Holy Family's campus expansion aligned with mission

Drive by Holy Family's campus at 2515 Palatine Road in Inverness, any day or evening and you will see a steady stream of children, teens, adults and seniors arriving for a variety of activities. The good news -- there is something for everyone at Holy Family; the bad news -- space has been limited.

Fr. Terry Keehan, Pastor, believes that the physical space should support the mission and vision of the parish. Simply stated, the mission of Holy Family is to be a vibrant community that encourages people of all ages to become life-long learners growing in faith. Driven by this mission, the parishioners raised $4 million in four months to expand the facility, enhance existing space, and replenish maintenance reserves. This represents the fourth expansion project for the relatively young parish.

Commissioned by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin in the late 80's as a progressive, Roman Catholic Church, the dynamic community continues to attract new members. “We are committed to warmly welcoming young families, singles, seniors and anyone in between who is looking for a spiritual home.” Holy Family Academy, nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum and instruction, plays an important role in attracting young families to the parish.

“Our Academy has grown bigger and faster than we dreamed possible,” states Fr. Terry. Founded in 2002 with only 29 students, the Academy now has enrollment approaching 450 students in 2-year-old preschool through 8th grade. About half of the money recently raised was earmarked to create more space for learning, primarily meeting the Academy's needs. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our community to create additional classrooms, a science lab and expanded library for our thriving school,” states Dr. Gretchen Ludwig, Principal. Begun in April, the new space will be completed in time for school to begin next week.

Aligning the physical space with the community's mission continues Holy Family's legacy as a growing, warm and welcoming faith community. Fr. Terry, a sports enthusiast and former college basketball player, is quick to compare theology with a line from a favorite movie, “If you build it, He will come.”