Fostering spiritual development, academic excellence, & service to others.
DonateA breezy, cloudy day enveloped the crowd on the new site of Trinity Catholic School on April 27 for a ceremonial groundbreaking. Most people probably do not know that this project actually was first discussed over three years ago. I remember the exact place where Dr. Ed Schweitzer surprised me with this idea. Ed and Beatriz had already helped Trinity with an endowment that evolved into bathroom remodels and carpet, and then Ed inquired, “What can we do next to help Trinity?” The question took me by surprise and I answered, “The windows are falling apart and they really need to be replaced. That would be a great help.” His answer surprised me even more. “How about a new school?”
Ed and Beatriz learned about Trinity over a period of years, first as a result of a friendship with Father Jose, and then from their own experiences visiting, reading stories, and seeing Trinity. They were especially touch by the direct connection of the preschool to the school and wanted to substantially make a difference for the students in the school. Knowing Trinity’s mission to serve children in a school where children’s lives are touched early and futures are changed as a result, Ed and Beatriz fell in love with the Trinity community. As a beacon of hope in an often overlooked neighborhood, the Trinity story was worth embracing and the Schweitzers were determined to help. In the spring of 2016, Ed and Beatriz got serious about the idea, Father Jose Millan formed a committee, and the race was on!!
A Conditional Use Permit needed to be obtained. There was a Community Meeting in the summer, a Hearing with the city in the fall, and a lot of paperwork and architectural drawings along the way. After the Conditional Use Permit was granted and an amendment made, we moved ahead to the real Building Permit. Through the fall and winter we worked and waited and before the snow was melted, we had a few trucks working, a glimmer of hope. We had our final day on the playground (building site) on March 31 just in time for spring vacation. The kids waved goodbye to the playground on March 31, 2017 and on April 10 said hello to the Garco Construction crew. With the final building permit, we could proceed to the groundbreaking and sharing the gift of a new school.
Trinity’s story does not end with this gift. It must be emphasized that Trinity has a very long line of faithful supporters, from the beginning parishioners in 1917 who had a dream, to the Franciscan Sisters in 1928, to the Notre Dame Sisters and Holy Names Sisters starting in 1969, to the people through the years who have been cheerleaders for this jewel of a school in the heart of Spokane. Pastors and parishioners who have kept Trinity open, and dedicated donors who breathed life into Trinity at crucial points in time cannot be forgotten. The legacy of 100 years of support is a testament to God’s handiwork with children being accomplished in the 1300 block of Montgomery Ave.
God’s blessing in the ministry at Trinity is evident. It is only with the continued prayerful support of all benefactors and friends that Trinity will be able to fulfill its mission in the future and fully utilize the gift of this new school building. We welcome new students as we have begun the 2017-2018 school year and we plan to move into the new school as early as December 2017. Garco Construction continues forge ahead quickly to enable us to shout, “Happy New Year and Happy New School,” right away in 2018. Continue to pray for us as we serve this community in west central Spokane.