Florida Catholic | Growing Population & New Construction

Growing Catholic population and aging buildings spur continued construction

Orlando Diocese smoothes and expedites the building process

LAURA DODSON | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 10.05.07

Corpus Christi Parish in Celebration meets at Celebration High School until permanent facilities are constructed.

Father Gregory Parkes, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Celebration, preaches at a typical Sunday Mass at Celebration High School cafeteria. Plans are almost complete for a three-phase program that will begin with breaking ground for a new sanctuary in 2008.
PHOTO | JIM SIEGEL

"This initiative of the synod will allow the parishes to fulfill their dreams sooner by being able to build the infrastructure they need to serve God’s people."
- Father Gregory Parkes

ORLANDO | The burgeoning growth of the Catholic population in central Florida and the number of parishes celebrating significant anniversaries is increasing the need for construction and renovation.

It used to take years for a parish to receive an "OK" from the diocese to begin its construction process. But as a result of the synod, a diocesewide planning process that ended in the summer of 2006, quicker approvals and more options for financing are available under some circumstances.

Traditionally, a parish determined its needs and the pastor wrote to the bishop, who then returned a feasibility study for the parish to complete. The study required information on finances, demographics and site analysis. Once a parish had raised 50 percent of the projected costs and had pledges for the remainder, building could begin. Project financing took three to five years and the project had to be completely funded before the parish could move on to the next step.

This process is still in effect at established parishes with a long-term parishioner base from which to draw, in building renovations rather than new construction and where parishioners choose to build a multiuse facility.

In August, Resurrection Parish in Winter Garden held its groundbreaking ceremony for the addition to its parish center. The project was in the planning stages for almost two years. The new addition will add 16,000 square feet to meet the needs of a growing parish that includes English-, Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities in Winter Garden, Ocoee and Orlando.

St. Philip Phan Van Minh Parish in Orlando, which serves the Vietnamese community, renovated an existing building. Father Chau J. Nguyen, pastor, celebrated the first Mass in the new church Sept. 29. And at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Viera, parishioners chose to build a facility that could meet the parish’s many needs over the coming years.

William Kramer, registered architect, has administered construction for the diocese for the past 22 years. Kramer is now blending the old ways of the process with recommendations from the synod.

Because construction costs have soared and short-term financing is more difficult to obtain, the synod process recommended long-term financing — over the course of 30 years. This innovation will make it easier to develop new parishes and schools needed to meet the population growth.

"The greatest impact of the synod on construction is the possibility of having a new, long-term financing option for the many expansions and new construction projects throughout our diocese," Kramer said.

At St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Summerfield, Father Simon Shaner, pastor, explained, "It is such a struggle to raise so much money. With this new structuring and financing, we’re part of a group with greater collateral. There is strength in numbers — in community — and we can do what needs to be done. We plan to start building in April 2008 and hopefully the dedication will be one year later."

Father Stephen Phillips, pastor of St. Faustina Parish in Clermont, offered another view. "We’re 500 families now and we’re growing, but we’re looking at $4 million to $6 million to build a church. This new financing gives us the opportunity to build something that we can use now, but that is also permanent. This is doable. It’s innovative, it’s creative and it’s tried and true from other dioceses. It gives us hope."

Parishes in the early planning stages of construction projects include St. Catherine of Siena, Kissimmee; St. Rose of Lima, Poinciana; and St. Maximillian Kolbe, Avalon Park in east Orange County. Father David Scotchie, parochial administrator of St. Maximillian Kolbe, said that although building will be in the future, "this new financing will make our building possible; under the old rules, we couldn’t possibly."

Most Precious Blood Parish in Oviedo is further along in the planning mode. Father Stephen Parkes, pastor, said, "This is a whole new model that will address the high cost of construction and the tremendous need. You don’t build a home with a five-year mortgage. The church is our spiritual home — that will be our home for many years to come."

At Corpus Christi in Celebration, plans are almost complete for a three-phase program that will begin with breaking ground for the new sanctuary in 2008. "This initiative of the synod will allow the parishes to fulfill their dreams sooner by being able to build the infrastructure they need to serve God’s people," said Father Gregory Parkes, pastor, and chancellor of canonical affairs for the diocese.

He added, "The people here have wanted a parish for so long and were so excited when Bishop (Thomas) Wenski approved us and we celebrated our first Mass in May 2005. We’ve been blessed to worship at Celebration High School, but we’re looking forward to building our permanent church — we’re building the house of God."

Implementing the synod recommendations is not immediate, it is a process. "There has been a shift in roles. We still hold to the concept that the architect is the master builder for the project, but is no longer necessarily coordinating everything," Kramer said. "Now in the planning process, there is a parish building committee that becomes a team. A lot of special interests must come together. There must be expertise plus chemistry. In the team building, a mission statement is developed. Adherence to the mission and good stewardship become essential."

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Growing Catholic population and aging buildings spur continued construction

Orlando Diocese smoothes and expedites the building process

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