Prince of Peace Church breaks ground on new Parish Life Center

At a time when many parishes are threatened by aging membership, a downtrodden economy, and societal indifference, Prince of Peace Catholic Parish and School in Lake Villa has broken ground on a 40,000-square-foot Parish Life Center in unity with church and community.

This $5.2 million building addition is the culminating project of a master plan launched 14 years ago and spearheaded by the Rev. Richard M. Yanos.

A ground-breaking ceremony featuring church and local officials and parishioners was held Sept. 16 at the church.

The Life Center went from dream to drawing board in October 2010 with the launch of the Celebrating the Harvest Campaign fund. To date, more than 50 percent of the project/furnishing costs have been collected through pledges, matching gifts, and other contributions with more than 40 percent of the parish actively participating.

The new Parish Life Center will boast a full-size gymnasium, complete with stage, several new classroom/meeting rooms, a state-of-the-art computer lab, fine arts studio and school library, among other contemporary amenities.

With the new addition, church officials said, they can anticipate engaging the entire parish family — from the smallest child to the middle-school aged, the teen, young adult and seniors.

The new Parish Life Center will fill a need for every segment of the parish population for today and generations to come, Yanos said.

“Our growth is evidence of the strength of our parish and remaining ever faithful to our vision,” Yanos said.

“This space will allow us to expand opportunities for our many active ministries and groups. We are delighted to soon have the opportunity to host community events, athletic tournaments, pageants, productions and more.”