About
-
The History of Saint Pius X Parish - GrangerEstablished as a parish in 1951, the roots of Saint Pius X Church go back to 1870, when Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C. founded Saint Joseph’s Farm in Granger, Indiana. At the farm, Holy Cross Brothers and Sisters and Priests served the needs of Catholics in the rural farming community, while providing fresh food for the nearby University of Notre Dame. In 1924, the first sacramental records were recorded. In 1936, this unofficial body of Catholics became established as the Saint Joseph’s Farm Parish.
By 1951, the small chapel at the farm was far too small to serve the needs of the growing population. A gift of five acres off Fir Road enabled a new church to be built. This new church, dedicated to Saint Pius X, was built by the 145 families it would serve. The parish celebrated its first Mass in the new church in March of 1956.
As the area surrounding Saint Pius X grew, so did the parish. The parish built a new rectory in 1970. In 1982, the parish built a parish center and gym. By 1989, the parish had grown to 1,200 families, with new members being added each week. This growth prompted a decision to construct a new church. The former church and connecting offices were completed by Easter, 1992, and Bishop John D’Arcy dedicated the new facilities the following September.
Although the Congregation of the Holy Cross had staffed the parish with priests from its beginning, they made a close examination of their mission and the number of their priests and handed the parish over to the care of Diocesan priests in the summer of 2001. As the parish continued to grow, it became clear that the physical facilities, built for a parish of 1,400 families, were no longer adequate to serve the educational needs of a rapidly growing parish. A successful capital campaign was begun in 2003, and plans were drawn up to build a Parish Education Center. Bishop D’Arcy gave permission to include a new parochial school as part of this Parish Education Center.
Dedicated in 2008, the Parish Education Center (PEC) was designed with the concept that education in the faith is an ongoing process for those from “cradle to grave.” The PEC provides much needed space for preschool (over 120 students), a parochial grade school (over 540 students), grade school Religious Education Programs (500+ students), Adult Education Series, RCIA, RCIT and RCIC, Sacramental Preparation programs, sports activities, Christ Renews His Parish weekend retreats, and many more opportunities for spiritual growth.
In response to our growing community, the Parish began a three-phase facilities expansion project in 2014. With significant financial support, we dedicated our new church on March 25, 2017 to better accommodate our parishioners at Mass. In September 2017, we opened the Parish Life Center which provides much-needed gathering and meeting space for fellowship and our 70+ ministries. The final phase, construction of the Parish Education Center Addition and the renovation of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Wing, was completed in August 2019, allowing us to better accommodate the parish’s faith formation programs.
With a present population of almost 2,800 families (over 8,300 parishioners), and construction of the facilities expansion complete, the Parish continues to implement our five year Strategic Plan (2019-2024) through the efforts of the Parish Staff, the Parish Pastoral Council, and many other parish leaders. As we look to the future, we are grateful for all those who have worked hard in the past to make Saint Pius X a vibrant parish community.
Mission Statement (adopted May, 2018)Saint Pius X Catholic Parish, dedicated to renewing all things in Christ, is committed to evangelization through prayer, service, sacrificial giving, faith formation, and community.