The Falcon Catholic Church’s Joint Committee held a meeting last month to assess its options for a new temporary facility.More than 100 families from various Catholic churches throughout Colorado Springs have been gathering on an occasional basis at the Falcon Middle School. But members of the committee have quickly realized they are running into problems as far as using the school for a place of worship and religious education. Conflict of availability, cost, storage and the time involved in the set up and tear down for mass are just some of the problems.The church’s current location was one of three separate options presented by Greg Tencer, co-chair of the church’s facilities committee. More than 15 people reviewed the options and assessed the possibility of sharing facilities with the Falcon Christian Church. The third option was the lease of a storage building off U.S. Highway 24.”I think you have to look at which facility will best serve the masses of the community,” said Father Paul Wicker, Regional Episcopal Vicar and pastor of Colorado Springs’ Holy Apostles Catholic Church. Wicker is currently serving as one of the temporary priests for the rural Catholic congregation.Before coming to the decision of which temporary facility to use, the committee first had to decide exactly what the church’s needs are in the short term, as well as its long-range goals. Another hurdle the church is trying to tackle is its limited resource of funds.Marie Wells, chairperson for the church’s finance committee, explained the church is currently receiving money through various contributions, pledges, fundraisers and donations from other churches in the region, as well as funds from the Colorado Springs diocese. “There are funds available [from the diocese],” said Wells. “But I’m not sure of that amount.” Wells added that she also is not sure of the amount of money each of the various committees will request. “Eventually, they will submit their budgets to us [finance committee], then we will review them, consolidate them and submit them,” she said.Despite some of the church’s immediate struggles, the church has been blessed with a generous gift of land. The land donor is Ray O’Sullivan, the developer of the Santa Fe Springs housing development near Judge Orr and Curtis Road. Most of the committee members do not know him, only to say that he is generous and a devout Catholic who wants to see something good done with his land. The amount of land Sullivan is willing to offer is still to be determined.”The acreage will be decided when this body is a little more organized in terms of its vision,” Wicker explained. He reassured the group that O’Sullivan has promised there would be enough land available to build a church, as well as a grade school and possible high school if necessary.Wicker also added that O’Sullivan also has offered the use of a community center, which will eventually be part of the Santa Fe Springs development, once it is completed. “The developer will build a community center that you can use for a church for a dollar a year,” Wicker told members of the joint committee. “So you are being given a tremendous amount of goodies.” He also informed committee members that the community center wouldn’t be ready for use for another 18 months.The members of the Falcon Catholic Church Joint Committee are still undecided as to which option to choose, but are leaning towards the Falcon Storage building. But Tencer said no lease has been signed. “We have to go through the diocese office,” he said. “We are working with them to get everything negotiated … before we can sign the lease.”At the committee meeting, Tencer presented a break down of each option based on costs for an 18-month period. Originally, Tencer reported the cost to use the storage facility over an 18-month period would be approximately $56,960. But after looking at the facility, he said the cost could be even more.Tencer explained the added cost is because the committee is considering leasing a two-bedroom apartment that is adjacent to the storage building. The apartment would provide a residence for on-staff or visiting priests.The next step, Tencer said, is to finalize the costs and present the information to the diocese, possibly in May.Until the option of the storage facility is approved, Tencer said they are going to stay where they are and hold a mass on May 22 at the Falcon Middle School at 9 a.m.For more information about future meetings, contact Theresa Garnhart, parish council secretary at 495-0815.
