Help Restore Koinonia's Bridgeport Rectory

OUR STORY

Koinonia John the Baptist is a community at the service of the New Evangelization within the Catholic Church. We are a community of friends who proclaim Jesus risen from the dead, in the power of the Holy Spirit. After the early years of seclusion and discernment of the charism in northern Italy, the community gradually increased its pastoral activities, forming communities devoted to evangelization worldwide.

In 2004, Koinonia John the Baptist expanded its mission to the United States of America, when our Oasis of California was established. California was followed by New York in 2008. In 2022, nearly 15 years later, we witnessed another multiplication when the Koinonia Oasis of Bridgeport was born in Connecticut.

Through a remarkable collaboration with the Diocese of Bridgeport, Koinonia John the Baptist acquired the property of Our Lady of Good Counsel quasi-parish, which was facing closure due to the low attendance and several other factors. The church and rectory building, constructed in 1950, are located on the acquired premises at 163 Ortega Ave, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Koinonia John the Baptist undertook a commitment not only to revive a parish that was losing its breath, but to bring life and renewal to a neighborhood undergoing significant social and demographic changes. Besides fruitful work with the original group of English-speaking parishioners, we have implemented a formation program for the immigrant Hispanic population. Over the past two years, we opened eleven houses of prayer (three in English and eight in Spanish), six family communities, conducted a series of retreats and various social events where participants learn how to grow in friendship, trust, responsibility, and commitment to the local community. We also organize fundraising and charitable events such as tag sales and Christmas fairs while providing food, clothing, and toys donations to families who often go through the challenging process of integration into the local society. Furthermore, we offer on-going spiritual accompaniment to those who need it.

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

Although we are able to use the church building for the majority of our activities, the community room and grand hall with its amenities are in a deteriorated state. They will need to be significantly renovated in the near future. Nevertheless, our immediate focus is on the restoration of the rectory building, which is currently uninhabitable. This building will serve as a place for the daily life of our consecrated brothers and sisters in the immediate vicinity of the church. Their permanent presence will facilitate the establishment of an Evangelization Center and the development of pastoral activities related to laity formation. This way, we will be able to offer an even greater variety of meetings for small groups, such as "pizza" and "movie" nights for teenagers and young adults, leadership formation, catechism and Bible studies etc. We believe that these types of small group meetings strengthen relationships, and thus, they are vital for the long-term development of individuals and communities.

It is with deep trust in God's providential care that we turn to you and ask you to consider contributing to the cost of repairing the existing rectory siding. After the initial inspection of the wood, we are pleased to be able to keep most of the original wood on the house since it is in good condition. We only have to replace the rotten wood on one wall. Other areas need to be cleaned of old paint, sanded, primed with a first protective coat and painted. It is a great blessing for us to work with professionals who donate much of their time and expertise. However, we need to raise funds for all the materials and labor.

Aside from this campaign, a donation of $5,000 for additional building material has been offered. Double the impact! Match this generous gift and unlock even greater possibilities for a new roof. Thank you so much for helping us promptly reach this goal and thank you for supporting our endeavor to revive and build up this community.