With the number of Catholics in the area expected to continue to climb, the churches of St. Mark's, St. Mary's and St. Mary's of Marystown are looking at further avenues of collaboration.

At the behest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the trio has formed a team to determine what direction the churches should take to meet the needs of the future Catholic population. The group will undergo joint planning and eventually recommend whether a new larger church building should be built to supplement or supplant current parishes.

Last fall, Archbishop Harry Flynn sent a letter to the parishes, asking them to consider building a new church to accommodate new families who are moving into the valley, south of Highway 169

"The Archdiocese asks whether there is a need to build a church in the Shakopee area, located midway between St. Mark's in Shakopee and St. Michael's in Prior Lake," wrote Flynn in a Nov. 9 letter. "I am confident that you will be able to work together on this project of determining if and how a new, large church with office space and a parish center would be possible."

The idea of a new church building isn't new. In fact, the lack of resolution over the matter led to friction in the local Catholic community, prompting the threat of a lawsuit in spring 2006 over the sale of some land, as well as the resignation of one priest.

Conflict over what should happen with a vacant lot by the Catholic Education Center south of Highway 169 has come to a standstill with the decision for churches to meet and develop a joint growth plan.

This spring, the parishes formed an "envisioning team," with two representatives from each congregation to consider future options, including possible construction of a new church.

Rob Ruhland, chairman of the St Mark's Catholic Church Council, said it's good the churches are coming together to develop a growth strategy that works for each of them. He believes the effort should be similar to what occurred with the planning for a new school.

"I think it will make for a stronger Catholic community," he said.

While some say quietly they think the archdiocese would like to merge the churches, others don't think that's feasible, especially given the recent expensive renovation of St. Mark's Catholic Church and the parish center that opened in 1991 at the Church of St. Mary of the Purification in Marystown.

-For more on this story, read today's print edition of the Shakopee Valley News, available at area newsstands. A PDF of the print edition will also be available at noon Friday on our Web site.

Envisioning prayer Each church has been reciting the following prayer at every Mass since May:

You have called the parishes of the Shakopee area to reflect on and discuss the current and future needs of the Catholic people in our community, the resources needed to serve them and the buildings needed to house them.

Our faith community has a long religious history and we thank our ancestors for absorbing waves of immigrants in the past and providing the structures they needed to worship, study and joyfully share their Faith.

Through their openness and generosity, they laid the foundation of the Faith we celebrate today.

Now we face new times and another great influx of families.

Help us to plan the future ministries and structures we will need to best serve your people.

May your Spirit guide our discussions and deliberations, calm our anxiety and bring us peace, harmony and love.