A Place to be Church
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
If you ask Father Phillip C. Pfleger, pastor of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton, about the parish’s newly-built catechetical center, he’ll chuckle and say, “Finally, we have some space!”
“It’s truly a blessing,” Father Pfleger said of the new Holy Family Catechetical Center, which was dedicated by Bishop John M. Smith Feb. 13. (Click here for photos)
“As a parish, now we can become what we need to become because we now have the facility to help our parish ministries,” he said. “Up until now, the ministries did a wonderful job without the catechetical center, but I can only imagine what they’ll be able to do now.”
For now, the 12,600 square-foot Holy Family Catechetical Center will be used by all ministries and formation programs. With its vibrant, modern, multi-colored décor, the center contains 10 classroom-style meeting rooms, kitchen facilities and a large, 3,700-square-foot area for social activities. A parish capital campaign was conducted to raise funds for the new $1.3 million addition.
Before the center was a reality, the parish’s various ministries had to share whatever space they could find in the church complex, Father Pfleger explained.
“You name it and they were there,” said Father Pfleger. There were some days and evenings when the entire church would be congested with people sitting in the pews, on the floors, in the gathering space, in the sacristy and even in the reconciliation rooms.
Bishop Smith, in his homily, briefly recounted highlights of St. Isaac Jogues Parish’s 14-year history – its founding in 1996; how for six years Father Pfleger and the parishioners would gather for Mass each week in the nearby Frances DeMasi Middle School until the new church was built; the dedication of the new church by Bishop Smith in October, 2002, and now the dedication of Holy Family Catechetical Center in 2010.
“Father Phil has been a man who has dreamed dreams and has been able to make dreams happen,” said Bishop Smith.
Bishop Smith acknowledged how “after much work and prayer by so many members of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, we gather to bless and dedicate this new catechetical center.”
“It will be the center for parish activities and catechetical training. Here adults will deepen their commitment to live as Christ taught us and the young will learn about their Catholic faith. We pray that it will be a place where we may come to know one another and give witness to our faith in Christ through one another,” said Bishop Smith.
Thanking his parishioners for their dedication to their parish, Father Pfleger humbly said: “As beautiful as Holy Family Catechetical Center is, it is all of you who are truly St. Isaac Jogues Parish family. It’s because of all of you that we’re able to stand here. Enjoy this holy place for many years to come.”
Following the dedication ceremony, Teri Graul, youth minister, and Sister Clare Sabini, director of religious education, joked about how on Sunday nights when the youth ministry program and seventh and eighth grade religious education classes would meet, they would “fight” with one another about the noise levels that came from having to work together in such close quarters.
While the youth ministry would convene in the gathering space, the religious education classes were held in the church proper. Now, the religious education classes will have separate quarters, but still be in the catechetical center together.
“I have so many hopes and dreams for this new catechetical center,” said Sister Clare, who is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Infant Jesus.
“I think the religious education catechists will be very happy. It was always very loud and noisy with a lot of echo,” she said. “This is a new experience and I wonder what it will be like to have all the religious education classes in one corridor.”
“This is a big deal,” Graul added.
“Having the catechetical center will present so many new opportunities for all of our families,” Graul said, adding that the new space will allow our ministries to host more programs and invite other parishes to “participate in events here at St. Isaac Jogues.”
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If you ask Father Phillip C. Pfleger, pastor of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton, about the parish’s newly-built catechetical center, he’ll chuckle and say, “Finally, we have some space!”
“It’s truly a blessing,” Father Pfleger said of the new Holy Family Catechetical Center, which was dedicated by Bishop John M. Smith Feb. 13. (Click here for photos)
“As a parish, now we can become what we need to become because we now have the facility to help our parish ministries,” he said. “Up until now, the ministries did a wonderful job without the catechetical center, but I can only imagine what they’ll be able to do now.”
For now, the 12,600 square-foot Holy Family Catechetical Center will be used by all ministries and formation programs. With its vibrant, modern, multi-colored décor, the center contains 10 classroom-style meeting rooms, kitchen facilities and a large, 3,700-square-foot area for social activities. A parish capital campaign was conducted to raise funds for the new $1.3 million addition.
Before the center was a reality, the parish’s various ministries had to share whatever space they could find in the church complex, Father Pfleger explained.
“You name it and they were there,” said Father Pfleger. There were some days and evenings when the entire church would be congested with people sitting in the pews, on the floors, in the gathering space, in the sacristy and even in the reconciliation rooms.
Bishop Smith, in his homily, briefly recounted highlights of St. Isaac Jogues Parish’s 14-year history – its founding in 1996; how for six years Father Pfleger and the parishioners would gather for Mass each week in the nearby Frances DeMasi Middle School until the new church was built; the dedication of the new church by Bishop Smith in October, 2002, and now the dedication of Holy Family Catechetical Center in 2010.
“Father Phil has been a man who has dreamed dreams and has been able to make dreams happen,” said Bishop Smith.
Bishop Smith acknowledged how “after much work and prayer by so many members of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, we gather to bless and dedicate this new catechetical center.”
“It will be the center for parish activities and catechetical training. Here adults will deepen their commitment to live as Christ taught us and the young will learn about their Catholic faith. We pray that it will be a place where we may come to know one another and give witness to our faith in Christ through one another,” said Bishop Smith.
Thanking his parishioners for their dedication to their parish, Father Pfleger humbly said: “As beautiful as Holy Family Catechetical Center is, it is all of you who are truly St. Isaac Jogues Parish family. It’s because of all of you that we’re able to stand here. Enjoy this holy place for many years to come.”
Following the dedication ceremony, Teri Graul, youth minister, and Sister Clare Sabini, director of religious education, joked about how on Sunday nights when the youth ministry program and seventh and eighth grade religious education classes would meet, they would “fight” with one another about the noise levels that came from having to work together in such close quarters.
While the youth ministry would convene in the gathering space, the religious education classes were held in the church proper. Now, the religious education classes will have separate quarters, but still be in the catechetical center together.
“I have so many hopes and dreams for this new catechetical center,” said Sister Clare, who is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Infant Jesus.
“I think the religious education catechists will be very happy. It was always very loud and noisy with a lot of echo,” she said. “This is a new experience and I wonder what it will be like to have all the religious education classes in one corridor.”
“This is a big deal,” Graul added.
“Having the catechetical center will present so many new opportunities for all of our families,” Graul said, adding that the new space will allow our ministries to host more programs and invite other parishes to “participate in events here at St. Isaac Jogues.”