Bishop Italo Dell'Oro dedicated the Chapel after 15 months of work and passion went into renovating the sacred space. With each renovation, we have three guiding questions: -what is critical? - how can we be a good stewards? - how can we teach the Faith ach of you played a role in this chapel dedication and enabled us to complete this renovation in 15 months for 8% of the cost of building a new Chapel. Together we were able to replace the HVAC and roof, install 42 piers for the foundation, reduce the chancel area to increase seating capacity, add a 5th confessional, become wheelchair accessible, install new pews, teach the Faith through theology in stone, and so much more for about $215,000.
We have 3 major HVAC systems (Meditation Chapel, Cafeteria, and Oblate) that need to be replaced. We are applying for 3 grants for some of the funding but we have a chance for a Matching Gift right now, dollar for dollar up to $8,000. Please consider making a gift. All donations that come in right now will go towards this $8,000 Matching Gift Opportunity.
The Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation has awarded the CRC $4,000 to go towards our next wheelchair-accessible room renovation which will be started in November 2023. We still need to raise the remaining $8,000 before we begin this project as well as complete and fund the six projects slated prior to this project. This wheelchair room will be located closer to Marian Hall.
We want to invite everyone to our Chapel Open House on Sunday, June 25, at 2:30 PM. We are grateful for your support through prayers, donations, and volunteers to make this renovation possible. Knowing we announced the Chapel renovation on March 25, 2022, and in 15 months, we were able to fundraise and complete 6 phases is incredible; praise be to God! We have much to celebrate, and we hope you and your ministry will join us on Sunday, June 25, at 2:30 PM for a guided tour as we share the various details of our Chapel renovation and the theological significance of what we have done. As a unique way to mark this occasion, we will have a very special gift for everyone who attends our Chapel dedication. Please share with your ministries, as many people contributed to this renovation. St. Francis heard the call to "rebuild my Church," and at the CRC, we continue responding to this call physically and spiritually.
We are very excited that the Chapel Dedication is coming soon. For everyone attending the Dedication or Open House, we will provide a relic card featuring the custom artwork designed by Rose Ann Rapp for our Chapel. This artwork depicts the Saint's role in leading us to Christ as well as features the three saints whose relics will be placed inside our altar at the dedication: St Elizabeth Ann Seton (first USA Saint), St. Angela Merici (founder of Urslines who spread the Faoth through Texas, starting in Galveston), and St. Marai Goretti (a child saint who shows the path to love of neighbor).
We are excited to share that we received a $25,000 grant from the Marek Family Foundation for our Oblate Hall interior renovation. This project is estimated at $72,700, so we are now over a third of the way through funding. Oblate Hall interior, pending funding is slated for October 2023. We have two more Foundations that we will be applying to, but they require 40% of the funding before submitting a grant. For this project, we need to raise at least $4,080 additional before being able to apply for their grant funds which could fund up to $21,810 of this project. So please consider making a donation.
The 5th Annual Bible Conference is Sold Out for July 21-23, 2023! We are looking forward to having Dr. Bergsma back for his 5th year to break open the word of God and focused on the prophets. 2024 Registration will open in September 2023, so plan to register then to attend this one-of-a-kind conference.