Newton parish breaks ground for new church

Completion of $2.4 million worship space anticipated by next spring

NEWTON — It’s not everyday Sr. Marlita Henseler picks up a shovel and starts digging.

But she didn’t mind getting her shoes a little dirty this time.

On July 31, Sr. Marlita and about 70 other people — many of whom also held shovels, eager to dig in — took part in a groundbreaking ceremony for a church being constructed at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Community in Newton, a rural town in Manitowoc County.

The parish was formed in 2000, and the following year, as part of Phase 1, construction began on the offices, social hall and other spaces that are currently being utilized for various activities. But, all along, Masses have been held in a gathering space, as opposed to a formal church.

That will soon change when the new church is completed in the spring of 2014. The wood-and-brick structure, which will be attached to the current building, is being built by Hamann Construction of Manitowoc.
continue at The Compass 

Does anyone know if the plans are online?

4 comments:

James K Savonarola said...

Matt do you know whether the term "Catholic Community" was used in describing different Churches? Or is this a contemporary way of changing what a Parish is? Thanks

Badger Catholic said...

.... It's basically a bad sign that the theology in the parish is poor. If you check out their website(which doesn't show the plans) http://www.stthomastheapostlecatholiccommunity.org it refers to their priest as a "Sacramental Minister." I think it stems from a very ugly utilitarian view of Christianity, which in fact is exactly how their churches tend to look, and those churches are measured by their functionalness rather than measured against the fullness of the Catholic tradition.

James K Savonarola said...

thanks, I have been seeing this among churches in Milwaukee recently that were called Parishes now being "communities"

Badger Catholic said...

I think also when parishes merge, it's supposed to make folks feel better about losing their autonomy I guess.