St. Bede's dedicates new school in Ingleside

Parishioners at St. Bede Catholic Church in Ingleside got to see what their donations, hard work and prayers produced.

On Sunday, the church's new $7.5 million Faith Formation Center was dedicated by Cardinal Francis George.

"The entrance way has been well-sprinkled and the foyer blessed, go in any further and you are on your own," George joked.

The Faith Formation Center will serve as a pre-kindergarten through eight-grade school and Catholic education center.

The building, located just south of the church at Route 59 and Wilson Road, replaces the old school, built in 1958.

"Almost two years ago to this date, this building was just a parking lot," said the Rev. Thomas Fairman. "And while it is a beautiful school, this really is just a building. What goes on in these walls is the important thing."

About 500 people attended Sunday's dedication.

Students at St. Bede Catholic School have been in the new building since the fall, but the church decided to wait to dedicate it until George could be present.

"We were supposed to do this in January, but had to reschedule because of the cardinal," said Dexter Sommerfeldt, maintenance engineer for the project. "It really worked out. We are blessed with a beautiful day."

So far, the students like their new building.

"We finally get our own lockers," said seventh-grader Daniel Wojcikowski. "The classrooms are bigger and we have projectors. It's just a great place to be."

Fairman said he knows the church's children will get a lot of use out of the new school, but hopes the building is used by everyone.

"This is for all of us to use so we can continue to grow in our appreciate and love of our risen Lord," he said.

Amy Lasak, president of the St. Bede board of education, said the building was made possible, in part, by a $5 million anonymous donation two years ago from a Chicago man.

"This is such a blessing for the community," Lasak said. "The parishioners made great sacrifices to make this happen and the children and faculty are so excited about it."