By Janet Bohaty
Principal, St. Vincent de Paul School in Seward
There are moments in the life of a parish when bricks and mortar become more than materials — they become a reflection of mission. At St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School and Church in Seward, we are living in such a moment. Guided by the theme “Gather and Grow,” our parish is embarking on a two-fold goal to add classrooms and renovate our current building. This building addition and renovation project reflects our growth in faith, fellowship, and purpose.
Opened in 2001, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School has formed young minds and hearts in the light of the Gospel for 25 years. Within its classrooms, students learn academic excellence alongside virtue, service, and reverence for God. At the same time, our parish has grown and flourished. Participation in faith formation, worship and sacramental life, Bible studies, prayer groups, and ministries has increased. As our community grows, so too does the need for space that supports our shared mission.
Our building addition will support the school ministry by adding six new classrooms, bathrooms, and a school office area including a teacher workroom. The addition will also add a dedicated school entrance. This is important to our parish because currently, the school and parish share an entrance, which is locked during the school day. While this allows the school to be secured each day, parishioners and visitors wanting to stop in to visit the Blessed Sacrament or who have business in the parish office, must be “buzzed in.” Having a dedicated school entrance will allow the school to be secured during the school day, while the church can remain open.
Our renovation project is greatly needed. For 25 years, our school classrooms have occupied nearly the entire campus footprint. They are in rooms that were designed for other ministries and are located throughout the entire building. This means ministries have had to compete for limited rooms. Our building need is to create space that allows all of our ministries to function fully and simultaneously.
The Gather and Grow renovation project will relocate the parish offices to the front of the building, making them easier to find and more accessible. The parish social hall will be updated and beautified to create a warm, welcoming environment for all. New meeting rooms will provide comfortable, adult-sized furnishings for Bible studies, prayer groups, committees and ministries to gather and collaborate. Walls near the front entrance will be removed to create an open gathering space that encourages fellowship after Mass. Bathrooms will be moved closer to the church entrance to improve accessibility for attendees. The project will also include a private family room where grieving families can gather before a loved one’s funeral, as well as renovations to the parish library and the creation of a dedicated space for brides to prepare before their wedding day.
Each room will serve a clear purpose: to help us gather as a community and grow as disciples of Jesus. It will support our efforts to educate and provide space for prayer, discussion, and catechesis. By strengthening both our school and our parish spaces, we ensure that faith formation remains vibrant at every stage of life.
The theme “Gather and Grow” speaks to the heart of who we are. First, we gather — as families at Mass, as school and CCD students in classrooms, as small groups around prayer, and as friends supporting one another in faith. We want our physical spaces to reflect the reality that we are drawn together in Christ, offering welcoming and functional yet beautiful spaces, where relationships can flourish.
Then, we grow. Growth happens when children are encouraged by dedicated teachers. It happens when parishioners receive the sacraments, pray together, and discover how God’s Word speaks to them in their daily lives. It happens when parents find support and friendship within a faith-filled community.
For me, “Gather and Grow” is more than a slogan. It is a vision. It is an invitation to every member of our community to participate — through prayer, support, and engagement. The classrooms we build today will shape tomorrow’s leaders. The meeting rooms we create will host conversations that deepen faith. The family spaces we design will foster friendships rooted in Christ. Ultimately, this project is about building a legacy and supporting our mission. It is about creating an environment where families feel welcomed, children are nurtured, and disciples are formed. It is about honoring our past while preparing for the future God is unfolding before us.
