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Updates and Progress
March 20, 2011
As we continue to enjoy the new facilities at St. Mary’s provided by the generosity of many parishioners, the Parish Finance Committee would like to provide this update on the capital campaign:
| Total cost of Building project | $4,900,000 | (Includes Lauring Construction Co, Architect, fundraising, payment on loan for Purchase of properties) |
| Total Pledges/Gifts made | $3,625,000* | |
| Amount received to date | 2,192,000 | |
| Remaining balance to be received | $1,433,000 | |
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| Loan from Diocese: | ||
| Amount borrowed | $3,000,055 | |
| Principal payments made to date | $205,000** | |
| Principal balance due to the Diocese | $2,850,000 | |
| Loan balance (over)/under total pledges/gifts | ($1,417,000) | |
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| Number of Pledges Made | 518 | $3,554,560 |
| Number of Gifts Made w/o pledges | 255 | $45,440 |
| Memorial gifts | $25,000 | |
| Total Pledges/Gifts made | $3,625,000* | |
**This amount does not include monthly interest payments of 7% on the principal balance.
September 12, 2010
We continue to express our deep thanks and appreciation to all who made Sunday’s DEDICATION CELEBRATION such a memorable event for our parish community. The church was packed for a joyful celebration and hundreds of people gathered outside for the Blessing & Dedication of our new addition. We all enjoyed time together for the first time in our new Gathering space for a reception and tours.
Special Thanks Goes to:
DEDICATION PROCESSION
During last week’s Dedication Liturgy seven parishioners with special ties to the parish through the years took part in the opening processions as they carried banners and pictures of the three churches that have served our parish through the years.
Mary Layden, a lifetime parishioner, carried a painting of St. Theresa Church, the first Catholic church in Shrewsbury built in 1872, in which she was baptized.
Thomas Keegan, another lifetime parishioner, carried an architectural drawing of the first St. Mary’s Church built in 1923 in which he was baptized.
Dr. Robert Blute, Sr. carried an oil painting by local artist and former parishioner, Emil Grilli. Dr. Blute is a longtime member of the parish and was part of the Campaign and building committee in 1960.
Olivia & Max Colombo, the youngest contributors to Our Enduring Covenant, carried the blueprints for our new addition.
Ellen O’Connor and Skip Swedberg, lifetime members of St. Mary’s who were baptized in the new church, carried the Dedication Banners.
The banners and pictures of our parish’s three churches remain in our sanctuary this weekend.
DEDICATION BLESSING
The following are the words Bishop Robert McManus prayed as he blessed our new parish addition:
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My friends, It is a joy for me to be with you today as we ask God’s blessing upon this new addition to your parish Church. After much work and prayer by so many members of this community we gather now to bless and dedicate this new gathering area, elevator, media center, meeting spaces and offices that will serve both parish and school activities. I am grateful to Msgr. Michael Rose, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, for his hard work and leadership as well as the many members of this parish for their commitment, support and zeal. This will be a center for your community activities, and a place where you may come to know one another, and give witness to your faith in Christ. Here the young will find more space to learn of their Catholic faith and adults will deepen their commitment to live as Christ has taught us. All will find a warm welcome as they com to this Church and find easier access. We pray that the Word of God may always echo and resonate from this space. Let us pray, God of mercy and truth, you sent your only Son to be our Savior and Lord. He calls us together as his Church to carry on his work of salvation. We ask you now to bless these new spaces + and all who will use them. May all who come here know the presence of Christ, experience the joy of his friendship and grow in his love. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. |
June 27, 2010
Our parish construction project is nearing completion. The final coats of paint, the electrical outlets, doors & hardware, and some finishing touches on the flooring remain before the building is presented to the Fire Chief and Building Inspector so that occupancy permits can be issued. This week most of the exterior work has been completed, the construction fencing has been removed and the final paving begun. The contractors will soon begin the process of reviewing the punch list with our architect and Joe Favulli, our building committee chair. We will begin to move into the building towards the end of July and expect to open it for parish use in August. Thank-you for your patience this past year while this construction has been underway.
June 6, 2010
Lauring Construction Co. has entered into the final weeks of our building project and anticipation is mounting as parishioners view the progress that has been made this past year. Work on the outside continues with new sidewalks & parking. Inside flooring, painting and millwork are on schedule. Inside the church, hall and school the upgraded fire alarm and detector systems are in place, and these buildings are also being brought up to code with greater accessibility.
January 21, 2010
With construction progress evident every day there is a sense of growing anticipation and excitement about the addition to our parish facilities. Many people have remarked about the architectural design and the harmony that the new building has with the existing ones.
The brick work complements so well the church and school which were built almost fifty years ago. The windows and new entrance help to make the addition bright and inviting. It is indeed an impressive building of which we can all be very proud. We are now fulfilling the vision that our parish community has had for many years. This project was designed to help meet the needs of all of the people who are part of St. Mary’s Parish and School. With the ongoing work of Lauring Construction and Architect Jordan O’Connor along with the assistance of Joe Favulli, the chair of our parish building committee, the construction continues on schedule with a completion date of July, 2010.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THUS FAR
WORK STILL UNDERWAY
THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
We are so grateful to the 471 parish households/families who have made their pledge to Our Enduing Covenant over the past two years. There are an additional 163 parishioners who have made donations to the campaign without a pledge. The total cost associated with the entire expansion and renovation project is $5 million. We have already raised $3.6 million in pledges and are seeking to raise and additional $1.4 million. The $3 million construction loan we received from the Diocese of Worcester is what allowed us to begin construction in the Spring of 2009. The more pledges we have from parishioners the quicker we will be able to pay off our loan.
May 31, 2009
This week Lauring Construction Co. will begin work on the new parking lot in front of the pastoral center where the rectory and “little brown house” once stood. They will be installing the necessary drainage system as well as a new water pipe from the pastoral center to the street. JJ Bafaro Co. has been removing the asbestos and old boilers from the church and preparing for the installation of the new ones. They will also continue to install the duct work for air conditioning in the church.
May 10, 2009
This past week all the utilities were disconnected from the rectory and “little brown house” and they are now ready to be demolished in order to make way for the construction of a new parking area and the groundbreaking for our parish addition. Be sure to save the date – SUNDAY, JUNE 14th for our GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. Bishop George Rueger will join us and celebrate the 11:00 am Mass and then lead the congregation outdoors for a ceremonial groundbreaking in the parking lot. A reception will follow in the parish hall for everyone.
Building Project Underway! - March 8, 2009
St. Mary’s recently received good news from Bishop McManus that the Diocese of Worcester has granted our loan request for additional funds so that construction can begin this year. The project will begin after Easter with the removal of the rectory and the “little brown house”. This will make way for the necessary expanded parking lot which the Town of Shrewsbury has required. Before the demolition work begins, Matthew 25, which rehabs homes in Worcester, will remove some materials from the existing houses that they will then be able to use in their projects. For the next number of years St. Mary’s will be renting a home or apartment in Shrewsbury until the parish is able to purchase a house in the neighborhood as a permanent priests’ residence. Later in April Fr. Mike, Fr. Adam and Fr. Leo will be moving to the home of Pat & Tom Marmen on Red Coat Rd.
When school is out in June we will break ground for a two-story 5,000 square foot addition on the back of the church and hall. This new building will have dual lobby arrangement that will allow both church and school entry ways while providing the required security. The first floor will provide a gathering place for parish functions. Depending on the occasion, this space will accommodate 80 – 160 people. New offices for the school principal, secretary and nurse will also be located on the first floor. The re-designed plans will move the existing library and computer room from the parish hall to the new addition where they will be housed in a new Media Center on the second floor. This state of the art Center will be available for use by both members of the parish and the school. The second floor will also provide a meeting/function room that will allow 60-125 people to gather for events and programs.
The construction project, which is expected to take 12 months to complete, will also include replacement of the original boilers, air-conditioning for the church, elevator for improved handicap accessibility, and new rest rooms on the main and lower levels. This new construction and renovation of existing facilities will provide us with the space and updated buildings that we so sorely need to do the Church’s work and to continue to grow as a faith community.
Expansion Plan Update - November 23, 2008
At last week’s meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council, Capital Campaign Steering Committee and Building Committee the recommendation was made that we move forward with our parish building expansion and renovation plan. With the $3.2 million that has already been raised in pledges, the hope that more parishioners will make their pledge, and the opportunity to request a construction loan from the Diocese of Worcester, we expect to break ground in June of 2009.
The scope of the building project has been reduced from the original plans that were presented to the parish. Although not able to complete the entire project at this time, we are pleased that we will be able to provide for the following:
Projected Timeline:
As we MOVE FORWARD we encourage those parishioners who have been waiting to make their pledge to OUR ENDURING COVENANT to please do so within the next two months. Remember the words from our Campaign Chair, Frank Vaccaro:
Your gift, regardless of size, is a strong statement about your support for our parish family at St. Mary’s Church. Your investment in the Campaign helps to further the church’s growth, development and mission in serving her people. I ask you to seriously consider how you can contribute – your support is needed to ensure the continued vitality of St. Mary’s as a spiritual center for our community.
Expansion Plan Update - September 21, 2008
Thank-you so much for your continued support for Our Enduring Covenant - the Capital Campaign for St. Mary Parish. As I mentioned last weekend at all of the Masses, I ask you to make your pledge to the campaign within the next few weeks so that will be able to determine the scope of the building/renovation project which will begin in June of 2009. We are very encouraged by the more than $3 million that has already been pledged to the Campaign by 375 parish families. Every gift to the campaign is important as it will help us to renew and expand our parish facilities.
When I think about the great cathedrals of the world and even the large churches in our diocese that were built long ago, I think of the tremendous sacrifice that people made. St. Mary’s parishioners back in 1960 stepped forward and with great sacrifice and generosity built the church buildings that we now use so often. It is time for us to renew and expand our church for the generations that will follow us. When all is said and done, we are asking people to consider seriously where their financial resources will be put to use and to make a sacrificial gift to their parish.
Some have asked the question, “What do you mean by a sacrificial gift?” A sacrificial pledge is more than a token donation that we often make even to the most worthy of causes. A sacrificial gift means that we may have to “give up something” in order to make our pledge. A small sacrifice that we make each day, week or month lets us know just how important St. Mary’s Parish is in our lives. For some, a sacrificial pledge may mean dining out less frequently or putting off the purchase of a new car for a year.
As you continue to think about your pledge, please take some time to review the brochure that outlines the components of the campaign or visit the “Future” section on our parish website www.stmarysparish.org. Pledge envelopes can be found by the parish bulletins.
Finally, join us as we pray for our parish and the success of our capital campaign.
Fr. Michael Rose
Expansion Plan Update - July 19, 2008
As we approach the middle weeks of summer the Campaign Steering Committee for Our Enduring Covenant is pleased to announce our results to date:
TOTAL AMOUNT IN GIFTS/PLEDGES $2,829,774
NUMBER OF GIFTS 354
While we still have quite a way to go before reaching our goal of $7.5 million, we are encouraged that nearly $3 million has been raised from such a small percentage of the total parish population. We anxiously await to hear from many more parishioners.
With the economic outlook and concerns that we all have, it is indeed a challenging time to be conducting a capital campaign. But we must continue on. We are still looking to June of 2009 as the time when construction will begin. In order to be ready to begin the construction work at that time, it is necessary now for Jordan O’Connor, our architect, and Lauring Construction Company to take the architectural plans and budget preparations to the next level of development.
Because the capital campaign has been progressing slowly, only the plans for the addition in the back of the church/hall will be further developed at this time. There is considerable expense and work involved at this time of planning for construction. In the Fall when the Campaign draws to a close, we will make further and final determinations regarding the scope of the construction.
At this point in time the components of the construction plan that are being more fully developed are:
The components of the project that are “on hold” for the time being are the expansion of the church seating and the expansion of the parish hall with four additional meeting/classroom spaces for parish religious education and school use.
Let us continue to pray for the success of Our Enduring Covenant so that our parish community may continue to grow in its life and ministries.
Public Phase of Capital Campaign Begins - March 29, 2008
The public phase of St. Mary's Capital Campaign was announced at the Masses this weekend. As of this date, the "quiet phase" of the campaign (now completed) has raised over $2 million! The architectural firm of Jordan O’Connor & Associates from Petersham, MA and construction manager, Lauring Construction Co. from Worcester will oversee the expansion and renovation of our parish buildings to serve our present and future needs.
You'll find much more information in the "Introduction and Brochure" page, and the "Detailed Information" page - click the links at the top of this page.
Expansion Plan Update - July 1, 2007
The Steering Committee for St. Mary’s Capital Campaign has been very busy these past months organizing and taking the initial steps in our capital campaign to raise the necessary funds to renovate and expand our parish facilities. George Osley of Carlton & Associates will continue to assist us through the summer months in organizing the various phases and committees for the fundraising campaign. As chairperson of the campaign, Frank Vaccaro has brought enthusiasm and leadership to the committee which is comprised of Joan Barry, Ted Coghlin, Michael DiPierro, Bob Doiron, Tom Estaphan, Dawn Guarino, Steve Keating, Mike Nelson, Nanette Duquette, Patricia Kelly, Carol McWilliams, Evan Page, Richard Sherman, Mary Surette and Jean Vaccaro.
Solicitors for the campaign have been recruited and trained, although we are still welcoming additional volunteers for those of you who would be interested in helping. They are now beginning to meet with parishioners to educate them about the building project and to seek their financial support. Jordan O’Connor, our architect, continues to develop the drawings that are needed in this pre-construction phase.
Our present plan includes the following:
As we plan for our future and continue the many works of ministry in our parish, let us pray that our efforts may deepen the faith we share in Jesus Christ and renew our commitment to our mission as Church.
Expansion Plan Update - April 8, 2007
Plans are being finalized and committees have been formed as we enter into the initial stages of a capital campaign that will provide St. Mary’s with the necessary funds to renovate and expand our parish facilities. The first meetings to introduce the project were held during the past few weeks and will continue over the next two months. Following the recommendations from last year’s feasibility study, architect Jordan O’Connor has revised the drawings and scope of the project. Our present plan includes the following:
George Osley of Carlton & Associates has been assisting us in organizing the various phases and committees for our fundraising campaign. Frank Vaccaro has generously accepted the role of Chairperson for our capital campaign. Members of the Campaign leadership committee include: Joan Barry, Ted Coghlin, Michael DiPierro, Bob Doiron, Tom Estaphan, Dawn Guarino, Steve Keating, Mike Nelson, Nanette Duquette, Patricia Kelly, Carol McWilliams, Evan Page, Richard Sherman, Mary Surette and Jean Vaccaro.
You will be hearing more about the Campaign for St. Mary’s in the coming months. As we plan for our future and continue the many works of ministry in our parish, let us pray that our efforts may deepen the faith we share in Jesus Christ and renew our commitment to our mission as Church.
Expansion Plan Update - October 22, 2006
Over the course of the past three months a Steering Committee has been formed to make initial plans and lay the foundation for the Capital Campaign to raise the necessary funds for our Parish Expansion Project. I am grateful to these men and women who have been meeting with me to help organize the various phases of the campaign – Joan Barry, Ted Coghlin, Michael DiPierro, Nanette Duquette, Jim Hudson, Evan Page, Dawn Guarino, Steve Keating, Patricia Kelly, Carol McWilliams, Dick Sherman, Mary Surette, and Frank & Jeanne Vaccaro. George Osley of Carlton & Co. has been serving as our Campaign Director and Jordan O’Connor, our architect, has continued developing the plans and seeking initial budget figures.
As we plan for our future and continue the many works of ministry in our parish, let us pray that our efforts may deepen the faith we share in Jesus Christ and renew our commitment to our mission as Church.
Expansion Plan Moves Forward - July 10, 2006
At a joint meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Committee on May 10th, George Osley of Carlton & Co. presented the results of their planning study conducted during the winter months to assess the feasibility of funding an expansion of our parish facilities. In the one hundred interviews conducted with parishioners representing a cross section of potential donors and the parish at large, a full-scale, ideal expansion plan that addressed a variety of parish needs was presented. While the majority of parishioners accepted the plan as presented or with some modifications, there was concern expressed about the scope of the project. Many felt the fundraising goal and the size of the project would be too big of an undertaking, but that approaching the project in phases would be more realistic. While opinions varied on the importance of various elements of the plan, a strong majority agreed that space is at a premium and something needs to be done.
Based on the findings of Carlton & Co. the pastoral council and finance committee recommended that St. Mary’s Parish move forward with a scaled-back capital campaign and expansion plan. Carlton & Co. has been retained as fundraising counsel and Jordan O’Connor & Associates will continue working with us as the architect. A revised plan is being prepared which includes the following:
During the summer months a capital campaign steering committee will be formed to organize our efforts and establish a campaign timetable. The expansion and renovation of our church and school facilities will provide us with the space and updated buildings that we so sorely need to continue our mission as Church. With your support and prayers we will continue our march into the future, building on the earlier efforts of many generations of St. Mary’s parishioners.
Update on Facilities Planning - May 21, 2006
Background
Back in the fall a study was commissioned to assess the feasibility of funding a facilities expansion plan for St. Mary’s. This study has been completed, and a summary of the findings is provided below.
Approach
Conducted by a third-party firm that specializes in non-profit fundraising projects, Carlton & Company, 101 parishioners were interviewed representing a cross-section of potential donors and the parish at large. These one-on-one interviews took place between November and March in the Pastoral Center.
Concept
Parishioners were presented with a full-scale, ideal expansion plan concept that addressed a variety of parish needs, involved expanding at our current location, and included these key elements:
Findings
This study was designed to test several fundamental elements that are necessary for a successful fundraising campaign, based on Carlton & Company’s extensive experience in the area of non-profit fundraising. Here is a summary of the results across these a number of these key questions:
Recommendations
Based on these findings, Carlton & Company recommends the following:
At its May meeting, the Parish Council voted to accept these recommendations and proceed with the project accordingly.
Next Steps
To proceed with this project, our key next steps are as follows:
It will take from now until October to revise the plan and organize our efforts. In the coming months we will keep you informed of this project and notify you of volunteer opportunities. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to receive copies of Carlton & Company’s detailed reports, please let Fr. Mike know.
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