St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 4715 N. Central Ave., has enhanced the architectural landscape of central Phoenix for 50 years. This Phoenix landmark took shape in the late 1950s when parishioners raised $675,000 to construct one of the most striking buildings of the downtown Phoenix corridor.

Today, economies of scale have changed…considerably…yet the parishioners at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Faith Community are embarking upon the same arduous task as their predecessors.

This capital campaign has a price tag of $23 million and includes three new buildings, landscaping, parking and traffic flow, and site work. The construction of a new pre-kindergarten -8th grade school will increase educational space by 20,000 square feet and include a gym/cafeteria. This education center will house daily school functions, as well as evening and weekend religious education programs for children and youth.

The campaign, “Etched In Our Hearts…Who We Are, What We Can Be…” also includes construction of a Parish Hall complex to provide increased space for hospitality and community-building programs. In addition, a new administration center will be constructed to increase office and meeting spaces for parish ministries. The new buildings will be bridged together with a Sacred Walk depicting the life and ministry of the parish patron St. Francis Xavier. Minor upgrades to worship space entrances and restrooms, a prayer gardens, traffic flow and site ingress and egress round out the plan.

Most of the work to be completed within the church itself is aesthetic, while additions and extensions to the church entrance will mimic the current design. The school, however, will undergo a dramatic transformation. The Jesuit oversight, teachings and Ignatian-principled education will not change, but the physical structures will be changed to reflect a more global and technologically aware environment.

For information about the “Etched In Our Hearts” capital campaign at St. Francis Xavier Parish, contact Tamara Bohannon at the parish office, 602-212-4514. Inquiries regarding gifts or events supporting the campaign also can be made directly to Bohannon. Beth and Bob Matthews chair the “Etched In Our Hearts” campaign, and are joined by honorary chairs, Sally and John Auther. The leadership committee is comprised of representatives from parish and school families.