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2006-2007 PASTOR’S REPORT
September 26,2007
Dear Parishioners,
A Travelogue
It has been a monumental journey! I am not talking about my adventures across the ocean this year (there were two of them).... but about the Diocesan pilgrimage through bankruptcy. It has been hard and sad. I have very many mixed feelings about all that has happened. Many of you have had to put up with my oratory on one or the other of my soap boxes about the issues, so enough of that. I am grateful that we have had a settlement resolution. It will probably take a good number of years for us to deal with the full economic impact. Thank you to all those who have made significant contributions to the settlement campaign.
On September 14th I deposited with the Settlement Trust our check for funds collected to date. It was an unbelievable $426,640. Again... thank you to all who have contributed. The finance council has approved our parish participation in the loan to be made in December with American West Bank for the remainder. It remains a complicated business. A good number of you attended the settlement campaign meetings and the open forum with the Bishop and the Diocesan bankruptcy attorney this Spring. With all the secrecy required by the court and the litigants, I worry that not enough has been communicated. The biggest question, of course, is could this happen again? Sure! But we are much more aware of the realities of sexual abuse. Any future failures on the part of the Church will have to be dealt with in a different way. But sin and failure will always be with us as will the legal system which is always looking for deep pockets. After this, our pockets are empty and have big holes in them.
The legal structure has been changed so that not all the parishes are linked together. We thank Ed Budinsky as chairman of the Parish Finance Council for being one of the members of the board of directors of the new Parish corporation. Father Richard Poole and I are the other members. I feel very confident that the new structure will serve the ministry and mission of our faith community.
This is my fourth report to you as pastor of St. Mary’s. My first responsibility is always the spiritual life of this community. That has many dimensions, but one of the ways of measuring it is the simple recounting of the number.( Last years numbers are in the parentheses). This community now numbers 1602 (1641) families with 4172( 4241) baptized members ,4712 (4863) total family members. This year we baptized 56 (60) infants and 7 (10) persons of catechetical age (youth and adults.) 67(69) were confirmed in faith by the Bishop or Pastor. 7 (13) couples pledged their lives in Christ in marriage. Parish staff has helped 12 (10) persons regularize their marriages through the ministry of the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal. 37 (41) have passed into that kingdom where all things are truly one in Christ.
I hope with me you have all enjoyed the participation of Father Jim Kuhns in the life of our community. I am grateful to him for his presence here at St. Mary’s.
In April Rachel Swenson decided to move to Oklahoma and so her work as youth minister came to an end. We have interviewed and hired a new youth minister. Jeanette Benson has agreed to work as youth minister. She and her family have recently moved back to Spokane and into St Mary’s parish. We are really happy to welcome Jeanette to the parish staff.
During the last year, the Parish Pastoral Council reviewed the Religious Education program and youth ministry in the Fall and the Parish outreach ministries in the Spring. I would urge you to review the Parish pastoral plan and its updates on the Parish web site. The Pastoral Council’s primary concern about religious education was the changing nature of the family experiences of our community. We had great discussions about more use of the internet and other means of communication. There was a great concern about the need to involve more families and more children in the heart of the life of our parish.
The review of parish outreach was very touching. We met with the St. Vincent de Paul Council, with representatives of the Valley Center and the Interfaith Hospitality Network (which houses homeless families) and with the Guatemala Committee. Your parish is a community of very dedicated and concerned people. In our name these efforts take place every day here in our midst. Food is provided to those in need. Four times a year we house homeless families. We have supported medical outreach in Guatemala. It is the living faith of this community which supports this outreach. Again I would urge you to review the plans for the next three years on the parish web site. The focus this year for the pastoral plan will be our Parish Worship and our Parish School Ministry. If you would like a printed copy of the pastoral plan, please contact the parish office.
As the shadow of the bankruptcy was lifted this Spring, we have been freer to move ahead with some maintenance and updating of the parish plant. On July 20th we celebrated the completion of hooking up all our buildings to the sewer. The Gym has received new lighting, a new ceiling and freshly painted walls. It is wonderful to see it all cleaned up. The former storage garage has been transformed into a usable building to house the school library as the preschool and edu-care programs of the school have been extended. I am grateful to the School Advisory Committee for their continuing work to insure the vitality of the St. Mary’s school ministry. During this year, it is my hope that the Parish Council and the Liturgy Committee will establish an ad-hoc committee to study and plan for the refurbishing of the church next summer..... things like new paint and maybe some renewing of the Sanctuary area. If you are interested in joining this effort, contact Linda Hess.
Enclosed you will find a copy of the annual financial report for the parish and the school. Your generous support of the Church is a great blessing. The parish finances are very positive. This past Sunday you heard from the Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council and myself about the financial state of the parish. I would note that beyond these reports we must always rejoice in the parish stewardship to the Catholic Charities Christmas collection, the Annual Catholic Appeal and the two mission collections. Your stewardship, support of the diocesan Church, tuition payments, other fund raising, contributions to the School Foundation, Saint Vincent de Paul ministry and settlement campaign contributions are in excess of $2.4 million. May the work of God in our midst be blessed!
It has been a good year. A special symbol of God’s grace took place at the end of June. Many parishioners joined the diocese in celebrating the ordination of Father Kenny St. Hilaire and the three other new priests on the 29th of June. The future of the priestly service of this community is being placed in the hands of wonderfully dedicated new young priests. The vocation program of our diocese is awesome ( seven new priests in two years) and the rebuilding of Bishop White Seminary will begin this summer. That is a commitment toward building our future.
In nine months I will be joining the Medicare club. I am very aware that some of my energy and strength are realities of the past. Your support and encouragement are very important to me as I lean into the last two years of my six year term. Time does go by very fast when you are having fun. I have been having fun. I will do a bit more traveling again this year. One of your two old priests will be here every day. It worked good this year. Next year will be a blast.
Father John
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September 24, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Enclosed you will find the annual financial report for St. Mary’s Parish. As is customary for a parish report, we have provided a two-year comparison of income and expenses and the projected budget for 2007-2008 I want to thank Sharon Greany who is overseeing the day-to-day financial management of our parish and school. I am thankful to God for the generosity of this parish community and the works of the Gospel that we are able to perform.
Fr. John
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ST. MARY’S PARISH
2006-2007 FINANCIAL REPORT |
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2005-2006
ACTUAL
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2006-2007
ACTUAL |
2007-2008
BUDGET |
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INCOME: |
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ENVELOPES |
$596,540 |
$625,645 |
$626,000 |
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PLATE |
$40,622 |
$42,501 |
$46,500 |
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OTHER REGULAR |
$52,869 |
$50,830 |
$37,440 |
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DEBT REDUCTION |
$17,098 |
$14,028 |
$15,000 |
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GIFTS/MEMORIALS |
$11,336 |
$11,911 |
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OTHER SPECIAL |
$57,661 |
$29,132 |
$2,200 |
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SAVINGS: CAP IMPROV |
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|
$58,477 |
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TOTAL |
$776,126 |
$774,047 |
$785,617 |
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EXPENSES |
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CLERGY |
$49,766 |
$56,779 |
$56,878 |
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PARISH OFFICE |
$72,809 |
$79,570 |
$84,415 |
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PLANT |
$58,601 |
$68,886 |
$145,669 |
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WORSHIP |
$47,376 |
$50,579 |
$53,956 |
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RELIGIOUS ED |
$163,674 |
$149,909 |
$152,677 |
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YOUTH PROGRAM |
$23,533 |
$2,684 |
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SM SCHOOL |
$168,430 |
$172,367 |
$145,956 |
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PARISH ACTIVE |
$27,093 |
$22,710 |
$15,425 |
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SOCIAL CONCERN |
$51,077 |
$54,819 |
$34,175 |
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DEBT/CAPITAL |
$47,968 |
$41,796 |
$81,216 |
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INSURANCE/TAX |
$15,499 |
$15,949 |
$15,250 |
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OTHER |
$5,475 |
$2,193 |
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T0TAL |
$731,301 |
$718,241 |
$785,617 |
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SETTLEMENT CAMP. CASH |
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$319,140 |
AS OF 9/14/07 |
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SPECIAL COLLECT |
$32,747 |
$32,026 |
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SPECIAL DISBURSE |
$33,328 |
$30,162 |
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PARISH DEBT |
$172,967 |
$139773 |
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September 24, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Below you will find a report of the Income and Expenses for the operation of your parish school
during the last two years. In the name of the children with whom we share our Catholic faith, I am
grateful for the support and enthusiasm of all who share in this ministry. I am grateful to all the
staff for the ministry which they have carried out in your name.
Mrs. Lauri Nauditt
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ST. MARY'S PARISH SCHOOL
2006-2007 FINANCIAL REPORT |
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2005-2006
ACTUAL |
2006-2007
ACTUAL |
2007-2008
BUDGET |
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INCOME: |
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TUITION |
$547,454 |
$554,677 |
$633,864 |
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FEES |
$56,884 |
$55,189 |
$56,550 |
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PARISH SUPPORT |
$168,430 |
$172,367 |
$142,956 |
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FUND RAISING |
$179,139 |
$181,722 |
$138,100 |
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EDUCARE |
$50,024 |
$65,270 |
$43,858 |
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LUNCH PROGRAM |
$63,479 |
$55,501 |
$60,440 |
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FOUNDATION/ / TRANS |
$68,630 |
$127,438 |
$37,750 |
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TOTAL |
$1,134,040 |
$1,212,164 |
$1,113,518 |
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EXPENSES: |
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INSTRUCTIONAL SALARY |
$432,575 |
$430,965 |
$457,905 |
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INSTRUCTIONAL OTHER |
$157,040 |
$200,407 |
$182,964 |
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OFFICE EXPENSE |
$209,101 |
$228,505 |
$239,436 |
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PLANT |
$136,702 |
$155,818 |
$109,853 |
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LUNCH PROGRAM |
$59,729 |
$59,202 |
$60,440 |
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TRANSITORY |
$61,604 |
$82,000 |
$19,650 |
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EDUCARE |
$41,159 |
$57,043 |
$43,270 |
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TOTAL |
$1,097,910 |
$1,213,940 |
$1,113,518 |
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FOUNDATION (EOY) |
$746,756 |
$822,560 |
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OTHER ENDOWMENT |
n/a |
n/a |
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