The Albert V. and Elizabeth B. Colangelo Fine Arts Center will provide a beautiful space for the entire school community to gather for Eucharistic and liturgical celebrations and to experience the exhilaration of live performance and visual arts events. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Albert V. Colangelo who wanted to honor his wife’s memory by making a transformational gift to benefit the community. The Colangelo’s were dedicated members of the Catholic community in Ocala and Mr. Colangelo is excited to join with other donors to realize a dream benefitting the school and community for years to come. “We have been blessed to receive this transformational gift which allows us to move forward with this project. The new performing arts center will offer us worship space for praising God and appropriate space for our students to share their talents, authentically reflecting God’s glory.” said Lou Pereira, President of Trinity Catholic High School.
Tyler Stentiford, Trinity High School alumnus, shared his reflections on the impact the new Albert and Elizabeth Colangelo Performing Arts Center will bring to future generations of Trinity students.
“When I attended Trinity Catholic, I had just started playing piano. It was not long before I was recruited by my chemistry teacher, Mrs. Muhlig, to play for the music ministry. My parents always told me to give back to your community with the talents God has given you. That quickly led to playing for Blessed Trinity Life Teen Mass, other Masses and celebrations at my parish, around town at over 100 charitable events during my time in high school, and grew to be one of the best things I had ever experienced in my life.
“Art has the power to transcend the moment in time we are in, to let you forget, immerse, experience something for the first time. Or relive it for the 50th time. Trinity Catholic offered me and my classmates everything it could in the arts, with rehearsals in the cafeteria, mass in the gym, and concerts in the courtyard; we always found a way to learn and experience music, theater, and art despite not having a “traditional” facility.
“When I learned from my father, who is on the building committee about this project, I was very anxious and excited to get involved and quickly joined the committee to assist in whatever way I could. When the time came around to begin fundraising, we met with Lou Pereira and offered to put together a benefit concert put on by other alumni and TC family in order to help raise money to fund the project.
“The Colangelo Performing and Fine Arts Center has the opportunity to be a catalyst for students that would not otherwise have the exposure and experience to this type of instruction. I hope it gives others the opportunity to discover talents they may not have even known that they were blessed with, much as I did in my time here at Trinity Catholic.”
To learn more about Trinity’s Performing and Fine Arts Center or to support this campaign visit here.