1. Design Focus: The Spiritual Experience of Our
Community
• Good Shepherd is fed and has grown around the Sacraments of Initiation and
the Sacrament of Penance.
• Eucharist is celebrated twice daily with 200-250 daily participants
• Reconciliation is offered Monday-Thursday and on Saturdays.
• Baptisms are celebrated every weekend
• 70-100 people are brought into the Church every Easter vigil through Baptism and
Confirmation
• These sacraments are a pillar in the sacramental and spiritual formation of
our parish

2. Design: Connection of Baptism, Reconciliation
and The Eucharist
• At the front, on the right, The Baptismal Font
• Opens the doors to participation in the life of the Church
• We become children of God and He receives us in His home
• Allows the community to be easily focused on the font during Easter Vigil baptisms
• At the front, on the left, the Chapel of Reconciliation
• We are conscious of our human limitations, which cause us to fail and not choose
God. Sin separates us from His grace.
• Reconciliation allows us to renew our Christian faith and once again fruitfully
participate in the Eucharistic sacrifice
• Both are focused and directed towards the Eucharist, in celebration (the
Altar) and in adoration (the Tabernacle)

3. Design: Adoration Chapel
• Tabernacle is situated in a most worthy place with the greatest honor.
• The most intimate site for a personal encounter with the Lord
through prayer and adoration
• Parishioners will have the opportunity after Mass and after
Reconciliation for a more personal unity with our Lord
• “Go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, and your
Father who sees all that is hidden, will compensate you” Mt 6:6

4. Design: Devotionals
• Another important development of our parish: people seeking spaces
for prayer for their personal devotions
• Devotional spaces are offered in our Church to help our parishioners
feel the presence of and be protected by the One to whom they reach
out for help and intercession.
• Toward the front of the Church two particular devotionals
• Christ, the Good Shepherd on the left
• The Blessed Virgin on the right
• Narthex also to have devotional spaces

5. Design: Narthex
• Space to receive our community
• A space for parents and small children, who may need to step out
from time to time, but where they remain a part of the assembly,
being able to hear and see, to participate in our celebration
• Not a separate space, but rather a space where we will all feel
spiritually united
• The Narthex will be like our Good Shepherd’s arms, gathering us
inside our temple, under His care

6. Design: Exterior
• Façade
• We will feel like we are facing the House of God.
• The details of the doors are meant to show we are facing something great.
Large and Broad, with a feeling of depth so that we know we are leaving the
ordinary world and entering the sacred world.
• Plaza/Jardine
• Gathering space for our community
• Area for Liturgy of the New Fire on Easter Vigil
• Provide for outdoor devotional areas

7. Design: Exterior Elevations
• Desire that our temple to be a presence in our Community, a
presence in the city, in particular the center of our city.
• We want our Church to be in harmony within the city
• Christ the Good Shepherd is known to His flock: we want to create an
easily visible reference point for our parishioners, visible from a
distance, inviting us to gather with our Good Shepherd
• We want our Church to be easily seen and admired from different
points of view, a landmark, a location to which eyes will turn.

8. Design: Overall Campus
• Parishioners have asked for increased space for parking beyond
requirements of the City Code for this area.
• Unify and integrate the campus
• Bring all parking areas inline with City of Garland parking lot
requirements
• Much site work is required by the City as part of the project