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TOLEDO -- The parishioners of Little Flower Catholic Church celebrated the grand opening of the church’s expansion and renovation with a ribbon-cutting on Saturday, December 8, following the 4:30 p.m. mass.

The project includes a 2,200-square-foot “Gathering Space,” an addition that will create offices for the pastor and principal of St. Benedict Catholic School. Additional improvements will include the church’s first bell tower and a renovation of the Dorr Street entrance.

“I hope they feel a warm spirit of welcome, and I hope we will be able to meet the need that bring them to us,” said Father Dave Nuss, pastor at Little Flower Little Catholic Church, when asked how he hoped parishioners and community will feel when they walk into the newly renovated entrance.

Valentina Carr, an 8th grader at St. Benedict Catholic School, commented about what the new renovations mean to the community. Carr said, “it opens the doors to new possibilities to the outside world.”

Rudolph/Libbe Inc., of Walbridge, served as a general contractor for the project.

The original Church of the Little Flower was built in 1928. In the 1940’s the elementary school was added and the rectory was built. The church and school underwent several renovations through the decades. The most recent building project was a complete renovation of the church in 1993.

Currently, the Little Flower Catholic Church has 1,344 registered families – about 3,500 individuals. The preschool-8th grade school will have a total of about 230 students for the 2012-2013 school year.