Church in the Zlín housing estate Jižní Svahy celebrates seven years

Zlín - Today, believers are commemorating the seventh anniversary of the consecration of the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, located in the largest Zlín housing estate, Jižní Svahy. The church, in addition to regular parish activities, also provides support for the Salesian Youth Club. People seek this place near the main road amid the panel houses also for relaxation. It is a space they know and feel close to, said parish administrator Ladislav Kozubík today to ČTK.
    "The church is designed in the shape of open arms, so it should be a welcoming place. People who come here should feel accepted," Kozubík stated. He added that around a thousand believers attend services in Jižní Svahy, which is about a third of those who regularly go to church in Zlín. The rest attend the church of St. Philip and James in the city center. In the last population census, 28,000 residents identified with the Catholic Church in Zlín.
    The construction of the church and the youth center began with a ceremonial groundbreaking on the feast of St. John Bosco on January 31, 2000. The church was consecrated on May 8, 2003. The complex includes a church with 350 seats, parish facilities, accommodation for members of the Salesian community, meeting rooms, classrooms, a social hall, and other spaces. It also features a playground with high-quality surfaces belonging to the youth center, which offers various clubs, meetings, exercises, or even alcohol-free discos.
    "In addition to regular activities, mothers with strollers come here just to sit and relax, as well as older residents of the estate. Many people come here simply because they like the church, that it is nicely built and equipped," Kozubík explained, adding that after seven years, the building is still in good condition and does not require significant interventions beyond regular maintenance repairs.
    The construction of the church, which cost 50 million crowns, was financed half by contributions from citizens. Volunteers also worked here for over 30,000 hours free of charge. The city of Zlín invested eight million crowns into the construction, while the remaining 17 million crowns were drawn by the Zlín parish from bank loans.