation raised millions of dollars to build.

Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, which includes the two Catholic churches in Simi Valley, also was on hand to open the new place of worship.

In the traditional Rite of Dedication ceremony, Mahony and 28 priests helped bless the church and transform it from a mere building into the congregation's home.

``Everything that is done is done to make this building worthy of a house of God, a church,'' said Jim Carper, a parishioner and chairman of the dedication committee.

On Friday, parishioners held a vigil throughout the night in front of the new church, watching over the crucifixes, statues, banners, candles and other religious items that had been taken out of the old church after the last Mass that day.

At 6 a.m. Saturday, most of the items were placed in their positions in the new building and waited to be blessed again, while others were put in storage.

The church remained closed until Mahony accepted the keys from the builders, blessed them and passed them along to the church pastor, Monsignor Gary Bauler, to unlock the door.

``Go within his gates, give him thanks and enter his doors with song and prayer,'' Mahony said to the crowd gathered.

With that, the faithful entered, singing ``All Are Welcome.''

The old church, which sits across the parking lot from the new building, was expected to be a temporary place of worship when church founders first entered 25 years ago.

The need for a larger building was apparent soon after the congregation was formed. As the years passed, the congregation grew to more than 2,300 families, and the expansion was needed even more.

Through fund-raisers, bingo games and its Pennies From Heaven campaign - copper coins were collected in water bottles at the back of the church - the congregation soon earned enough for the $3.2 million building.

The church's design harks back to the old California missions, with a red tile roof and arched breezeways circling the building. But it also has a modern, half-moon-shaped interior for wide rows of pews to hold nearly 1,000 people.

Still, the old building, which was built to hold 700 people, will not be forgotten. It will be set up as a multipurpose room for meetings.

Those attending the ceremony Saturday took refuge from the bright sun in the old church before they gathered outside, talking about the sacrifices and hard work it took to make this new church a reality.

``It's bittersweet. I think when you get a little older, like I am, you get attached to things,'' said Lyle Gibbs, one of the original parishioners. ``But when I go look into the windows of the new church, I don't want to leave. It's so beautiful.''

Gibbs said that though it took 25 years, he never doubted the day would come that the parish would have a new home.

``I knew the good Lord would provide it,'' he said. ``I knew it would happen. It's too good of a parish.''

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3 Photos

PHOTO (1--Ran in Valley Edition only) Clergymen make their way to the door of the new St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in Simi Valley for Saturday's dedication ceremony.

(2--3--Ran in Valley Edition only) Above at left, Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Los Angeles Archdiocese presents the keys to the new church to its pastor, Monsignor Gary Bauler. The congregation, right, files into the building during the ceremony.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News