On anniversary, church remembers its dance hall days

Saturday, July 1, 2000 | 8:49 a.m.

Twenty-five years ago Norman McFarland, the new Catholic bishop of Las Vegas and Reno, asked a local reverend to begin a parish, even though he had no money to build the church.

It was the 1970s. Las Vegas was growing and more parishes were needed.

With no funding to construct a church, the Rev. Ben Franzinelli turned to a doctor who owned a country-western saloon on Boulder Highway -- the only place he could put 250 people on a Sunday morning.

His plan was successful, and on July 1, 1975, the Holy Family Catholic Parish was founded.

Mass was held Saturdays at an Episcopalian church. At 5:30 a.m. Sundays staff began sweeping the SunDancer. Lysol was used to combat the smell of smoke.

Theatrical scenery complete with stained glass windows was strategically placed. Banners were hung. Mass was celebrated.

Today the Holy Family Catholic Parish, 4490 Mountain Vista Road, will celebrate its 25th anniversary. The now retired McFarland will be in town for the festivities.

McFarland had come to Las Vegas in the 1970s from San Francisco as a "troubleshooter" who would help the diocese out of its financial trouble and work on growth.

Addressing the growth in the Las Vegas Valley was the first task he attended to, said Franzinelli, now a monsignor. "He saw the need for new churches."

Franzinelli was skeptical when McFarland asked him to begin a parish with no church. Without McFarland's encouragement, it wouldn't have happened, he said.

"He did a tremendous job," said Franzinelli, who goes by "Father Ben." "He was here during some critical times."

The congregation spent three years in the saloon before Franzinelli wrote to entertainer Bing Crosby asking "please help get the Holy Family out of the saloon."

Franzinelli politely reminded Crosby that he was married in Las Vegas, and Crosby stepped forward to help raise funds.

Today the church that began Western-style has a congregation of 2,500 families and is led by the Rev. Clarence Savial, Franzinelli said.

McFarland was critical to the history of the church in Nevada, Franzinelli said.