Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Denis,
As we look to the future of our vibrant parish, we have been closely evaluating the state of our facilities – particularly our beloved church and parish hall. It has been clear for some time that both are in urgent need of attention. These concerns go far beyond aesthetics; they are essential to ensuring the safety of our parish community and the long-term vitality of our church.
To that end, we recently conducted a Planning Study to gather your feedback and guidance as we discern our next steps. I want to sincerely thank the more than 150 families who participated. I am deeply grateful for your thoughtful input and support. I’m happy to share with you the results of this study, presented here in both longform and in a 2-page executive summary.
The results of the study were very encouraging. Collectively, you expressed a remarkable degree of love and devotion to our parish. This is our home. This is the community to which God has brought us in order to bring us to himself. You’ve heard me say on countless occasions just what a special community I think St. Denis is and your comments have deepened that conviction in me. And more than just loving our parish, you’ve expressed a remarkable level of support for moving forward to address the many pressing needs before us.
While the support converyed in the study is heartening, this will be a significant undertaking. Initial estimates for the work required on the exterior and interior of the church, as well as in the parish hall, suggest that the total cost of the project will run somewhere between $4 to $5 million.
Early indications suggest we possess the ability and inclination to raise the necessary funds to tackle these efforts. It will require tremendous sacrifice, strong leadership, clear and consistent communication, and a deep spirit of generosity and stewardship. But we can do it. It will take all of us – parish leadership and parishioners alike – working together with enthusiasm, faith, and trust in God’s providence.
For my part as your pastor, I pledge to you my commitment to keep you well-informed throughout this process with timely and transparent communication. We’ll continue to refine the projects based on your feedback and work to provide clear answers to all your questions so that you can be sure that we’ll be good stewards throughout the process and in years to come.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the report in more detail, I welcome you to reach out to me directly.
Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is our parish, and together we will continue to make the thoughtful decisions and necessary sacrifices to protect, nurture, and grow our community of faith. Your passion and dedication to St. Denis never cease to inspire me, and I thank God every day for the honor of being your pastor.
God bless you all,
Fr. James