A new Catholic church in Langford has broken ground Friday (Oct. 7).
Our Lady of the Rosary Parish is moving to a seven-acre property on Irwin Road. The move comes after Royal Roads University purchased the parish’s current location on Goldstream Avenue for a new campus.
The church has held services at the location for nearly 70 years.
Father Dean Henderson said in a previous interview with Black Press Media that the need for a larger space dates back at least 25 years.
“The church is really full at 225 people or so,” he said. “Pre-COVID, we would occasionally get masses of 350 people — just packed in there like sardines. The move is being driven by growth. By lots of young families, by lots of kids, by general need for space for worship.”
The new building offers far more space for worshippers and includes a community hall. Other elements include office space and a daycare for 30 children.
Henderson said previously that the design of the building looks to accommodate a future Catholic school for children aged Kindergarten to Grade 4.
The parish has to leave its current location by October 2023, with the hope being that the community hall section of the new building will be ready around the same time, allowing the congregation to change locations seamlessly.
~ with files from Justin Samanski-Langille.