St. Mary`s - St Mary Chardon
Transcription
St. Mary`s - St Mary Chardon
St. Mary’s M essenger St. Mary Parish Chardon, OH (440)285-7051 www.stmarychardon.org October 2014 We, the Roman Catholic community of St. Mary Parish under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, will proclaim, celebrate, and live out faith in God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit and who sanctifies us in word and sacrament. From the Pastor Going Back to School By Father Dan Redmond The Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy is a seminary community currently composed of students sponsored by dioceses from across the United States and Australia. These students devote themselves to personal formation for priestly ministry under the attentive guidance, supervision and evaluation of a formation faculty of priests and religious. At the North American College, a sabbatical program for Catholic priests is also offered in both the fall and the spring of each year. This sabbatical program is known as the Institute for Continuing Theological Education of the Pontifical North American College. The sabbatical lasts three months. Since 1971, some 3,000 priests have attended the I.C.T.E. The Institute is an extraordinary opportunity for priests to study, pray and become more faith-filled disciples of the Lord in a newer and deeper way. The subject-areas covered in this program include: Sacred Scripture, Eucharist and Sacred Orders, Christology and Ecclesiology, Church History, Liturgy and the New Missal, Fundamental and Moral theology, Normative Ethics and Bio-Medical Ethics, Canon Law, Homiletics and Preaching, Saints, Church Fathers, Women Doctors/ Mystics of the Church, Ecumenism, Culture and Unbelief. During the fall sabbatical program for 2014, there is also an opportunity for priests to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land at their own expense. Each year, the Diocese of Cleveland has sponsored this sabbatical for a specific number of Diocesan priests. Once a priest has served the required number of years, he is eligible to be considered for this program. In late 2013, I was approached by the secretary for the Office of Continuing Education and Formation of Ministers for the Diocese of Cleveland and was asked to consider participating in this sabbatical program. After prayer and reflection, as well as in consultation with Fr. Kawalec, I decided to participate in the sabbatical program. Therefore, I will be participating in this sabbatical program from September 8th – November 25th, 2014. I am very thankful for this opportunity for ongoing priestly formation. In speaking with a number of priests who have participated in this program, they found that they returned to their respective parishes both renewed and refreshed by the experience. I am also looking forward to embracing the opportunities to visit places of spiritual, cultural and historical significance. While I may not cross every destination off my “wish list,” I pray that God will allow me to experience what He wishes me to experience. I ask that you keep me in your prayers and please know that you are always in my prayers. God bless you. Fr. Dan Redmond Pastor, St. Mary Parish October 2nd through November 24th Thursdays at 7:00-8:15pm or Mondays at 6:15-7:30pm (repeat of Thursdays) Room 107 in the School upper hall 2 Please join Fr. Kawalec for an 8-week series— Video Presentation and Discussion by Christopher West. “The Theology of the Body” is the revolutionary papal teaching of St. John Paul II on LOVE, SEXUALITY, and the MEANING OF HUMAN LIFE. This theology is based on Sacred Scripture, Catholic moral teaching, and human experience. A workbook is available($5.00) to help you follow the videos and remember what you’ve learned throughout the series – this book is HIGHLY recommended. Note: This series is for anyone ages 17 and up. Praying Prayer — A Conversation with God By Deacon Larry Boehnlein Praying is something that I’m sure we all do or have done in our lives. Certainly one of my fondest childhood memories is kneeling by my bed with my twin sister and one of my parents and saying that age old prayer “now I lay me down to sleep…” I’m sure you are familiar with it. It was something we did as a family and it is something that stuck with me while raising our own children as well as our grandchildren when we have the opportunity. Prayer should be an important part of each of our lives. It is simply a personal conversation with God; a conversation where we invite God into our lives. A time when we can be truly honest with ourselves, a time when we can share our doubts, frustrations, joys and troubles with our God. It is important for us to foster a relationship with God and that relationship is best developed through prayer. It is a very simple act, yet there are many, both young and old alike, who are uncomfortable, feel inadequate or may even feel ill-prepared to pray let alone feel able to teach their children to pray. Perhaps it is because they did not experience personal prayer in their family growing up or there was no one in their lives to show them how to pray or perhaps they do not see a need to pray. This later can often occur when everything seems to be going great. Yet when things begin to fall apart through tragedy or unexpected events it is then that we turn toward God and prayer becomes important. There are many types of prayer all of which are an extension of our conversation with God. There are prayers of praise, “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit”. There are prayers of thanksgiving like our prayer before meals, “Bless us oh Lord and these thy gifts…”. There are prayers of Petition, “Angel of God my guardian dear to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side…” And then we have prayers of contrition where we ask God for his mercy and forgiveness, “Oh my God I am heartily sorry for having offended thee….” These prayers should be familiar to us as well as countless others, Our Father, Hail Mary, Apostles Creed, the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, prayer to St. Francis. All of these are basic prayers that many of us learned as children. As we mature and grow in our spiritual life our prayer life also changes and takes on different forms depending on our situation in life. We pray for people who are ill or suffering, those who persecute us, individuals who have lost their way or fallen away from the church. We may pray for our own health and healing. The reasons are countless yet they are all just a conversation with God. Allowing him into our lives and turning our lives over to Him, and these conversations with God can begin when we are just a child, when a parent, brother or sister or grandparent take the time to teach our children how to pray. Anointing of the Sick — October 18-19 at the 4:30pm, 8:00am, 10:00am, and 12:00 noon Masses Men’s Retreat — Saturday, November 1 All Souls Mass of Remembrance — Friday, November 7, 7:00pm Solemn Eucharistic Devotions — Wednesday November 19, 8:00am-8:00pm Thanksgiving Mass — Thursday, November 27, 9:00am Women’s Day of Prayer — Saturday, December 6 3 Reaching Out St. Mary’s New Evangelization By Marita Burke and the Evangelization Committee Pope Francis speaks about evangelizing and how important it is to every church and each individual, whether practicing their faith or not. He says we are all called to evangelize, “for if we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others?” Here at St. Mary’s, an Evangelization Team has been recently re-ignited by some of our parishioners to carry out that plan. The members are: Deacon Tom Peshek, Maureen Pavlick, Andrej Lah, John Mezzopera, Mike Mathe, Tom Zapotosky, Tom Benda and Terry Speelberg. Some of them have taken a moment to explain their thoughts and hopes for the future of the team and our parish Maureen – “As for me, I am trying to revitalize it. I worked closely with Terri Baldwin, who presented at Parish Council last fall and really lit a spark to get this going! The Holy Spirit put in my mind to develop ways and encourage St. Mary’s to be a more welcoming community. “Even though the New Evangelization was originally presented and introduced by St. John Paul years ago, I believe Pope Francis is very relatable to average, not superholy, people like me and that he is a great role model to inspire us all and relight that flame. In his book, Joy of the Gospel, Pope F rancis says one of the most important initial processes in evangelization is being welcoming. We studied his book in Council; I couldn't put it down! “My vision is to raise awareness to evangelization as a parish community to bring Christ to others which will empower us through the Holy Spirit, not in the door-todoor Bible thumping way, but in small ways that we are all capable of! The Diocese evangelization web site states: “To bring about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm for their faith that, in living their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others.” Andrej – “In discussing evangelization at council, we realized there was a great need to reach out not only to the lapsed Catholic community, but also non-Catholics who might have an interest in the Church. Some people left Church Council to get involved with the Evangelization Team because they felt it was so important. We want to dispel some of the misunderstandings of the Church to them. Acknowledge that humanly it is not perfect, but spiritually it is. There is much more good than bad in the Church and its history. It’s easier to criticize than look for the truth. We want to bring the truth to light. We don’t want to sell or convince anyone, we just want to provide good information and examples of what the Catholic Church means to us by how we live our lives and to promote thoughtful discussion on what our Church means to us individually, in the world and throughout history.” John Mezzopera — “I got involved because I was asked. Sometimes that’s all that is needed. People need and want to feel not only loved but needed - especially to have an opportunity to serve God! “I went into this from the perspective of more of a “welcoming committee” mentality. We need to make new families and members feel welcomed, get them to meet other people. Perhaps that starts with other newly-enrolled because they are in the same “place”, get them paired up with a “host” family with similar demographics to lean on for guidance, direction, friendship, and fellowship and, by doing so, ultimately getting involved more deeply in the community by sharing their gifts. “If we can do that, we build up the body of Christ, strengthen each other for the battles we must all face, and create a stronger welcoming community and future environment for our children.” Mike — “Evangelizing should mean different things to different people depending upon the opportunities to evangelize that we are given. “It can mean the 15 second unexpected opportunity to answer someone’s question about faith or God. The response should in this situation, come from the heart guided by the Holy Spirit. “It is starting to mean organized programs such as what is happening at St. Mary’s and in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland where the spreading of an evangelizing theme is communicated and made widely known to those who currently attend Mass and take part in the sacraments. In this case evangelizing means a concerted effort to actively spread the good news of the Gospel from active Catholics to those who do not have a regular opportunity to hear it. “Evangelizing also is the reaching out to those in physical or emotional need by the Catholic faithful to help or support anyone in need, even if they are not ready to hear the Word of the Lord. Actions taken in these situations can speak much louder than any words that are preached. “Lastly, evangelizing should be and is the way that the faithful live their daily lives. It is the way we treat others, speak to others, care for and love our families and the self image that we portray to those who know us very well and to those that we may have just met.” For more info, and especially to join our team, please contact Deacon Peshek at the parish, 440-285-7051. Reaching Out Nicaraguan Mission Partnership By Craig and Jennifer Nieset St. Mary Parish of Chardon has started a Mission Partnership with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Chacraseca, Nicaragua. This opportunity to join the Ministry TEAM is not just open to St. Mary’s Parishioners but to any and all individuals that may be interested in becoming involved. It could be family members, family friends, other parishes, and businesses. Join us for our second Ministry TEAM meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room. This Ministry TEAM is comprised of four sub committees; Communications, Spiritual Development, Financial Development, and Mission Trips. Each committee is responsible for helping build their specific area. Communications St. Mary Elementary School, PSR & Life Teen presentations to students Notre Dame Elementary School and NDCL high school presentations to students Information booth set up at the parish festival Develop a slide show presentation for the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Spiritual Development Both congregations have matching candles they light during mass Common prayer that is written specifically for this partnership between the parish communities Display pictures of the children of Chacraseca and ask for prayerful support during the year Pen pal program for adults and children Collect donations of Spanish Bibles / Religious Books / Rosaries to send to our partner parish Teach the PSR and day school children a religious song in Spanish Video mass between parishes Financial Development Almsgiving / Offerings at different times of the year inviting parish and school involvement (Christmas, Lent, Summer, Thanksgiving) Collecting of personal hygiene items at schools or parishes (toothpaste, tooth brushes, soaps) Sponsorship of backpacks for children to go to school ($50 / child covers the cost of uniform and school supplies) Support Stitching Hope, a breakthrough fabric arts business operated by local women. Collect sewing machine donations for Stitching Hope Travelers to Nicaragua bring back homemade items (pottery and handbags made by Stitching Hope) to sell in US with proceeds going back to Padre Tomas for church repairs Fundraiser at Festival - 50/50 raffle or pie baking contest with proceeds going to The Sacred Heart of Jesus (charge fee to enter pie contest and then sell the other pieces of pie) Mission Trips Sponsor / Host Padre Tomas visit to Ohio Help plan a mission trip to our partner parish community (JustHope Trip scheduled for February 2015) Join a mission TEAM and take a journey in faith with our new friends in Christ in Nicaragua —Assist with construction work on the church and community center —Assist in a medical clinic or in a medical outreach program —Spiritual teaching —Sewing outreach - teach basic sewing skills to women in the rural sectors of Chacraseca —Help to build latrines in the area (over 50% of the families in Chacraseca don’t have a latrine) —Work with women in JustHope micro-credit program —Teach in the schools (art, music, English, science projects, etc) 5 Teaching Changes for the Parish School of Religion By Jeannette Stone After almost 25 years of loving service to the children of St. Mary PSR, we bid farewell to Sr. Josetta Marie Livignano, S.N.D. Thank you very much Sr. Josetta and may God bless you! 6 What is a catechist? The original meaning of the word Catechist is “teacher” or one who “echoes” God’s word. However, a catechist is more than just a teacher who has factual knowledge of the Catholic tradition and teachings. A catechist is a minister of the church who is commissioned by the community to pass on the faith. A catechist is also called to proclaim the Good News of Christ with joy and enthusiasm. And, just as important, a catechist is also a role model showing others by his/her own example of how to live as a Christian in our world today. Here at St. Mary Parish the Parish School of Religion assists parents in educating around 500 children each year from grades K-8. Not only do we catechize those children who do not attend Catholic schools, but we also provide sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation for all children in the parish. This can be quite a challenge and an impossible feat for one or two people, and that is why we rely on an extensive network of volunteers. Each year more than 30 parishioners answer the call to become catechists here at St. Mary. They are willing to sacrifice time in their busy schedules to assist parents in educating their children in the Catholic faith and we are blest to have them. On September 21 we celebrated Catechetical Sunday, a day set aside by the Church to bless and commission catechists and their ministry. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide them as they prepare for class each and every week throughout this school year to lead the children of St. Mary ever closer to God. In addition to welcoming several new catechists this year, St. Mary PSR has a few changes to the program. One change this year pertains to our youngest students - we are welcoming Kindergarten children as homeschool students for the first time. By providing the Gospel Weeklies curriculum, we are helping parents, the first and primary teachers of the faith, educate their young children. Some changes are not so positive. We start second grade on a bittersweet note. After almost 25 years of loving service to the children of St. Mary PSR, we bid farewell to Sr. Josetta Marie Livignano, S.N.D. We will certainly miss Sr. Josetta Marie in many ways, but we wish her all the best. To increase their desire for Jesus and to foster community within St. Mary, all of the second grade students in the parish will participate in a First Communion morning retreat on April 18. We have also made changes to the curriculum for our older students as we introduced the Be My Disciples program for our 7th and 8th grade students. This program focuses on the foundations of our Catholic faith and uses a unique balanced approach to catechesis as it invites, teaches, and challenges young people to discipleship. In addition, changes have also been made to our Confirmation program. Last year Mary Schragal received a “Future in Faith, Forward in Hope” grant that allowed us to purchase Chosen – Your Journey Toward Confirmation, a wonderful interactive multimedia Confirmation preparation program. We will use sections of the Chosen program, supplemented with portions of Matthew Kelly’s Decision Point Confirmation program and several engaging live speakers to inspire our Confirmation candidates as they journey towards holiness. In order to more fully prepare our adolescents to receive Confirmation, we are implementing a full year of Confirmation sessions, beginning with our current 7th grade students. Although this year brings many changes in staff, curriculum, and sacramental preparation, these implementations will help St. Mary reach its “definitive aim of putting people in touch, in intimacy and communion, with the person of Jesus Christ” (Catechesi Tradendae, 5 – John Paul II.) Teaching Catechists and Sacraments By Jeannette Stone PSR Catechists Sacramental Calendar Grade 1: Gina Piotrkowski with Anne Mann Deborah Robie with Abby Denton Parent Meeting for First Reconciliation October 29, 7:00pm Grade 2: Sr. Marian Coughlin, S.N.D. Phyllis Samson Mary Ann Stanos Right of Enrollment for Confirmation Candidates November 9 during 5:30 Mass Grade 3: Carol Lee Sr. Hedy Marie Olesky, S.N.D. Sr. Mary Donnalee Resar, S.N.D. Grade 4: Maureen Baker Cindy Kuzmic Beth Ryan Grade 5: Catherine Gurnick Maggie Stukbauer Sr. Mary Ann Tusai, S.N.D. Grade 6: Jim Liggett with Suzi Ramos Joe Bolton Kelli Brickman Sheri Wright Julie Fetchik Gina Rensi Grade 7: Nicole Allison Debbie Daugherty Hannah Grau Larry Morgan Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation February 7, 9:30am or 12:00noon Rite of Enrollment for First Holy Communion February 7 and 8 during Masses Parent Meeting for First Communion March 11, 7:00pm Spirit Day Retreat for Confirmation Candidates And Confirmation Practice March 14 or 15 Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation March 16, 7:00pm Retreat for First Holy Communion April 18 Celebration of the Sacrament of First Holy Communion May 2, 10:00am or 1:00pm Grade 8: Bridget Cup Joe Kostelac Dan Ritosa Mike McGreevy 7 Teaching The Bells of St. Mary School By Mary Petelin God has blessed us with many good things at the onset of this school year! 8 The 2014 Academic School year began with the excitement of new classroom computers, newly painted junior high classrooms, new junior high desks, and new Active Board for our library. In addition, we welcomed new staff members: Mrs. Carla Solomon as the part time junior high Social Studies teacher, Mrs. Meg Pawar as the part time Enrichment teacher, Miss Kimberly Dorka as the full time fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Maureen Intihar as our part time Development Director. Welcome to our staff! In addition we welcomed 62 preschoolers and 32 Kindergartners to our early education program. We also welcome the following new families to our school: Croyle, Dodd/Gilman, Easthon, Ryan, and Solomon. We are so happy that you chose St. Mary School for your child’s education! Welcome everyone! The first few weeks of school have been filled with exciting endeavors. Our primary students continue their partnership with Holden Arboretum studying biology and earth science. Our sixth graders experienced a four day overnight Science and Nature Camp at the Cuyahoga Valley Education Camp. Our Student Council held their elections and induction ceremony. Grades six through eight participated in Operation Keepsake, a week long program promoting self-respect and respect for one’s body. We honored our Grandparents by celebrating Grandparents Day school-wide. Lastly, we held a magazine drive to raise money to help with school operations. God has blessed us with many good things at the onset of this school year! We look forward to a successful year for both our students and teachers. Thank you for your continued support! Mary Petelin Principal Early Childhood Expo: November 12, 6:30pm Discover the excellent programs we offer for preschool and kindergarten through hands-on activities. Aim High Junior High: November 20, 6:30pm Learn about our challenging classes and extra-curricular activities for junior high grades 6-8. Viking Discovery Day: December 9 & January 15 Experience a day full of learning, friendship and fun! Spend the day with us as a St. Mary student. Kindergarten Cookie Snitch: December 17, 1:30pm Enjoy story-time, making cookies, and other fun learning activities with the St. Mary’s kindergarten. All School Open House: January 25, 11:00am-2:00pm Tour our school, talk to our teachers and families, and see student accomplishments in all grades. Teaching Comin’ Home By Maureen Intihar Attention Alumni! If Lebron can do it, so can you…! If you are a St. Mary’s School alumni, you understand that we are from here in a way that only those of us “from here” can fully understand. If you remember hiking across the street to the “old church” for gym classes, or when the “new equipment” was new; then I’m looking for you! There’s only one place that calls you one of their own— that’s St. Mary School! As the new Director of Development for St. Mary School, I am making it a priority to bring our alumni back together again! Next fall we will be planning a golf outing for alumni and friends of SMS followed by a party for all non-golfersTBA. In addition, we would love to welcome alumni back to speak with our students for Career Day to show them what the amazing educational foundation they are receiving at SMS can do for their future. I’m hoping these events will help bring us back together again for networking, socializing, and fun! If you are an SMS alumni, please join our Facebook page to keep updated on current events, information or to see our Throwback Thursday pics! You can also send your current contact information to: [email protected]. Parents, please don’t hesitate to turn your children in too! A Look at Development I have recently returned to the area, after being away for many years, to find gladly that many things are still the same. I enrolled my daughter at St. Mary School last year and found many familiar faces that I knew when I wore the plaid jumpers myself. The old plaid jumpers and stiff blouses have now been replaced by updated comfy cotton golf shirts and much cuter skirts. There’s even a “new” school section, and “new” church depending on how long it’s been since you have visited. This year I will be taking on the position of Development Director for the school and I am excited to help get the word out to the community about all SMS has to offer. I encourage you to take another look at the school if you have not been here in a while. There are many exciting new opportunities available and much learning that takes place outside of traditional books. St. Mary provides a lot of learning that does not show up on report cards, but rather in long-term character and life success. For further information, please call the school 440-286-3590 or email me at: [email protected] Call 286-3590 for information and for your personal tour 1st Thursday of each month 9 Teaching Vocation Series: Priesthood By Jaclyn Snyder All Hallow’s Eve Party October 26 Prayer, Pro-life and Pizza November 1 Diamonds and Denim Reverse Raffle November 15 District Retreat November 21-23 Fr. Michael Ozzanam Center December 6 Christmas Party December 14 Life in the Spirit Retreat December 20-21 10 We see them every Sunday at Mass. The men who stand at the altar and, through the power of God, by mere words change the bread and wine into the very Body and Blood of Christ. The men who, acting in the person of Christ, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation offer the forgiveness of God and cleanse our souls from sin. They lay their lives down in service to the Church, to each of us. They are the leaders of our Church, they are, of course, our priests. Priesthood is one of the four vocations recognized by the Church. Every person has a vocation, or a calling, for their life. Over the next four issues, I will be covering each of the vocations in my article. St. John Vianney said, “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus. When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.” They are our representatives of Christ on earth. Where do priests come from? Obviously, they don’t just sprout out of the ground like dandelions. They are men who heard the call of God to be priest, and answered yes. Each priest has his own unique story of how God called him, whether early in life, later in life, in a moment, or throughout many little moments in his life. Even though God calls each man in a different way there are often signs that are present in most priestly vocations. Some of these signs are: God has placed in his heart a desire to be a priest, he has a deep love for Christ and His Church, other people have mentioned to him that he would be a good priest, he desires to live a life of virtue and prayer, and he wants to help others grow closer to Christ. If you are a young man and feel like God might be calling you to priesthood, take courage and be not afraid (Mt 14:27)! Immerse yourself in prayer, Sacraments, learning more about priesthood, and the Blessed Mother! Go on a retreat to ask God if this is His will, and find a spiritual director to guide you! Some people say there are not enough men being called to the priesthood, but the real problem is not enough men are answering the call. How can we as lay people support our priest/ priestly vocations? Our number one way to support priests is through prayer. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Make a spiritual bouquet for our priests. Send them notes of affirmation. Tell them in person how much you appreciate them. Any kind gesture is always good. If you know a young man whom you think would be a great priest, don’t be afraid to tell him! It is a worthy and glorious calling, and praise God for the men who answer the call, especially our own Fr. Redmond and Fr. Kawalec! Participating St. Mary’s First Annual Parish Festival Thank You to everyone who attended our first annual Parish Festival. Despite the rain, it was a fun and successful event! Thank you, especially, to all of our volunteers. The Festival would not have been possible without your time and talent! Mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual Festival — July 24th, 25th and 26th, 2015 ******************************************************************************************* We were truly blessed to have many wonderful sponsors for this year’s festival. Their outstanding support and financial sponsorship were greatly appreciated: Burr Funeral Home Giant Eagle Chardon Brew Works Dejohn Funeral Home Ohio Ordinance Works Quality Tire 4x4 Roedinger Chiropractic Joey’s Italian Grille Cameo Jewelers Bill & Normal Salmon Mentor Lumber Morgan’s Place Noce House of LaRose March Electric Chardon Smile Center Heinens Junction Auto Family Bill and Linda Toth Ebert Financial Group Riebe Family Dentistry Quail Hollow Resort Pat O’Brien Chevrolet Ester Laczko Square Bistro Pat Catans The Nest US Bank Aable Rents Lake Health System Jeffrey M. Salerno, DDS Hillcrest Hospital — Cleveland Clinic Patrick and Christine Casseday Dr. and Mrs. Denis Rubal Home & Business Storage Chardon Welding Inc Dan McCaskey, Re/Max Traditions Catholic Cemeteries Association Beautycraft Metal Fabricators Thomas Pyle Insurance Spinner’s Diner Etched in Time Middlefield Bank 11 Financial Report 2013-2014 Financial State of the Parish By Bill Jackson It is through the generosity of the time, talent, and treasure of our parishioners that the weekly collections and the multitude of other revenues sources and income producing efforts provide the funding needed to meet the associated expenses. 12 Each fall, following the conclusion of the parish’s fiscal year on June 30th, the parishioners of the Church of Saint Mary are provided with a summary financial report for the parish. The accompanying documents include a statement of parish’s assets, liabilities, and fund balance, a statement of church revenue and expenses, and a statement of school revenue and expenses for the past fiscal year. This information is intended to provide our parish community with a general understanding of the size and scope of the financial obligations of their church and school. It also seeks to disclose how the receipted funds have been used. In addition to its true purpose as a sacramental, faith-focused Catholic community, our parish is also a “business”. While not a business seeking to make earthly profit, it is nevertheless an entity that must operate within its worldly means. It is through the generosity of the time, talent, and treasure of our parishioners that the weekly collections and the multitude of other revenues sources and income producing efforts provide the funding needed to meet the associated expenses. In reviewing these statements, you will note a substantial drop in the fund balance of the parish in 2014. This year-to-year $109,000 decrease, while attributable to a number of reasons, was significantly the result of substantial capital expenditures made by the parish to maintain and improve its facilities. Here are some other financial realities contained in these statements: 1. The aggregate offertory collection has fallen in the past year when compared to fiscal year 2013 and the offertory collections are budgeted to remain flat in the next fiscal year. Approximately 1,500 of the 2,700 registered households in the parish provided traceable financial support to the parish in the past year. 2. Parish support to the parish school remains very strong. Our parish is committed to providing access to a Catholic education to our parish families and continues to make a very large investment in Saint Mary School and its students over and above the personal sacrifices made by our school families. 3. Our church and school employees are both our greatest assets and our largest expenses. Please let them know that you appreciate their commitment and efforts. 4. The budget for fiscal year 2015 has projected a surplus of about $64,000, based on the numerous assumptions required in preparing such a document. This surplus will likely be consumed by prioritized capital expenditures that are identified throughout the year. The financial leadership of the parish, including your parish priests, the business office staff, and the Parish Finance Council, are extremely appreciative of the personal sacrifices made by our parishioners to financially support the Church of Saint Mary. It is through this earthly exchange of the coins of the realm that the true spiritual mission of the Church is structurally made possible. Statistics 6/30/14 6/30/13 Households 2,607 2,712 Baptisms 62 72 First Communions 118 139 Confirmation 139 125 Adult Converts 13 19 M arriages 20 23 Funerals 65 56 Students - St. M ary School 214 221 Students - St. M ary Preschool 58 57 Students - PSR 575 545 Financial Report Statement of Church Revenue and Expenses St. Mary Parish - Statement of Church Revenue and Expenses Budget Fiscal Actual Fiscal Budget Fiscal Actual Fiscal Year End Year End Year End Year End June 30, 2015 June 30, 2013 June 30, 2014 PARIS H RECEIPTS Offertory Collections 1,037,586 1,033,236 1,061,883 1,065,446 Other Collections 1,450 1,437 2,169 1,946 Donations & Bequests 21,815 21,981 23,862 35,700 Income from Parish Programs 66,475 58,406 63,525 59,374 Investment & Endowment Income 11,478 58,345 21,094 37,108 Net Rental Income (5,229) (15,585) (11,947) (4,906) M iscellaneous Receipts 39,530 39,322 33,265 38,204 Receipts for Rooted in Faith-Forward in Hope 69,000 100,527 48024 147,067 Designated Collections 41,557 27,298 TOTAL PARIS H RECEIPTS $ 1,242,105 $ 1,339,226 $ 1,241,875 $ 1,407,237 PARIS H DIS BURS EMENTS : Salaries, Benefits & Taxes $ 499,059 Rectory & Household 22,557 Parish Office & Administration 67,480 Banquet Room Receivable Write Off Altar, Sanctuary & Liturgical 30,068 Community Outreach 7,750 Religious Education 26,250 Stewardship & Evangelization 36,735 Utilities 24,874 Insurance & Property Taxes 17,198 M aintenance, Repairs & Plant Operating 56,875 Diocesan Assessments 119,072 Designated Collections Capital Disbursements Parish Subsidy to School 270,000 TOTAL PARIS H DIS BURS EMENTS $ 1,177,918 TOTAL PARIS H S URPLUS (DEFICIT) $ 64,187 $ 469,513 22,298 59,691 32,418 5,964 21,421 24,899 24,017 19,537 58,278 121,242 41,557 118,347 429,305 $ 1,448,488 $ $ 492,026 19,666 58,897 34,426 12,830 25,900 36,035 24,439 19,442 48,925 121,112 277,500 $ 1,171,198 (109,262) $ 70,677 $ 517,519 19,252 56,713 146,804 31,178 11,668 23,446 20,966 20,732 17,223 51,492 120,384 27,298 6,139 286,685 $ 1,357,498 $ 49,739 13 Financial Report Statement of School Revenue and Expenses St. Mary School - Statement of School Revenue and Expenses Budget Fiscal Actual Fiscal Budget Fiscal Actual Fiscal Year End Year End Year End Year End June 30, 2015 June 30, 2013 June 30, 2014 S CHOOL RECEIPTS Tuition & Fees $ Government Assistance (including M andated Services) Donations & Bequests Net Fund Raising Net Preschool & Extended Care Other Student Receipts School Support from Parish Investment & Endowment Income TOTAL SCHOOL RECEIPTS 709,756 66,240 42,418 4,350 12,969 16,200 270,000 690 $ 1,122,623 S CHOOL DIS BURS EMENTS : Salaries, Benefits & Taxes $ Instructional Library & Technology Utilities M aintenance, Repairs & Plant Operating Insurance & Property Taxes Student Services Administration Capital Improvements 956,512 27,017 300 58,790 21,677 13,018 22,200 62,670 - TOTAL SCHOOL DISBURSEMENTS $ 1,162,184 TOTAL S CHOOL S URPLUS (DEFICIT) $ 14 $ 685,397 $ 76,072 7,712 5,815 (4,031) 9,539 429,305 502 717,693 70,720 33,954 4,950 998 16,200 290,827 1,296 $ 780,094 92,776 33,195 5,195 (1,595) 63,389 286,685 1,156 $ 1,210,312 $ 1,136,638 $ 1,260,894 $ $ 949,676 26,664 300 58,082 18,838 12,843 19,200 51,035 - $ 1,015,098 19,116 50,441 16,631 11,085 46,747 60,040 41,736 $ 1,136,638 $ 1,260,895 $ $ 984,979 24,932 39 59,912 18,213 12,648 13,245 45,819 50,524 $ 1,210,312 (39,561) $ 0 - (0) Financial Report Statement of Assets, Liabilities & Fund Balance St. Mary Parish Statement of Assets, Liabilities & Fund Balance (Church & School ) Balance at 6/30/14 Balance at 6/30/13 AS S ETS Checking, Savings & Investments Checking Account Balances $ Savings & Investment Account Balances Total Checking , S avings & Investments Accounts Receivable Other Assets TOTAL AS S ETS $ 60,704 $ 606,360 667,064 41,914 (16,753) 692,224 $ 3,970 792,329 796,299 10,608 (11,938) 794,969 180,277 233,044 413,321 $ 170,976 235,828 406,804 388,165 $ (109,263) 278,903 338,426 49,740 388,165 LIABILITIES Accrued Expenses $ Income Received in Advance TOTAL LIABILITIES FUND BALANCE Fund Balance Beginning of Fiscal Year $ Net Surplus (Deficit) for Fiscal Year Fund Balance End of Fiscal Year TOTAL LIABILITES & FUND BALANCE $ 692,224 $ 794,969 DIAMONDS AND DENIM Reverse Raffle with Silent Auction Saturday, November 15 from 5:30-11:00pm $2,000 Grand Prize ONLY 100 Tickets: $140 per couple and $85 Single Tickets cover surf and turf meal with homemade cheesecake, open bar, raffle ticket, and a fabulous time with your friends! For information and to purchase tickets, contact the parish office. Sponsored by and proceeds to St. Mary LifeTeen St. Mary’s Messenger Church of St. Mary Chardon Catholic Diocese of Cleveland 401 North Street Chardon, OH 44024 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OH PERMIT NO. 688 Men’s Retreat “Go Deeper… Surrender” Saturday, November 1 Women’s WOW “Advent Day of Prayer” Saturday, December 6 Do you hear God in your life? When He speaks, do you listen? When He calls, do you respond? What are YOU doing to grow in your faith? Through prayer, silence, stories, discussion, Mass, Adoration and Reconciliation, we will journey together to deepen our faith and surrender to Christ in our lives. Open to all men and teenage boys. Come celebrate Advent by being together in prayer, focusing on the Lord and growing in spirituality as we prepare for Christmas. This wonderful day includes Mass, Reconciliation, Adoration, prayer, inspiring talks, conversation, fellowship, and delicious food! All women are invited and bring your friends! Information and registration, contact Gary Burling: [email protected] Information and registration, contact Kathleen Praetzel: [email protected]