Ques: What are the prospects for the next 10 years of life and faith in North Royalton

Ques: What are the prospects for the next 10 years of life and faith in North Royalton and at Saint Albert the Great that impact “Building Faith: A New Generation”


(con't signs of growing congregation)
-Last Easter we welcomed 12 new Catholics into the church through the RCIA process. This fall we already have commitments from eight adults.
-Our confirmation group had 145 people be confirmed and we have equal numbers in our first communion class.
-In 2017-18 we welcomed over 600 people into an adult Bible study 15-session series(that, from testimony from the Ascension Press people, was the largest-ever such Bible study that they were aware of in their national ministry).
People are hungry for the Catholic faith when it is presented well and with vibrancy. I see only more of that happening in the next 10 years.

Other indicators of vibrancy for the future
-In 2019 we sent the largest number of people to El Salvador through our two annual mission trips, more than ever before.
-10 years ago we were serving 60 hot meals a month (720 annually) out of Saint Albert’s generosity.  Today we are serving 1350 hot meals a month at seven different locations(that’s over 15,000 annually). Saint Albert Parish feeding the hungry ministry is now an agent of the Cleveland Food Bank whose ministry just this summer expanded into a year-round fresh food market/distribution.
Ministry in service to the poor is a great indicator of the health and the character of any community. Ours seems to be very loving, healthy and growing.

We have all heard of closing and consolidating parishes over the past 10 years. Some have wondered about such things happening in N. Royalton.  It is conceivable that some consolidation of parishes in our area might happen within the next 10 years. But more likely than that, we may see a small and rather less complex parish in our area become the responsibility of a neighboring parish (principally because of the priest shortage).  Such consolidation is unimaginable in Saint Albert the Great’s future.

Finally, it might be helpful for Catholics to note that Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Royalton is currently planning a $3.5 million expansion project. Other people of faith and religion are investing in North Royalton. We certainly need to.

I hope that these reflections have been helpful in framing the case of our great and hope-filled project “Building Faith: A New Generation”.con't signs of growing congregation)
-Last Easter we welcomed 12 new Catholics into the church through the RCIA process. This fall we already have commitments from eight adults.
-Our confirmation group had 145 people be confirmed and we have equal numbers in our first communion class.