Building a parish home

After 57 years as a parish, it’s finally time to build a rectory.

Progress is moving along on ground broken early this year on a rectory with nearly 6,000 square feet of living space at the Church of Corpus Christi in Bismarck. According to Msgr. Patrick Schumacher, pastor of Corpus Christi since July 2020, it will be the very first “true” rectory for the parish.

In the past, pastors and parochial vicars assigned to the parish have lived in houses owned by the parish located in the neighborhood near the church. Most recently, the parish owned two homes in the area with one of the parish priests in each. Monsignor said a true rectory is to be designed for celibate, adult men to live together while effectively providing for the needs of a parish. A rectory has private suites connected by common areas of kitchen, dining, living and a chapel.

“It’s the first real rectory for our parish,” Msgr. Schumacher said. “It will allow for fraternity, charity, accountability, networking and so much more that allows priests to live and thrive and better serve the parish.”

Initial permission for the project was obtained from Bishop Kagan in September of 2021. After acceptance from the parish council, finance council and general contractor selection, the project progressed to approval from the diocesan building commission. From there, a groundbreaking was held February 2022. Anticipated completion is set for Easter of 2023.

The new rectory for Corpus Christi parish will have the capacity to provide living arrangements with five suites for the pastor, newly-ordained priests, in-residence priests, seminarians during the summer and possibly a retired priest.

Father Mark Aune who had served for two years as the parochial vicar at Corpus Christi before beginning his new assignment as pastor at the parishes in Linton, Hazelton and Braddock on July 1, was happy to be part of the beginning of a project that will serve the Bismarck parish for years to come. 

“This new rectory will change the dynamics of the entire parish,” Fr. Aune said. “The parishioners will now have the opportunity to be served by the new and retired priests as well as seminarians. It opens up a whole new culture for clergy really.”

But even more than a new residence for clergy, the rectory is a home for all parishioners who will be welcomed in for events and gatherings. This first rectory will, as stated in fundraising materials, “serve our parish for the next 57 years and well beyond!”

History of the parish

The Church of Corpus Christi was established on Aug. 1, 1964, to serve north Bismarck by Bishop Hilary Hacker. The parish celebrated its first Mass the next day in the St. Mary’s High School gymnasium with founding pastor Fr. Thomas Dolan.

Classrooms and a gymnasium constituted the first building, and the parish first celebrated Mass in its own church, in what is now the parish hall, in December of 1965. By 1976, the parish had grown to 750 families, and planning began for a church building. On Christmas Day 1977, the first Mass was celebrated in the new church. As the parish continued to grow, it was determined that more space was needed so construction began in 2001. Bishop Paul Zipfel dedicated the new space in 2002. The parish has since grown to more than 2,400 families—making it the largest of the diocese.