The House That Prayer Built
On the northwest side of South Bend, Indiana, the parish known as Corpus Christi Catholic Community is a 1960s transplant from an older immigrant parish and a quiet answer to two decades of persistent prayer. The community grew out of Sacred Heart Church on Thomas Street, which was established in 1898 to serve Belgian immigrants who had come to northern Indiana in need of a priest to celebrate Mass. Sacred Heart's first pastor, Rev. Henry Paanaker, C.S.C., had been ordained at Notre Dame in 1896.
As decades passed, families moved out of the downtown area. In 1960, Bishop Leo A. Pursley suggested to the Sacred Heart pastor that the parish be transferred to a new location in northwest South Bend. Msgr. Elmer G. Peterson found the present site, and the diocese purchased a 29-acre farm. Groundbreaking for Corpus Christi took place in June 1961. The school was finished in September 1962, and for a time Mass was celebrated in the basement of the school building while the church itself was still only a hope. Msgr. Peterson was the first pastor, followed in succession by Rev. Joseph Horvath, Rev. Denis Blank, Rev. Camillo Tirabassi, and the current pastor, Rev. Daryl Rybicki, who arrived in August of 2009.
The growth at Corpus Christi made clear that a proper church was needed, but funds were lacking. What the parish possessed in abundance was persistence in prayer. Late in 1980, six members of the Legion of Mary read about the practice of perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, and the Holy Hour Program began in February 1981. It has continued uninterrupted ever since. With that foundation, permission was eventually granted to build. Groundbreaking for the church was July 22, 1984, with Bishop Joseph R. Crowley officiating. The new church was dedicated June 9, 1985, and Fr. Blank gave it a name that has stuck: The House That Prayer Built. He dedicated the building to all parishioners whose faith had made it possible.
The stained glass windows inside were designed by parishioner Madelyn Nowinski, who also designed the outdoor statue of the Blessed Mother that stands as a memorial to Fr. Blank. The baptistery was among the first in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend to be designed in full conformity with the liturgical requirements that followed the Second Vatican Council. Today Corpus Christi is home to 700 families and households, both a parish and a school, and continues to be regarded as a leader in the surrounding community.
Mass Every Morning, Confession Three Days a Week
The parish runs on a generous liturgical rhythm. A Morning Mass is celebrated every day of the week. Monday through Saturday at 8:00 AM, the church fills with the quiet of a weekday congregation, and Tuesday and Thursday add an evening Mass at 5:30 PM for those who cannot come in the morning. On the weekend, the Saturday Vigil Mass is offered at 5:00 PM and two Sunday Masses follow at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. All Masses are celebrated in the church and are open to the public. The Saturday Vigil, the 8:00 AM Sunday Mass, and the 8:00 AM weekday Mass are livestreamed on the parish Facebook page, so that the homebound, the traveling, and the sick can share in the celebration.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation, normally reserved to short queues before Mass in many parishes, is offered here on a remarkable schedule. Scheduled confessions are heard Tuesday and Thursday at 5:00 PM, and on Saturday at both 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. The parish office will also arrange a confession by appointment at any time. The schedule reflects the theology the parish teaches: that regular reconciliation with God and community is the ordinary path of Christian living.
The Mass itself is the central, binding celebration of Catholic life. The pastor and parishioners gather around the Eucharist, which the Church teaches is not a symbol but the real presence of the risen Jesus under the appearances of bread and wine. The congregation hears the Liturgy of the Word, prays the Psalm together, professes the Nicene Creed, and brings forward bread and wine to be transformed on the altar. Children are welcome, and the pews accommodate families of every size.
Adoration Around the Calendar
The same chapter of parish history that put a roof on the church continues to shape its daily life. The Chapel at Corpus Christi is open for personal prayer from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday and from 12:00 noon to 8:00 PM on Sundays. Within those hours the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for Eucharistic Adoration on a set schedule that flows through the week: Sundays from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM; and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Volunteers sign up for one hour or more to pray before the Lord Jesus present in the Monstrance.
The Thursday Holy Hour tradition of the parish runs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM each week from September through April. On Friday evenings during Lent the parish gathers for the Stations of the Cross at 6:30 PM in the Chapel, followed by a simple soup supper and fellowship in Sacred Heart Hall, a pattern that wields an old devotion into ordinary community life.
It is one of the more striking devotional rhythms in the diocese, and it is rooted in the conviction that sustained prayer has a way of shaping both a building and a people. The Legion of Mary, which helped initiate the Holy Hour Program back in 1981, is one of several lay groups whose members walk quietly between Adoration and Mass each week.
A Parish School from PreK Through Eighth Grade
Sharing the same campus as the church, Corpus Christi Catholic School is a parish school serving Preschool through eighth grade under the leadership of Principal Johnnathan Combs. The school's stated vision is to be a community of faith dedicated to fostering lifelong learning and enriching mind, body, and soul through a quality Christ-centered education. Its mission is to provide an education for all children that nourishes spiritual, academic, social, emotional, and physical development through a balanced curriculum anchored in the doctrines of the Catholic Church and in the rich tradition of Catholic education.
The belief statement of the school reads as a kind of household creed. Every child is unique and created in the image and likeness of God. The school is committed to academic excellence, and it assists parents in their role as primary educators of their children. Service to others is fundamental to each child's growth and development, and it enriches a child's awareness of social concerns. Every child is an individual who is deserving of respect, fairness, and understanding. The students' growth in faith is the essential purpose of the school, and its environment reflects peace, mercy, justice, and love. High academic standards are set in which Gospel values are integrated in everyday activities. The education is a collective effort by teachers, parents, and the parish community to foster the highest academic values, and the school is anchored in Gospel values as witnesses of the faith.
The PreK program is built around hands-on learning anchored in faith. Children who are four by August 1 may enter. The classroom uses Zoo-phonics, Wilson Fundations, Heggerty phonemic awareness, Amplify CKLA, Indiana Foundations for math, the Ethos Grade Level Certified science curriculum, and a religion curriculum built on the diocesan Allelu program supplemented by Catholic Icing. PreK students enjoy weekly Eucharistic Adoration and monthly Mass, alongside PE, music, library, and art. Financial aid is available for PreK families.
For students in Kindergarten through eighth grade the day begins at 7:45 AM and ends at 3:00 PM. Classrooms are led by two teachers per grade level in the early grades with aides, by departmental teachers in the middle school, and by a Resource Teacher who supports learning across the building. Specials include K-8 Art with Katie Parnell, PreK-8 Music with Lauren Gorski, PreK-8 PE with Mo Pluta, and Library with Jessica Mitchell. Aaron Nowak serves as IT Coordinator and Computer Science teacher. An Aftercare program is available for families who need coverage past 3:00 PM.
The school maintains PowerSchool for grades and attendance, Accelerated Reader for reading practice, and the FACTS system for tuition management. Parents of parish households are granted a tuition subsidy based on the previous year's participation and contribution to Corpus Christi Parish. School Choice Scholarship vouchers, SGO Grants from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and Parish Assistance are all available pathways for tuition support. New families can begin registration online, and the school office at 574-272-9868 can arrange tours.
The Cougars: Athletics with Character
On the field and the court, the school wears its identity proudly. The mascot is the Cougar and the school colors are red and blue. The Athletic Director is Katie Parnell, who also teaches K-8 Art, and the school's teams compete in the ICCL. Fifth through eighth grade girls play soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, and track and field. Fifth through eighth grade boys play football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and track and field. Third through eighth graders have the option of club tennis on the girls' or boys' side.
The athletic program is treated as a continuation of the school's broader mission. Coaches file rosters with the athletic director, athletic secretary, and the school at the beginning of each season and turn in final rosters for awards at the end of the regular season, but the point of the program is to give young athletes a way to develop alongside their faith and academic work rather than apart from it.
Forming Faith: Religious Education and RCIA
For children whose families belong to the parish but do not attend the parish school, the Religious Education program serves students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. Classes meet in the school building each Sunday from 9:10 to 10:20 AM, the hour between the two Sunday Masses, and the program runs from fall through mid-May. The Director of Religious Education is Mike Rafinski, who can be reached at 272-4621 for registration or program information.
Adults who wish to become Catholic, or Catholics who wish to complete their initiation, are welcomed into the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. RCIA is a communal process of study, exploration, faith sharing, and formation with specific liturgical rites for seekers and inquirers. It moves through the Period of Inquiry, the Rite of Initiation, the long Catechumenate of learning and formation, the Rite of Election at which the bishop receives the names of the candidates, the Sacraments of Initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy, the period of reflection and celebration that follows. The RCIA team of sponsors helps guide, support, and instruct those discerning whether to become members of the Catholic community.
For Catholics who have been away from regular practice, the parish points to the Returning Catholics resources on the parish site and connects them with the wider Catholics Come Home ministry as a place to ask questions and begin to come home. Baptisms for infants and young children are prepared through the Baptism Preparation ministry, which gathers parents ahead of the celebration to walk them through the rite, its symbols of water, oil, light, and white garment, and the promises that will be made on behalf of their child.
Music, Men's Breakfasts, Monday Nights of Prayer
The parish's adult formation and fellowship ministries give the parish calendar its texture. The Music Ministry rehearses on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM in the Choir Loft, and choir members sing at Sunday Mass on a rotating basis as their schedules allow. All are welcome to the Men's Group, which meets every other Saturday morning from 7:30 to 8:50 AM for coffee, a light breakfast, and conversation about faith in a relaxed setting. The Women's Group gathers occasionally throughout the year, with babysitting available; dates are announced in the bulletin. On Monday evenings at 7:00 PM the Monday Night Prayer Group meets in the Convent Chapel to read and reflect upon the upcoming Sunday's Gospel, to pray the Liturgy of the Hours (with books provided for new members), and to pray an alternating Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet, with intercessory prayer at every session.
Several other long-running groups give the parish its rhythm. The Pro-Life Rosary gathers parishioners to pray for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death, with meditative hymns, recitation of the Rosary, and mentors provided for newcomers. The Soup Kitchen ministry prepares and serves hot meals to the homeless on a monthly basis. The Stations of the Cross are prayed on Friday evenings during Lent in the Chapel, followed by soup and sharing in Sacred Heart Hall. The parish is also home to a Legion of Mary praesidium, which continues the legacy of those six members who launched the original Holy Hour Program.
Ministers at the Altar
The parish's liturgical ministries reflect a conviction that the Mass is the work of the whole community, not only of the priest at the altar. Greeters welcome parishioners at the door. Ushers help people to their seats and take up the collection. Lectors proclaim the Scriptures at Mass and at other services. Altar Servers, boys and girls from third grade and up, assist the priest at the liturgy, and Senior Altar Servers assist at Mass and Funeral Masses. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serve the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and to the sick and homebound. Sacristans prepare the altar before Mass and clean it afterward. The Liturgical Linen Service washes and irons the purificators, corporals, and altar cloths. The Offertory Counters count the funds collected at Mass each week in groups that volunteer about once a month. The Flowers and Grounds committee cares for and beautifies the property. The Parish Pastoral Council is involved in the activities and programs affecting the liturgical and spiritual life of the parish, and the Finance Council advises the pastor on the financial matters of the parish and school, monitoring all income and expenses and approving the annual budgets. The Fellowship Committee coordinates the social activities and gatherings of parishioners throughout the year.
Parents looking for their place will often find one in the Baptism Preparation team or in the Religious Education program, where catechists are needed year after year. Those with gifts for music, hospitality, finance, gardening, or simply showing up can find a role here. A parish of this size offers many ways to be part of the body that makes the Eucharist a unique community.
Service Beyond the Church Walls
Outreach at Corpus Christi is rooted in the parish's Catholic identity. The Soup Kitchen ministry provides hot meals on a monthly basis to the homeless in the wider South Bend community. The Pro-Life Rosary and the parish's prayer culture speak to a steady conviction that the work of the Church extends beyond the church walls to the dignity of every human person. The Faith Formation program, the school, the choir, the men's and women's groups, and the prayer teams together form what the parish calls the Body of Christ, ordinary believers using their time and talent to glorify God and serve neighbors.
Living the Catholic Faith
The parish's teaching draws from the long tradition of the Catholic Church. The seven sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony, are at the heart of parish life. The Eucharist is celebrated as the source and summit of Catholic living, and the parish reserves a central place for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Church teaches that the Pope, as Bishop of Rome, is the successor of Peter and the chief pastor of the whole Church, and that the bishops are successors of the apostles. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and is in full communion with the Bishop of Rome.
The Catholic faith at Corpus Christi includes the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Theological Virtues of faith, hope, and love, and the Cardinal Virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. The Ten Commandments, the Eight Beatitudes, the Precepts of the Church, and the Four Marks of the Church (one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic) shape the parish's understanding of Christian life. The liturgical year follows Advent, Christmas, Lent, the Triduum, Easter, and Ordinary Time, with the Solemnity of Corpus Christi itself falling in Ordinary Time, a happy accident of name and devotion.
Prayer at the parish is both communal and personal. Daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary, the Liturgy of the Hours, Lectio Divina, and silent meditation each have their place. The central communal prayer is the Mass, and the parish confidently recommends the faithful also make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation often and receive Holy Communion worthily and with regularity.
Becoming Part of the Parish Family
Families and individuals who wish to register as parishioners can do so through the parish office. Kristine Kopec staffs the parish office at 574-272-9982 and is the first point of contact for registration, Sacramental preparation, scheduling of Mass intentions, and other parish business. Pastor Fr. Daryl Rybicki is available for Sacramental matters, anointings, hospital visits, and other pastoral needs and can be reached at pastor@corpuschristisb.org.
Giving is made simple by an online giving platform that allows parishioners to set up recurring gifts, view their giving history, and adjust contributions by fund. Online giving credits donations to the donor's tax statement at the end of the year except when made anonymously. The parish's bulletin is available online through Discover Mass for those who prefer to read at home.
Visitors and newcomers can find Mass times, the parish history, the school home page, the Religious Education program, RCIA information, the directory of ministries, and contact forms for both the parish and the school at the parish's online home, where the parish's vision of itself is summed up in a warm welcome to all who come through its doors, whether longtime Catholics, returning Catholics, those curious about the faith, or those who already feel at home and are looking for a place to put their faith into action.