Sunday Homilies
Our Needs
Our worship space is becoming increasingly too small. This is especially true from October through April when many parishioners return to their Florida homes and our community. At these times, there is standing-room-only at all Masses, and the overflow seating located in the vestibule is less than desirable because, while the liturgy can be heard, it cannot easily be seen. But even during the summer months, Masses are becoming increasingly crowded as more and more people permanently relocate to this area. This trend is projected to continue as the Orlando area expands northward, the Ocala area stretches southward and more and more baby boomers relocate – with many heading for the Sunshine State – as they approach and reach retirement age. This overcrowding problem will be compounded further as the declining number of available priests eventually forces the reduction of Masses almost everywhere including here at St. Paul.
- In addition, the choir area in the church is excessively small. Music ministers are forced to squeeze into a very small space adjacent to the altar platform at the head of the church, further taking away available seating space in the church from our members. Choir members and other music ministers also lack adequate space to warm-up or rehearse prior to Mass, and have no adequate storage space for music or other items necessary for our music ministry.
- Liturgy of the Word for our children must be held in another building because there is no space for them to meet in the church building itself. This can be a problem particularly during times of inclement weather.
- Currently we have only one reconciliation room and it is not easily accessible because it is located at the head of the church.
- The restrooms in the church are also too small, especially the women’s, and neither the women’s nor the men’s restrooms are handicapped accessible thus making them in violation of current building codes.
- And finally, the sacristy of the church is only slightly larger than a small, walk-in closet. Even the Bishop has commented on the lack of space in our sacristy here at St Paul. It is simply not adequate for priest vesting and proper preparation for our liturgies.
Educational Space Needs
Our education facilities also need improvements and some important expanded space, particularly since we are competing for students with public and charter schools with newer and more state of the art facilities.
In the fall of 2008 we completed the first phase of our building project at the school. This new addition has been built between our existing social hall, the two-story classroom building and the basketball court. It houses an expanded kitchen and food preparation and storage area so that we will be able to prepare and provide our own food service for a variety of parish events as well as a daily program for school hot lunch. This new addition also has a new multi-purpose area separate from the parish hall that will serve as a school cafeteria and a place where the school and/or parish can hold various meetings, assemblies and larger group events.
The second floor of our new building is connected to our existing classroom building and houses our new media center with space for reading and story telling for our younger children and a space with computers where students can do on-line research. Our new Science Lab is also located on this floor with workstations, storage cabinets and necessary equipment. Our new computer room and adjourning office provides our students with the latest technology.
At the time of this printing (Fall 2008) we are ready to start the renovations to our Fine Arts Center, named after the Joseph Swiderski Family. This center will house our new music room and art center.
Our Plans for the Church
To address these various needs, we have an ambitious but accomplishable plan. It calls for constructing a new addition to the east side of the church which will provide space for our children’s liturgy and music practice room and library, along with a new sacristy with storage and additional space for CCTN.
Church Expansion/Renovation
- The church will be expanded to the northwest, necessitating the relocation of the existing grotto.
- There will be new space for 400 additional seats and an expanded area for our music ministers and choir, a family restroom, and expanded usher’s room and sacristy for priest vesting and liturgical preparation.
- Two new reconciliation rooms will replace the old usher’s room and sacristy in the narthex of the church.
- Our existing restrooms will also be expanded and will be handicapped accessible.
- Space will be provided for the Children’s Liturgy of the Word.
- Our new music space will provide an area for our choirs to practice, as well as have a music library. They will also have a new room to robe.
Our Capital Campaign
To address our needs and plans we are in a Capital Campaign to raise the necessary funds.
To enlarge the CHURCH by 400 seats and add:
- 2 more reconciliation rooms
- a new larger priest sacristy
- a large working sacristy
- a room for the children’s liturgy of the word group
- a choir room to practice and library
- a robing room for choir members
- more restrooms and handicap restrooms
- enlarge the CCTN studios
We have finished our first phase of construction
To enlarge the SCHOOL and add:
- an all purpose room for assemblies and displays
- a cafeteria and new kitchen
- a new science lab
- a new media/library center
- a new computer lab
- storage and elevator
- a fine arts center
Gift Options
All members are asked to consider gifts above and beyond what they give in their regular offerings and other contributions. And there is a variety of ways that gifts can be made.
Long term subscriptions, or pledges payable over 5 years, are easier for most and essential to meeting our goal, since it would be impractical, if not impossible, to reach our objectives with one time, out-of-pocket gifts. Gifts may be made in monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual installments at the donor’s discretion. A 10% initial investment toward your total pledge is also encouraged.
Non-cash gifts are an additional or alternative way you can support our cause. You may, for example, wish to consider gifts “in kind” such as labor and materials; gifts of securities such as stocks and bonds; gifts of real estate or even personal property such as artwork, automobiles, jewelry and antiques.
And finally, you can also choose to support our efforts though deferred gifts. These are gifts that can be given or arranged for now, but will not be received until later, and include gifts through a person's will by bequest, gifts of life insurance policies or annuities, and gifts in trust.
Summary
But whatever the gift or method of making it may be, please be assured that your support is both urgently needed and will be greatly appreciated. Through the prayerful, volunteer and financial support of many, and the extra-ordinary support of a few, we will succeed in our task.
Won’t you please join us in this exciting and essential effort to “Build for Tomorrow and Today” so that we can be of even better service to one another, to our community and to Christ? Please contact the Church Office for more information.
