Committed to faith, Brother Bob guides a vibrant, growing Church in the City[huge_it_gallery id="5"]
Those passing by St. Agnes-Our Lady of Fatima Church on Sunday mornings can?t help but notice the crowds arriving for Mass. Parishioners warmly greet each other and visitors before Mass begins. The music is invigorating. The congregation sings, prays and moves as drums and a piano accompany the choir.
?The biggest evangelization tool of our parish is inviting family and friends to attend Mass here,? said Capuchin Father Bob Marva, pastor for 11 years. ?There is a sense of welcoming, hospitality and communication. The liturgy is lively. People come for worship, but we also serve other needs.?
The 430-family parish will celebrate its first Advent and Christmas seasons in the brand-new worship space, which will be dedicated by Bishop Richard Lennon on November 25 at 7 p.m.
St. Agnes-Our Lady of Fatima is a robust and growing parish in the inner city. This ?Church in the City? is a success story, thanks to its dedicated parishioners, said Father Marva, also known to his community as Brother Bob.
When it became evident that the growing congregation would need more space than was available in its 190-seat church, parishioners began brainstorming. By 2008, planning began in earnest. Thanks to the diocesan Rooted in Faith- Forward in Hope campaign of 2011-2012, fundraising for the expansion got a jump-start.
Anna Smith, a retired teacher, principal and school administrator, chaired the parish?s Rooted in Faith campaign. Although she was a fairly new member of the congregation, ?Brother Bob asked me to take on the job. He thought I had the leadership skills needed to convince the parish that this was needed and to move forward,? she said. The move paid off, with the parish surpassing its pledge goal.
?We are a family. We enjoy our church and our church community, but if we don?t give back, we won?t grow
