Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I would like to share an important update with you regarding the Cathedral Hall project and the work of our Building Committee.
Since April 9 of last year, we have had an active Building Committee in place, led by Jay Coatney as Chair, and including Tami Hartmann, Jayne Gallegos, Mary Hanneman, Jeffrey Hubrig, Jerry Bodie, Patti Gibson, Mary Mac Wilson (COO), Deacon Walt Otey (CFO), Scott Barron (Director of Parish Ministries), and Tom Greer (Director of Facilities). We have been working closely with BarberMcMurry Architects to evaluate the current Cathedral Hall and to develop a program of spaces that will serve our rapidly growing parish community.
As many of you know, our parish has grown tremendously. We now have over 3,200 families, and our parish has doubled in size since 2016. This growth is a great blessing, but it also brings real challenges. The need for additional and more functional space is becoming increasingly urgent as we strive to support the wide variety of ministries in our parish and to continue reaching out in service to our local community.
After a thorough evaluation, BarberMcMurry Architects has determined that the existing Cathedral Hall structure is not viable for renovation or expansion. Due to the extensive work that would be required to bring the building up to code and adapt it to our needs, renovation costs would be extraordinarily high, potentially as much as 80% of the cost of new construction. For this reason, they have advised that new construction is the more prudent and responsible option.
The current proposed design includes:
– A large hall suitable for parish events, receptions, and gatherings
– Three smaller meeting rooms that can function independently or be combined with the large hall, ideal for Bible studies, faith formation, and daytime meetings
– A dedicated nursery room to serve both daytime meetings and a Sunday Mass nursery
– A catering/warming kitchen to support meals, banquets, and parish events, making use of our existing commercial kitchen on-site
Our next step is to seek your feedback on the initial concept design. Your input is important to us as we discern how best to move forward in a way that serves our parish mission, supports our ministries, and responsibly stewards the resources entrusted to us.
Please know of my gratitude for your continued support, generosity, and love for our Cathedral parish. Together, we continue to build not just buildings, but a living, vibrant community of faith.
In Christ,
Fr. David Boettner, Pastor