Construction has begun for Saint Albert the Great’s new Parish Life Center and should take less than one year to complete.
Church leaders gathered July 9 to bless the grounds and share prayerful words during an official groundbreaking ceremony. Those in attendance included local government leadership, capital campaign chairs and committee members, parochial school leaders and members of the construction, engineering and architectural design teams, among others connected to the project who gathered to show their support and enthusiasm.
The Wallings Road parish has embarked on a journey to totally transform its 18-acre campus under its “Building Faith: A New Generation” master plan. The new, 25,000-square foot Parish Life Center, an integral component of the plan, will include a presentation auditorium and performance stage with ample seating, meeting rooms, office spaces, storage sections, a full-service kitchen, conference rooms and other components supporting the church’s vibrant ministry life. In May, another facet of the church’s master plan, the construction of a new priest residence, was completed. The ranch-style home contains priest suites, a great room, a kitchen, and a deck that looks out to the church and adoration chapel.
Totaling upwards of $11 million, the “Building Faith: A New Generation” master plan campaign also includes plans to address and improve traffic flow and design, parking, ADA accessibility and dated athletic fields.
The groundbreaking ceremony featured welcoming remarks from North Royalton Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz followed by Lead Architect David Potts of DS Architecture. Pastor Edward Estok blessed the foundation site and Fr. Joshua Trefney recited a reading and prayerful intentions. At the conclusion, ceremony participants took turns with shovels in the ground to ceremoniously toss dirt at the foundation site.
“It’s rare today to enjoy a relationship between church and state where separation is encouraged, what a great partner we have in you,” Antoskiewicz said in his address.
Established in 1959, Saint Albert the Great ranks as one of the largest and most vibrant parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. More than 11,000 parishioners call it their church home, according to church data.
“We ask for the Lord’s blessings upon this construction work site and let us pray for the Lord’s help in this celebration,” Estok said during the ceremony. “We pray that God will bring this construction to its successful completion and that his protection will keep those who work on it safe.”
To learn more about Saint Albert’s capital campaign, visit saint-albert.org.
By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer