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The Annunciation Parish Story
For most anything in life,
a story can be written and a history recorded of its birth and of its
growth. Year after year, chapter after chapter, the pages will reveal the
story of the accomplishments, the struggles, and the joys.
The story of Annunciation
Parish and its history is much more than a list of dates and buildings,
pastors and organizations. It is above all and most significantly, the
story of the hundreds of parishioners, both lay and religious, who have
devoted thousands of precious hours to doing the Lord’s work in the building
of this faith community.
From the making of a
private novena in the church, to the public baptisms, weddings and funerals,
to the parish council and ministry meetings, to the teacher in the classroom
and the Golden Ager –
“We the
people are the story of “Annunciation Parish,”
and we though
many, are one body in this one Lord.”
Parish History
Our parish history can be divided into two periods. .
.
1) The Mission Period
For four years, from 1955 to 1959, Our Lady of
the Annunciation was a CHAPEL and a MISSION attended to by Queen of Heaven
parish. The Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament, Father Edward O’Byrne Pastor,
would come from Queen of Heaven to help guide and administer to the needs of
our mission, especially on Sundays and holy days.
2) The Parish Period
It was on July 8, 1959 with
a congregation of about 600 families that that little mission, Monsignor
Coggiola-Mower as Pastor – became a parish.
-- We had an impressive
first decade –
1960 – The
rectory on Vermont Street was purchased to house our various pastors.
1961 – The school and
convent were built.
While the construction of
the first school building was under way, classes were held in rented rooms
at St. Pius X High School. Dedication of the new school took place on March
26, 1961. By August of that year, there were 560 students enrolled in
kindergarten through eighth grade.
For the next five years, creation of additional school space was virtually a
yearly undertaking; new space was created by bringing in World War II
barracks. Eventually, these buildings deteriorated and for the safety of
the students – they were replaced by a new Primary Education Building, which
was dedicated in 1981.
With the birth of our school,
it was possible to secure the services of a distinguished international
teaching Order, the Canossian Sisters.
In the summer of 1961, four
Canossian Sisters arrived from their mother house in Italy and became our
first school administration staff.
A convent was built, the same
year as the school, to provide a residence for our Sisters. It housed a
beautiful and devout little chapel, a modern kitchen, study room, visitor’s
parlor, five cells and a small enclosed courtyard.
The Canossian Sisters gave up
administration of the school in 1968, but continued to devote their services
in the areas of CCD and adult religious education.
Under the loving guidance of
our school staff and the Canossian Sisters – Annunciation School, to this
day, exists to provide a Christ-centered education that will well prepare
its students for a fruitful spiritual life, as well as a successful secular
life.
1965 – Construction of the
Parish Hall began, and this facility was to be used as a gymnasium and as a
cafeteria for our school and also serve as a second facility in which to
hold Masses, as we were fast outgrowing the seating capacity of our Church.
Today, the hall is in almost constant
use not only by the school, but by various parish organizations and
ministries.
1966 – Our parish and pastor organized the first
school board.
1969 – The first
Annunciation Parish Council was organized by Monsignor George Reiffer,
Pastor.
Our first DECADE was a busy and growing decade! We established some of our
first ministries:
1) Holy Name Society
2) Altar Society
3) CCD Program
4) CYO Catholic Youth Organization
5) Knights of the Altar
6) Various choir groups
7) St. Vincent De Paul Society
8) Ushers
-- And our story goes on –
1975 – Father James Kemper
became pastor, under his guidance our growth and accomplishment continued.
1978 – The Community Center
was built. This space is used daily for organizational meetings, Adult
Religious Education classes, youth activities, Marriage Enrichment weekends,
and Sunday coffee and doughnuts.
1983 – The office complex at
Phoenix and Vermont was purchased. It housed the parish offices for
Registration and Records, and offices for the priests.
1984 – Marked the 25th
Anniversary of Annunciation.
What started as a little
mission chapel had grown into the properties of a full fledged parish, with
a school, convent, and administration offices for a congregation of over
1,400 participating families.
1984 brought a desire to the
parishioners to replace the NOW TOO SMALL church facility with a new and
larger building, one where all parishioners could worship under the roof of
one liturgical setting and no longer use the gymnasium as a make shift house
of worship.
A committee was formed this
same year (1984) to represent the parish at a meeting and presentation to
Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, in which we (as a parish) asked permission to
begin a fund drive to raise the monies needed for construction of a new
church building. Permission was granted and after months of planning, the
Church Building Fund Drive began in July 1985.
A New Church Committee and a
Planning and Development Committee were established to study the parish
properties and surrounding neighborhood for selection of a sit for the new
church.
After consideration of the
overall needs of the parish, the various financial constraints, and current
city codes, the north end of the parish property (between Utah and Vermont)
was selected as the site for the new church building. Included in the site
plan was the removal of the kindergarten and youth buildings south of the
convent so that an area could be developed as a playground and also for
additional parking
1987- Upon Father Kemper’s retirement, Father Ronald L. Bruckner was
appointed pastor in June, 1987. Under Father Bruckner’s guidance the
Planning and Development Committee developed the criteria for the design of
the new church building. Research included two parish surveys, discussions
with various ministries and organizations and a study of Environment and
Art in Catholic Worship.
[During the next few years]
a number of ministries have been resurrected including mid-school, high
school and single adults youth ministry, an active summer program for
mid-school, high school, and families including boating and camping trips,
outreach to the separated and divorced, and the children of the divorced in
Doves III and Rainbows for all God’s Children, Hospitality and Outreach
Ministries, Newcomers, and the RCIA Program. The Canossian Sisters
graciously accepted these positions of pastoral associates and servant
leaders of these emerging ministries. A Parish Pastoral Council formed on a
ministries model began in November of 1989.
The 12,000 square foot brick
and stucco building was designed by the Boehing partnership, and built by
Gerald A. Martin Ltd. In addition to the main sanctuary and daily Mass
chapel, the building includes the vestibule, ushers’ room, sound/projection
booth, men’s and ladies’ restrooms, cry room/bride’s room, sacristy,
adornment-preparation rooms, and two reconciliation rooms.
When the wall between the
main sanctuary and the chapel is open, the total seating capacity of the new
church building [is] 780.
Compiled by Sylvia Beierman
1989 - On December 17th, 1989 the new church building was
dedicated by Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez.
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