St. Anonymous Parish

10-02-2022Pastor's LetterFr. John Bonavitacola

Dear Friends,

One of the reasons the bishop sent me to this area was to, among other things, begin the formation of a new Parish in fast developing Vistancia/N. Peoria/Lake Pleasant area. So how is that coming along and what I have learned?

For almost a year now, since last October, we have been meeting and celebrating Mass at the Vistancia Elementary School each Sunday at 1pm. (The school has been very hospitable and accommodating.)

We were able to secure a 60-acre parcel of land, west of the 303 and Lake Pleasant Parkway. We have finished our due diligence period and are currently finalizing the purchase. Our initial meeting with the City of Peoria was not so pleasant. They insisted we apply for rezoning of the land as the land is zoned Commercial/light Industrial. However, the Zoning Code, specifically states that “Churches and Schools can be built in any zone.” Without going into all the details, we resolved the issue and got them to drop the rezoning demand.

The entrance to the property is about a ¼ mile from the interchange of Lake Pleasant Parkway and the 303, on the southwest side. From Lake Pleasant Parkway to the property is about another ¼ mile in. And that is where some challenges start…

The property is surrounded on three sides by Arizona State Trust Land and on the fourth end is bounded by the CAP canal (part of it is exposed and part is underground). All that makes for a nice buffer. But, it also means working with two different agencies (Peoria and AZ) in order to develop at least the road onto the property. And what I have learned from the challenges of getting the two agencies to speak to each other, is that we live in a land that is a “bureaucracy of the bureaucracy, by the bureaucracy and for the bureaucracy and I have no hope the bureaucracy will ever perish from the face of the earth.”

At this point, AZ did approve an easement needed to build the road over their property onto our property. Both Peoria and AZ approved the interchange for the entrance to the road. We submitted all the necessary documentation, the Traffic Study (reading that cures insomnia) as well as the design for the road. The City of Peoria indicated they liked the design of the road but Peoria and AZ were supposed to meet at the end of July to give final approval but that never happened, and we are unsure when that meeting will occur.

Beyond that, our plan is to first build the Church and later the Church Hall, school etc. So that puts us at the point where we need to choose an architect and begin the design phase. So, if you have experience, knowledge and perseverance, specifically with architectural design, construction, engineering or special knowledge of how to work through the bureaucracy and would like to be part of the Building Committee, please email me at frjohn@ololscw.org . Our first meeting should be in late October.

At this point, we have a new parish in search of an identity. Our retired Bishop asked me to submit three possible names, which I did, but he decided to leave it up to his successor. In speaking with Bishop Dolan, he threw in the pot another possible name. Since our Diocese has a St. Matthew, St. Mark and St. Luke but no St. John (the Evangelist), might we consider that? The problem, I told him, is that both he and I are named John. Not sure how egotistical that would look? So, for now we are still, St. Anonymous Parish.

In the meantime, many thanks to all who are supporting the Mission and helping us cover costs, rent for use of the School and related expenses. You are also able to contribute to the Building Fund, which is set aside as restricted for the new parish.

Love,

Fr. John B.