Mission Statement
St. Mary’s Church gathers as a diverse and welcoming Eucharistic community to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. We strive to do His will, share His merciful love and serve His people with compassion through our various ministries. We are blessed to have so many who selflessly dedicate their time, talents, resources and treasures for the good of others. Our parishioners, employees, students and volunteers serve each other and our community through our ministries.
Notes to Financial Statements
During Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, weekly Mass attendance increased significantly and most ministries resumed in-person meetings. As attendance and activities returned to pre-pandemic levels, there was a positive impact on our receipts. The overall revenue increased by $969,352. Of this amount, $489,539 was directly attributable to a bequeath from a very generous parishioner. This extraordinary gift will help to renovate and transform our campus. An additional $56,000 was a one-time donation for capital improvements. Also, overall school receipts were higher due to greater enrollment, aggressive work by the development director and a rise in donations. The general weekly offertory also increased.
There was a concerted effort to keep parish expenses as low as possible. This is evidenced by the very small increase in overall expenses. As a result of the increased revenues and stable expenses, the parish’s net income for the year was $892,905.
As you review the FY 2022 financial information, please keep in mind that there are numerous capital projects that have begun/will begin in the next few months, including bathrooms and a kitchenette in the lower level, soffit repairs at the school, labyrinth repair, walking trail improvements and general replacement of aging assets on campus. It is expected that these projects will require a great deal of cash outlay and will be impacted by increasing inflation, rising labor costs and lingering supply chain issues.
In addition, the parish must consider and envision what our campus will look like in the next five, ten and twenty years. Major improvements will require us to save for multiple years in order to reach our goals and remain debt free.
The generosity of our parishioners made FY 2022 a great financial success. Let us build on this success and continue to be good stewards of the gifts God has given to us.
Parish Statistics
Registered Households 1436
Number of Parishioners 3770
Average Weekly Mass Attendence 966
Contributing Households 540
Infant Baptisms (0-7 years) 55
Minor Baptisms (7-17 years) 11
Adult Baptisms (18 years & older) 7
First Communions 43
Confirmations 53
Marriages 10
Deaths 21
Faith Formation Enrollment 136
St. Mary’s School Enrollment
Pre-K3 through 8th Grade 166
Catholic 100
Non Catholic 66
Youth Ministry
7th and 8th Grade 21
9th through 12th Grade 26
Capital Improvements and Future Plans
In FY 2022, the parish made progress regarding the improvement and future expansion of both our church and school. The Long-Term Planning Committee (LTPC) selected Rothe Architecture & Planning to develop a 20-year master plan for the parish. The LTPC surveyed each ministry regarding their current and future space needs. After the results were compiled, Rothe personnel met with the ministries to gain a more in-depth understanding of their space requirements. Rothe will use this knowledge to develop a long term vision for the campus, which will serve as a guide for future development. This will allow us to expand in stages with a plan in place. The preliminary plans are expected to be delivered by the end of the calendar year.
The church’s lower level is a massive space that has not been utilized to its potential due to the lack of bathrooms and a water source. An architect was hired to design bathrooms, a kitchenette and storage space to improve the lower level and make it more functional. After the plans were determined to meet the needs of the parish, bids were solicited for the project and four firms submitted bids. The bids were reviewed by the parish finance council which then made a recommendation to Father Collins. The recommendation was accepted and a package is being prepared for diocese approval. If approved, construction will start in the fall and, barring complications, completion is expected within four months. Prior-collected home campaign funds will fund the majority of this project but it is anticipated that other parish funds will be needed to complete all the work.
In addition to improvements and new capital projects, we continue to maintain our current plant and assets. As they age, they must be repaired or replaced to ensure the safety and stability of our campus.
St. Mary’s Catholic School Anchored in Love since 1911
St. Mary’s Catholic School (SMS) is the largest ministry of our parish! We are fortunate to have an on-site facility that educates our students in the Catholic faith and Christ centered way of life. Our principal, teachers, and administrative staff are dedicated to ensuring our faith is carried into subsequent generations.
In the FY 2022, SMS had 166 students representing 125 families. Our student base is diverse as it represents six continents and nine different spoken languages. Our school has unique educational programs, including:
All students participate in Religion class and weekly liturgy, have the privilege of being responsible to plan for a Mass, and participate as cantors, lectors, and altar servers; Anchored in Flowers which teaches agricultural and business skills along with simple biology review;
Weekly Spanish instruction helping to develop a foundation in a new language;
The music program is instructed by professional musicians; An innovative art program; A Physical Education program designed to practice and develop skills in activities which provide a foundation for life long fitness; A technology course which teaches the core concepts of technology and various approaches to solving problems.
In FY 2022, the parish provided SMS with $222,163 in financial support. Thanks to this generous contribution, 40% of our students received financial aid to help them develop into scholars and disciples.
SMS continues to grow; in FY 2023 we have 187 enrolled students. The parish offers assistance to those who qualify to ensure that finances are not an obstacle to a Catholic education.
Our Ministries and Outreach to the Less Fortunate
St. Mary’s is blessed to have caring individuals who dedicate their time, treasure and talent to our many ministries. Our school, children’s faith formation and youth ministry ensure that our young people are immersed, taught and surrounded by others who lead by example and live the Catholic faith. There are opportunities to deepen your faith through sacraments, adoration, religious book studies, Bible studies and other activities that promote community and unity within our church.
In addition to supporting and maintaining our own parish, there are ministries that serve our parish and the larger community. These ministries provide the opportunity to love your neighbor as yourself by helping those who are less fortunate or have fallen on hard times.
The St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) ministry provides financial assistance with rent, utilities, medicine, gasoline and many other needs to parishioners and non-parishioners during these challenging times. In FY 2022, SVDP was honored to receive a $5,000 grant from the Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund which helped to provide $64,747 in financial assistance to families with children, disabled persons and retirees on a fixed income.
The St. Mary’s Food Pantry has seen as increase in those seeking food assistance. During the first six months of 2022, 40% more households were served than during the same period last year. Currently, 150 households per month are served with approximately 10 new households per month seeking assistance. Each month, a household receives a 35-pound box of non-perishable food, in addition to meat, produce and dairy products. This translates to 3,600 cans of green beans, 3,600 cans of corn, 5,400 cans of soup, 5,400 cans of tuna– just to name a few of the items provided!
Both SVDP and the food pantry thank the parishioners for their prayers, donations and financial support.
Stewardship Prayer
Generous and loving God,
You call us to be disciples of your Son Jesus and good stewards of all your many gifts.
Open our minds and hearts to a greater awareness And deeper appreciation of your countless blessings.
Transform us through the power of your Spirit to nurture a Stewardship way of life marked by faith-filled prayer, service to our neighbor
and generous sharing.
Teach us to be faithful servants of your gifts. With Mary’s help, may we return ten-fold The gifts entrusted to us.
We pray through Christ, our Lord, Amen
