Ground broken and blessed for Prince of Peace site

Photos/Suzanne Loudamy Parishioners, builders, clergy and community members join together to celebrate the turning of the ground on a new sactuary for the Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Below, Father Dan Daugherty and Bishop Alvaro Corrada del Rio offer prayers of thanksgiving for the blessing as the congregation's children gather on the site.

After years of planning and prayer, definite plans are under way to make the dream of a permanent church on FM 346 a reality for Prince of Peace parishioners.

An official ground-breaking at the new site took place Saturday, Oct. 20, with 240 attending.

"As we continue to grow, we thank all our past, present and future benefactors who gave, continue to give, and will give of their love offerings, time and sacrifices to Prince of Peace and its mission to continue the spiritual and corporal works of mercy," said Father Dan Daugherty.

Prince of Peace began as a mission church of the Immaculate Conception Church (which is the cathedral to the Diocese of Tyler) in 1994. After learning of a growing church base in Whitehouse and the surrounding areas of Bullard, Arp and Flint, members of the Catholic community began working on establishing a mission church. When it began, 37 families were present and decided to call the mission Prince of Peace.

Prince of Peace has moved from mission status to a "parish," with the number of registered families totaling close to 200.

The new church will have a seating capacity of more than 550. After this first phase, with completion expected in late summer of 2008, the building project will continue with classrooms, offices and a community center.