Friday afternoon the Diocese of Jefferson City announced they had purchased a 29-acre property in southwest Columbia.
Last October, Bishop John Gaydos initiated a discernment process to assess local Catholic support for a proposed new parish and grade school. However, the land purchase does not mean that a final decision has been made.
"While information gathering and study regarding a possible new parish and grade school continues, it is important that the diocese have adequate options to implement a future development plan if a decision is made to go forward," Bishop Gaydos said in a press release. "When the opportunity presented itself to make a purchase at this location, it simply made sense to take advantage of it regardless of what the final outcome of the process is."
Brad Copeland, the diocese's director of buildings and properties, said that the size of the property is adequate for whatever future use the diocese would choose. Copeland also said that the property's location should make it easily marketable in the event the diocese decides not to develop it.
Last November, the diocese held several listening sessions at its three Columbia parishes, Our Lady of Lourdes, Sacred Heart and St. Thomas More Newman Center. A meeting with a target group of diocesan priests followed in late January.
The diocese's Columbia Project Executive Committee is reviewing all that was learned at the listening sessions and the meeting with the priests. Bishop Gaydos will make the final decision.