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It is the nature of a parish to evolve over time. Its people mature and move on while others join. Its leadership transitions. Its needs expand. Its role changes. Its goals evolve. What counts is that the physical plant required to support the parish — land, buildings, infrastructure, technology, even parking — be firmly in step with current needs, if not at the leading edge of what will be necessary tomorrow.

St. Paul’s Campus & Facilities Planning Council manages this planning process.

The first step in the master planning process was to inventory what we have as a parish. Over 75 years of building and updating and changing have resulted in today’s campus and facilities. It looks and feels expansive, yet utilization is very high by the school, parish ministries and organizations, and the community. And the trend of utilization is increasing. The count showing 920 non-school meetings and events annually is striking.

A critical role in our future

click above to view enlarged campus scheme

The role of SPA in the future is critical when considering future needs. Although archdiocesan parish assessments and decision-making are still in process, it is clear that St. Paul the Apostle is a very viable parish, expanding not declining, with a bright future. Other parishes may be altered or commingled, but not SPA. Likewise, the Paulist Fathers in the recent restructuring of their mission and commitments nationwide have determined that St. Paul the Apostle will remain a major center of their ministries through the parish and through initiatives at UCLA and in communications. These factors support serious planning for and funding of an expanding, evolving campus and facilities for SPA far into the future.

Broad issues and goals that have been identified include:

• Housing of the Paulists in the future, both for those serving the parish and those in other ministries or retired, possibly relocating off-campus to open the rectory space for new uses
• Enhancing services to parishioners
• Expansion of the school space with three additional classrooms proposed so that all school activities can be housed permanently with no “traveling” teachers
• Separating cars (both parked and moving) from people and providing the required parking spaces

Significant work has been accomplished, leading to the development of a master scenario, now being examined, and to the projected publishing of a plan later in 2008 for the full parish to consider.

Who we are

The SPA Campus & Facilities Planning Council 2007/8 is composed of: