[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 8085] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]ON THE OCCASION OF THE DEDICATION OF TOLEDO BLESSED SACRAMENT NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ______ HON. MARCY KAPTUR of ohio in the house of representatives Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today, pleased to recognize a milestone for Toledo Blessed Sacrament Catholic Parish. They celebrate the dedication of a neighborhood center and middle school. Blessed Sacrament became the Mother Church of West Toledo, established December 31, 1924, by Father Otto C. Kappus, in the forested epicenter of western Toledo. Struggling middle-class families of the densely populated, majority Catholic residential area settled and thrived though the Great Depression and World War II. September 6, 1925, marked the laying of the cornerstone for the first church and school by Monsignor J. T. O'Connell. However, the church and school were completed in February 1926. The Sisters of Blessed Sacrament who served the Parish in 1925 belonged to the Dominican Order. The sisters found residence originally in the school building. In 1925, there were 112 pupils enrolled, with Sister Mary Leonilla as principal and 3 assistant nuns. The 1952 enrollment was 778 pupils with 14 nuns, 2 lay teachers and Sister Helen Patrick as principal. For much of the parish's history, Dominican Sisters shepherded generations of the youth through the school. They remain much loved, greatly respected and well remembered. Their teacher successors have upheld the grand tradition. Between 1938 and 1952, school registration increased to the point where the entire floor space, occupied as residence by the nuns, was converted to classrooms. Then, the Sisters resided at 4110 Bellevue Road until the spring of 1948, when they moved to the convent on Castlewood Drive in Toledo, OH. Blessed Sacrament Parish experienced rapid growth in its early years. To help serve the growing congregation, a new church was constructed. It was completed in 1954 and is still in use today. The charter members chose a Southern California Spanish architectural theme that has been faithfully reflected in the new constructions. This style was remarkably suited to accommodate the liturgical reforms of the Vatican Council, but also made the addition of narthex, in the 1970s, possible. Finally, the 2008 opening of the new middle school, neighborhood center and gymnasium facility marked the newest stage in Blessed Sacrament's development. Today, Blessed Sacrament's parish community continues to be a hallmark of hospitality and ministry to its neighbors. The parish is lively with young families and a thriving school, currently enjoying an increase in enrollment. Thus, the parish recognized the necessity for a hub to carry on the progress and traditions of the Blessed Sacrament community. The establishment of a neighborhood center invites parish members and neighborhood residents to enter a partnership to ensure and enhance the neighborhood's vitality. In lieu of the new landmark, the neighborhood formed an organization named ``The Greater Close Park Neighborhood Organization.'' Their mission is to maintain and improve the quality of life in the neighborhood. They strive to beautify the area with trees and flowers, develop programs for seniors and children, enhance lighting in the Block Watch Program for safety, and establish community projects like Spring Clean Up, Welcome Wagon and a neighborhood garage sale. These programs will create recreational and social opportunities for all ages. I stand here to applaud the efforts of Blessed Sacrament to bolster a strong tradition of community in this West Toledo neighborhood. ____________________