August 26, 2024 // Bishop

St. Robert Bellarmine Parish Breaks Ground on New Rectory

Christopher Lushis

Freelance Writer

On Sunday, August 18, Bishop Kevin Rhoades visited St. Robert Bellarmine parish in North Manchester to celebrate Mass and bless the grounds where construction will soon begin on a new rectory.

Preaching on Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse in John 6, Bishop Rhoades shared the fruits of his experiences at the National Eucharistic Congress and the many graces of the Eucharistic Revival. He also explained a new initiative in which the nation’s bishops are encouraging all Catholics to participate throughout the upcoming year: to intentionally walk with one person and invite them back to Mass or the practice of their Catholic faith.

 

Following Mass, Bishop led the congregation outside for a blessing and the groundbreaking ceremony for a new parish rectory. He was accompanied by St. Robert Bellarmine Pastor Father Daniel Koehl and members of the parish building committee.

Afterwards, Father Koehl shared his gratitude for the day, telling Today’s Catholic that the day’s events have “been wonderful for me. Our parish has come out in great numbers to be together with our bishop.”

The initial plans for the project began under the direction of Father Dennis DiBenedetto, the parish’s previous pastor, who now serves as pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Monroeville. The plans include not only a new rectory but also the conversion of the current rectory into parish offices, the construction of a new sacristy, and the eventual renovation of the church interior and sanctuary.

Father Koehl expressed his gratitude for the parishioners who have helped to lead and support these initiatives.

“It’s delightful to witness the presence of our Blessed Lord shown to us in so many ways: in the words of the Bread of Life discourse from our Gospel, in the Eucharist itself in Holy Mass, in the sacred priesthood found fully in the person of the bishop, and in the Bride of Christ, the Church, represented by the faithful members of our parish,” Father Koehl said. “This amounts to the great joy of spiritual fatherhood found in priestly ministry. These sorts of moments are the reason why I am a priest. As a pastor, as ‘the man on the ground,’ so to speak, I’m blessed to be the conduit of these graces, the channel by which the Lord shows Himself to His faithful ones.”

The construction of the rectory is scheduled to begin this month, with the plan to have it enclosed before winter and completed next spring.

“I greatly look forward to the completion of our new parish rectory,” Father Koehl said. “I am hopeful that this building project and everything that follows from it will establish St. Robert Parish more firmly in our mission field, allowing us to more readily get after the work of evangelization and bring many souls to God.”