R E S O U R C E S
R E S O U R C E S
SAN DIEGO — Two parishes, one in South Bay and the other in North County, recently broke ground on new parish centers.
At separate groundbreaking ceremonies last month, Bishop Robert H. Brom reminded members of St. Pius X Parish in Chula Vista and St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Carlsbad that there can be two approaches to life. 
Bishop Brom said that, for those who had taken the first approach during the preceding years of planning and expectation, the groundbreakings provided an opportunity “to switch gears” and adopt the second approach.
Highlighting the importance of faith and sacrifice in the parish construction process, the bishop promised that the dream of new parish centers would come to fruition — if parishioners only believe.
A June 26 groundbreaking at St. Pius X Parish marked the beginning of a project that will cost an estimated $6.5 million. Along with the construction of a 9,464-square-foot parish center, the project will also include a two-story addition to the parish school and an expansion of the parish office. The current parish hall will be demolished.
Father Luke Jauregui, pastor of St. Pius X, said the new parish center will be “a good third larger” than its predecessor and will provide space for various parish events, including religious education, confirmation and adult catechesis classes.
The expansion of the parish office will involve the addition of a new conference room. The new school building, which will be located between the school’s library and its current classrooms, will include a new fifth-grade classroom and a science lab on the second floor and a much-needed storage area on the first floor.
The project is expected to be completed by next June.
On June 27, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish broke ground on a new parish center of its own.
The two-story structure, which will measure 18,000 square feet, is scheduled for completion by next July. It will cost an estimated $8 million.
The bottom floor of the new center will include classrooms, meeting rooms and a special room for parish youth, while the top floor will house a hall that can be used for parish dinners and events.
Father Donald Coleman, pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton, said the new center is necessary to meet the needs of his parish community, which has grown from 600 to 2,500 families.
The current parish center, which will remain a part of the parish campus, is unable to accommodate the 800 children enrolled in the religious education program, he said.
Father Coleman said the construction project is simply a case of “moving on to the next phase of the parish.”
“We need to do this ... because there are so many people coming here and so many children to be educated,” he said, noting that such a situation is really “a great problem to have.”
The Southern Cross
This article appears in the July 2010 issue of The Southern Cross.