Eyeing the future, St. Rose of Lima, Mt. Vernon, breaks ground on discipleship center

By Michelle Ogden

On Sunday, Feb. 15, many parishioners from St. Rose of Lima, Mt. Vernon, gathered with grateful hearts as Bishop Carl Kemme joined us to celebrate the groundbreaking for our new discipleship center. 

It was hard to believe the day had finally come. After years of prayer, meetings, conversations, and careful planning, we stood together and watched the first shovels of dirt turn, a visible sign that a long-awaited dream was becoming a reality.

Adding to the moment’s significance was how it had come only five years after our new church had been completed. Through tremendous sacrifice, generosity, and hard work, we had paid off that building in a mere two years. That experience strengthened our faith and unified us as a parish family, but it also gave us pause. We honestly did not know if our parish could take on another capital campaign so soon. 

Amid such uncertainty, the decision to embark on another building project was not made lightly. With the guidance of our consultant, Betty Johnson & Associates, we conducted a feasibility study to prayerfully and realistically assess our parish’s capacity. After reviewing the results, and with the careful discernment of our finance committee, we relied on the findings to establish a responsible budget. Step by step, with transparency and trust, we moved forward together.

Much of the vision and coordination behind this discipleship center has been led by our pastor, Fr. Dan Duling. He has devoted countless hours, working alongside multiple committees, to guide this project from an idea to the beginning of construction. The process has not been easy or quick, but his steady leadership, along with the dedication of so many parishioners, helped carry us to the groundbreaking.

During his homily that day, Bishop Kemme affirmed what many of us already felt. He spoke of the “heroic” and “incredible” things our parish had done over the years and said this new project showed our “faith in action.” 

The bishop reminded us that this center would be a resource not only for those of us in that day’s congregation, but for future generations. He even imagined parishioners 100 years from now thanking God for their predecessors’ courage and foresight. We were humbled and encouraged when Bishop Kemme told us that his heart “swells with pride” and gratitude for our parish.

As we shared afterward, “Today we turned soil, but even more importantly, we continue building a foundation of discipleship and hope. The best is yet to come.” With construction now underway through Evans Construction, we look forward with hope. The forthcoming St. Rose of Lima Discipleship Center will be a place in which lives are shaped and faith flourishes for generations to come. We are grateful to be part of building something that will serve our parish family long after we are gone.

Michelle Ogden is a parishioner at St. Rose of Lima in Mt. Vernon.