After a six-and-a-half month renovation, Catholic Charities’ Christ House in Alexandria has new kitchen appliances, new electrical wiring, and a new fire and safety system. Fresh paint coats the walls, both inside and out, and new carpeting covers the floors.
But perhaps more important than the spruced-up, but empty, food pantry and the renovated office space are the 18 beds made with dark blue linens that lie ready and waiting to welcome homeless men right off the street.
As of last Friday’s blessing and rededication ceremony by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde, Christ House is operating as a full-time shelter for the first time since being suspended for financial reasons in June 2003. For the last three winters, the shelter’s nine rooms had served only as an emergency hypothermia shelter on the coldest nights. No more.
“Tonight resolves that piece of it,” said Steve Luteran, who had to suspend the shelter almost as soon as he became director of Catholic Charities in 2003. Reopening it now gives him a “feeling of joy,” Luteran said. “We’ll take people right from the street and they’ll get to sleep in a bed instead of (on) the streets.”
The cost for the renovations, which began in April, exceeded $1 million, Luteran said. Donations and pro bono contracting work brought that total down to $850,000 — $500,000 of which was funded by the Rooted in Faith — Forward in Hope campaign. Catholic Charities will seek to make up the $350,000 difference in the coming months, he said.
“We wanted to make this a nice place,” Luteran said. “We had to make their rooms home-like.”
Bishop Loverde thanked the crowd of invited volunteers and donors gathered on the brick sidewalk outside the building for the ceremony Friday evening. He especially remembered those who supported the project with their time, money, prayer and motivational support.
“The renovations have been funded in large measure through that generous response,” he said. “None of this takes places by wishful thinking. It is the hard work of many who make it possible.”
Ron and Terry Riggins, parishioners from Nativity Parish in Burke, were two of the “many.” They donated the money to renovate Christ House’s St. Vincent de Paul Chapel and were present while the bishop sprinkled holy water on its walls, altar, tabernacle and crucifix.
“I think we feel that God has blessed us very generously and we feel that we need to share that blessing with others,” said Ron, who, along with Terry, is a volunteer at Christ House. “These people are special to us.”
The freshly blessed chapel will take on a new meaning in the future when it will become a “living chapel,” Luteran said, with the Eucharist perpetually in the tabernacle.
The significant role Christ House plays in the Alexandria community was exhibited by the presence of Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille.
“This facility is very important to our city and this neighborhood and our community as a whole,” Euille said. “Alexandria is a caring community. We certainly applaud efforts by nonprofits and faith-based communities to step up to the plate.”
Also present was Ken Naser, executive director of Alive! (Alexandrians Involved Ecumenically), which operates another shelter not far from Christ House.
“We’re in the same business,” said Naser, a parishioner at Our Lady, Queen of Peace Parish in Arlington. “Our reason for being is to help needy people in Alexandria. The need is so great. We’re challenged to help our fellow citizens (who) need a helping hand.”
This ecumenical spirit is widespread in the community. During renovations, the nightly evening meals Christ House provides were served at Washington Street United Methodist Church.
New case manager Tom Bransfield said he got to see bits and pieces of the renovation when he was hired over the summer. Since then he has taken on every aspect of the job — even down to tiny details like remembering to buy hand soap for the bathrooms.
“I’ve really enjoyed helping make all that happen,” Bransfield said. “My title is case manager, but for the last three weeks my job has been everything under the sun.” 
But Bransfield said it’s this hard work that helps the clients know that they are important.
“You put the care into a really nice facility, and I think you are going to be showing the residents who come here that you care,” he said. “If you show that you care about not only this facility, but this job, I think they’ll respond to that and respond positively.”
Christ House is located at 131 S. West St., Alexandria. For more information go to www.ccda.net.
Gretchen R. Crowe can be reached at gcrowe@catholicherald.com.