ROARING BROOK TOWNSHIP, PA (MAY 3, 2019)

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton celebrated Mass and helped dedicate the new Monsignor F. Allan Conlan Religious Education Center at Saint Eulalia Parish on Sunday, May 5, 2019.

After years of planning and a full year of construction and renovation, the new facility is already being used to help educate the next generation of children in the Catholic faith.

The new religious education center has nine new classrooms in addition to remodeling eight existing classrooms. It also features new gathering spaces for youth groups, music ministers, meetings and other celebrations. As part of the roughly $2 million renovation project, the Parish Center was also remodeled and its kitchen updated. The Choir Loft inside the Church was also expanded to provide music ministers comfortable space to lead liturgical celebrations.

“These resources will be a vibrant center for parish activities, a place where community and church come together, a place where people get to know one another and give witness to faith in Christ, and our children learn the teachings of our faith,” Monsignor John W. Jordan, Pastor, Saint Eulalia Parish said.

Described by Parish members as the “Third Cornerstone Project,” planning for the new religious education center began in 2014 when it became apparent more space was needed. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2017.

Saint Eulalia Parish currently has more than 1,100 families with more than 350 children enrolled in its youth programs. When the Church on Blue Shutters Road was first dedicated in 1984, the Parish consisted of 300 families with 75 kids in youth programs.

“This is a wonderful day for the people of the North Pocono region! This new religious education center is a tremendous sign of growth in the Church and I am so thankful to those who invested their time and talent to make it a reality,” Bishop Joseph C. Bambera said.

The new religious education center is named in honor of Monsignor F. Allan Conlan, pastor emeritus of Saint Eulalia Parish who died in 2012.

“He loved the children. There wasn’t anything that he wouldn’t do for the children. He was a teacher. He came and he made it comfortable,” Elizabeth Strasburger, Director of Religious Education said. “If he were here today he would be very, very proud. He would be humbled to think anything was named after him.”