Catholic Church to be built to house new converts

MISSION — Their church has grown so much they need a bigger one.

That’s the condition of the San Cristobal Magallanes and Companions Catholic Church, led by the Rev. Craig Carolan. The church members keep moving to new sites to accommodate membership growth.

And they will be moving again.

Within the next two years, the church plans to begin building a multi-purpose complex, consisting of a chapel, a church hall and a school in Sharyland Plantation.

The complex is estimated to cost between $6 million and $10 million.

The church had a humble start, first meeting in the chapel at Mission Hospital in 2004.

But the growing church then relocated to Our Lady of Lourdes in Madeo, while holding service in Our Lady of Fatima in Granjeno at the same time.

It grew some more, so the members moved again a month ago.

“We still have Masses at those chapels,” Carolan said, “but we needed a bigger space, so we moved again to the Granjeno Community Center.”

The community center is planned to be only a temporary site until the multi-purpose complex is built.

Missionary work and fellowship, both part of the church’s emphasis, come first, then funding, Carolan said.

“The donations come later,” he said. “For now, we’re doing house-to-house visits to invite people to the church. That’s the first message of evangelizing. We’re calling and inviting all to this community of faith.”

Campaign manager Trey Glasscock estimated there are potentially 4,000 to 5,000 families within the parish boundaries.

So far, 200 families have already registered to be part of the church.

Fund raising so far has consisted of raffling a 2007 Volvo. The 2,000 tickets are being sold at $100 each, Glasscock said.

Despite the fund raising, Carolan and Glasscock said they are happy with the church’s membership growth, considering it has been in existence only three years.

“We’re not your typical church that’s been there for 50 years,” Glasscock said. “We’re a new community. We are creating membership as we go.”