September Meeting Minutes

Coffee with the Pastor

Father Bill started the meeting with a very lengthy update on many items involving the church. The most important part of the meeting came at the end when Father Bill started a group discussion about the planning of the new church, which is what follows next.

Planning for the new church and associated buildings was discussed. The question posed was “What do we need?”

• Highest priority : 1. Church (Father Bill suggests a shell shaped church with a slanted floor, large enough to seat 2,000 and a built-in Daily Chapel); 2. Parish Center – large enough to rent out (similar to St. Lawrence), therefore becoming an income property; 3. Mary’s Garden (Money already in place)
• Very High Priority : 1. Cafeteria (perhaps in Parish Center); 2. Maintenance Building to handle the new facilities; 3. Multilevel Parking Garage; 4. Idea proposed to design all of the new buildings so they could be expanded vertically in the future if necessary
• Other Buildings proposed : 1. School K-8: separate buildings for the Pre – K program and a Junior High/Middle School; 2. Ministry building for St. Vincent De Paul, AA, Food Pantry, etc.; 3. Office Building
• Other items discussed : 1. Youth Center and Stage for Parish Center; 2. Athletic Fields; 3. Security for the new church complex; 4. Nurseries in all buildings; Fencing – Father Bill does not want a completely enclosed area (gives an unwelcoming impression); 5. Where will the Rectory be?; 6. No road between new church and School; 7. Church and Parish Center would have to be built simultaneously; 8. Not all buildings will necessarily be built at the same time, but in stages; 9. Possibly purchase additional 20 acres connected to the school property

Some expansion on the above summary:

In the Parish Center we may have Stage and Youth Center that could be used a general hangout facility for the youth School Yard will likely be fenced in, but not the entire property.

Security may involve a security guard in the future

Not all of the buildings we decide to build will have to be at the same time, and likely will not be. But, the new church and the parish center would have to be done simultaneously

Details about how to design the new buildings will be discussed in the future

Additional Issues

Rita Joyce wants to organize a fund raiser for Father Eva to help cover some of his school expenses, which his diocese does not help him pay for