Future Plans: Religious Education Staff Offices, Conference Room, 3 Classrooms and Science Lab.
The Dream Becomes a Reality
“I’ve been hearing about this my whole life!”
This comment from a life-long parishioner, a graduate of our parish school and currently a school parent, was made when he got a sneak preview of the construction of our new parish center a few months ago.His words, for me, were so symbolic of the dream that our parish has had for so long of building a parish center to be another focus of the activities that define us.Along with our church buildings that gather us around the table of the Lord, the larger of our two campuses needed a bigger place to gather and one that hasa kitchen.After all, Catholic Communities do not exist without Eucharist, nor do they function well without gathering around food and fellowship.
I heard about this project the day I arrived at St. Francis de Sales Parishin June of 1998.In fact, a group met with me that very day asking that I approve the project to begin thebuilding.Naturally, I contacted diocesan authorities to see what had to be done.After an analysis of our parish and our finances, I was told that we could not afford such a project.A few years later, when the diocese initiated the Bringing the Vision to Life capital campaign, our parish again explored the possibility of building a parish center.Various committees were convened and a plan began to take shape.Not only would the new building provide increased facilities for our parish and our school, but it would also move our religious education offices to a closer proximity with our school so that religious formation of our parish youth and children would be more unified.
With pledges ranging from a few hundred to over a million dollars, we were able to finally build a parish center.The sacrifices of each and every parishioner made it happen.The response to the appeal reflected the heart-full giving of our community, maybe not equal pledge amounts but equal sacrifices. Without each and every one of you giving to this project, it would not be happening.
The parish decision to build was the right decision.The challenges continue, though, we will need more ongoing sacrificial gifts to complete parts of the building.Our parish will continue to be challenged to meet the demands of a mortgage for the project.This coming fall, we will, again,be making a major parish-wide appeal so that we can finish all parts of the parish center project.
This is a time for celebration.We celebrate not just the vision, but the hundreds of parishioners who made that dream become a brick and mortar reality.While many names appear throughout this booklet, every parishioner has had a hand in bringing the vision of our new Parish Center to life.Whether it was involvement in the many committees and studies leading up to design and construction, praying and making sacrifices or lending support in a myriad of ways, every member of our parish has cause to celebrate as we open the doors of our new Parish Center.
May God continue to bless each and every one of you and may the good work that the Lord has begun continue to grow and give him glory.
Father Edward M. Aigner, Jr. Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish since 1998.
St. Francis De Sales Parish
Holy Redeemer Church
Church Located at 535 Riverside Drive, Salisbury, MD
