New Pastoral Center in Rochester aims to better serve community

(ABC 6 News) – Crews broke ground on a new pastoral center for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Wednesday.

During the event, he wore the same special garments from when the ground was broken at the cathedral in Winona.

By moving the pastoral center to Rochester, the bishop’s office says they’ll be better situated to serve Catholics across the Diocese.

“A center of commerce and communication and culture and at the heart of it the greatest medical center on the planet. I’ve always felt that the church belonged right in the center in dialogue with the culture and I think that this building here brings us into that proximity,” Barron said.

This past November, Bishop Robert Barron announced that, thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Jack and Mary Ann Remick, the construction of a new building has been made possible.

The $8 million donation is equal to the cost of construction for the new pastoral center.

RELATED: Diocese of Winona-Rochester to build pastoral center in Rochester

The Diocese says the population living in the area between Rochester and Mankato now comprises over 65% of Catholics in the Diocese, and by moving the the Bishop’s office will be better situated to serve Catholic’s across the Diocese.

The Diocese hopes to have completed the building of the Pastoral Center and be moved in by May, 2024.

The new center will be located across the street from Lourdes Catholic high school.

The Diocese of Winona-Rochester serves 96 parishes, 4 high schools, 30 elementary schools and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary on the campus of St. Mary’s University in Winona.