ST. CHARLES PARISH REDEVELOPMENT
FROM THE PASTOR
February 14, 2018
Dear Parishioners,
As previously announced, Bishop Burbidge has approved the beginning of discussions about a potential redevelopment of our parish site. A redevelopment would respond to several challenges: the need for facilities which better support our parish mission now and in the future; the projected growth in the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor; and, our aging parish infrastructure which limits our parish apostolate, which has high maintenance costs, and which is not energy efficient.
Bishop Burbidge and I agreed on the need for thorough consultations with all parish and diocesan stakeholders with an interest in the prospective project, and we have had fruitful meetings with:
- Parish Focus Groups, including groups comprising our parish Pastoral and Finance Councils, and our Parish Staff;
- Our Parish Redevelopment Committee;
- Our parish preschool staff and families;
- Leaders of various diocesan offices.
We will now host two Parish Redevelopment “Town Hall” Meetings to solicit even more feedback from parishioners–especially those who have not attended any previous consultation meetings. I invite you to join us for one of the two meetings, either on Tuesday, February 20 at 7:00PM, or on Thursday, March 1, at 7:00 P.M., both in the gym.
The Town Hall Meetings will be an opportunity for us to hear your thoughts about the possibilities a redevelopment could represent for our parish, especially reflecting on the following questions:
- How could a redevelopment better serve our parish’s three-fold mission?
- The prophetic mission to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel through preaching and teaching, offering comprehensive formation in the faith
- The priestly mission to celebrate the sacred liturgy and the sacraments, and to guide the faithful in prayer
- The shepherding mission to live by leading and uniting others in loving service - Consider our present situation: How does our current parish infrastructure support or limit our apostolates, our activities, which correspond to our mission?
Consider what will be, and what could be, in the future: How will demographic and other societal trends affect our parish’s mission, and what are the needs and possibilities for our future mission and apostolates? What infrastructure would best respond to those future needs and possibilities? - Essentially, the fundamental question is this: If our parish had an empty city block–if we could start from scratch–what structures would you envision that would best support our mission?
While Bishop Burbidge and I and many parishioners are excited about the possibilities for the future, please note that there are no redevelopment plans, there is no redevelopment timetable, there are no preconceived ideas of what might happen: we are simply in the dreaming, imagining, and listening phase, brainstorming and discussing the many possibilities with all those having a stake in the potential project…
Our Town Hall Meetings will be a chance for you to share your ideas: we look forward to your feedback! I remain,
Your servant in Christ Jesus,
Fr. Don Planty
Pastor
THE LATEST NEWS
REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Rev. Donald J. Planty, Jr., Pastor
Rev. Richard J. Dyer, Parochial Vicar
Michael Foster
Mark Cerny
Lauren Nelson
Ryan Comisky
Shawn Rush
Stephanie White
Chris Rowe
Rashad Badr
Grace Miller
Cathie Fagerstrom
Andrea Bender
Chris Gunther
Monica Craven
Following a request from Father Planty, Bishop Burbidge has approved the beginning of a consultative process regarding the possible redevelopment of the St. Charles Borromeo parish site.