SMA collaborated with the Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Building Committee to transform the parish's vision for new church into a timeless expression of a worship space reflecting the liturgical principles of Vatican II. The 23,000 SF modern space was designed with seating to accommodate 1,000 worshippers. Saint Francis of Assisi parish was among the first in the area to initiate a full liturgical and educational ministry in Spanish. Since then the number of parishioners has expanded rapidly. The parish quickly outgrew their existing church, home to over 2,000 spanish-speaking families attending services weekly. Additional components of the new space include a day chapel; a cry-room; a fully equipped sacristy with a sacrarium; proper storage space for liturgical items including vestments, altar linens and sacred vessels and vesting rooms for clergy and other ministers. The contemporary design includes a gathering space large enough to accommodate parishioners waiting for an upcoming service and those trying to leave the concluding liturgy, an additional meeting space for gatherings of up to 50 people and a baptistry located near the entry of the church used to facilitate the participation of large groups of families in the sacramental rituals.
