Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Stmary
Stmary
Past
St. Mary
Catholic Church
Oxford, Iowa
Our Mission
The mission of Saint Mary Church is to
proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ among
our members and the broader community. We
do this in word but also in being an example of
faithful discipleship in our daily lives. We
celebrate the sacraments of the different stages
of our lives with joy and care.
Our goal is to lead people to the Kingdom of
God through offering a foretaste of that
Kingdom here on earth through prayer,
celebration and service.
Sincerely,
Rev. Ed Dunn
Our history
1860
St. Mary Church was formally organized under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Dubuque. The McGuillicudy,
Dalton, Reynolds, and Floerchinger families were among the first members.
1862
The first church was erected and the interior was finally completed five years later.
1877
A larger church was needed for the rapidly growing community and a frame building was constructed on the
corner of the current church site. Father Hollan was sent as the first resident priest.
1912
The cornerstone was laid for a beautiful new red brick church to replace the smaller frame church on the
same site.
1932
Father Lawlor arrived with the task of cleaning up the parish debt. He also had the foresight to purchase St.
Mary Hall.
1937 1964
Father P.J. Ryan served St. Mary for 27 years. During his time he redecorated the inside of the church,
repainted the hall, and built the rectory.
1988
1997
Father Helms became the first pastor to serve both St. Mary and St. Peter.
2000
2001 Present
Father Dunn has been our Pastor. During his time the tile roof on the church has been refurbished, the
parking lot enlarged, the pipe organ restored, handicapped accessibility improved, interior improvements to
the floors, carpet and pews.
2014
Feasibility Study initiated to test for a new Parish Hall, Education Center, and Gathering Space.
Social Action
Operation Rice Bowl
Christmas gifts to care center
Samaritans Purse Pack a Shoebox
Heifer International- Donate an Animal
Hats, mittens, scarves, gloves to local elementary
schools
Food drive for CCA Family Resource Center
Prepare meal for Iowa City Free Lunch Program
Soles for Souls Shoe Drive
Needs Drive for Iowa City Shelter House
Utility Assistance
Spiritial Life and Liturgy
Greeters
Ushers
Altar Servers
Cantors
Choir
Instrumentalists
Lectors
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Stations of the Cross
Thanksgiving Ecumenical Service
Christmas poinsettia/Easter lily memorials
Altar and Rosary
Flowers on Altar
Maintain altar linens
Oversee parish hall kitchen
Votive candle stand
Funeral luncheons
1st Communion Gifts
CCA Post Prom Party
CCA Sponsor a Family
Iowa City Hospice
Knights of Columbus
Fish Suppers during Lent
Pancake Breakfast
Free Throw Contest
Spelling Bee
Scholarships to Senior Class member
Rosary to graduates
Parish support with pew restoration fire system
hall kitchen
Mt. Calvary Cemetery
Memorial Day Mass
Avenue of Flags
proposed solutions
architectual
rendering
Proposed
Front Elevation
pROPOSED First
FLOOR PLAN
estimated costs
Building Construction
Elevator
100,000
50,000
Furnishings/Equipment Allowance
50,000
Land Purchase/Demolition
40,000
Landscaping/Sidewalks
24,000
25,000
CONSTRUCTION SUBTOTAL
$ 1,270,772
127,077
63,538
12,707
75,000
Interim Financing
10
981,772
151,371
429,693
$ 1,700,465
192
TOTAL GIFTS
$ 1,700,000
11
POTENTIAL COMMEMORATIVE
OPPORTUNITIES
Commemorative opportunities may be provided to encourage multi-year pledges and
sharing of gifts by family members. Commemorative gifts will be recognized in an
appropriate location in the new facilities. Listed below are some potential
commemorative opportunities and the total amount needed to commemorate a
respective area. Other commemorative opportunities may be added after final plans
are approved prior to a capital campaign.
Naming Oppurtunities Total Pledge
Parish Hall
$ 350,000
Gathering Space
Elevator
12
200,000
100,000
Kitchen
75,000
50,000
Vestibule/Entryway (2 each)
40,000
Prayer Garden
30,000
Trees/Landscaping
25,000
20,000
Classrooms (8 each)
15,000
12,000
13
parishioner
endsorsements
We have belonged to St. Marys for 51 years. Gene has belonged to it all his life. Parish
members are like family, we share the joys of baptism, confirmation and
weddings and sorrows of the parish families. All of our children were baptized, received
first communion, confirmation and got married here and moved on to other parishes.
We have served on various committees and boards and taught Faith Formation classes
for many years. We should pursue this feasibility study so we can reach out to our
young catholic families. A new parish hall will promote the viability of our parish.
Gene & Brigit Leeney
We are grateful for the gift of faith and community that we receive from being
members of St. Mary Parish. We need to care for the needs of our parishioners. As we
move forward we need to grow and meet those future needs. We have been a strong
community for over 150 years and we need to continue to build on that strength.
Pat & Deb Kinney
14
I have been a member of St. Mary Parish all of my life. I have served as an altar boy,
taught catechism two years, was a member of the first diocesan lay council, former
member of the parish council, am in my fifty-first year in the choir, and currently a
cantor. My mother was organist and choir director for 53 years. Therefore, St. Mary
Parish has been a great part of my entire life. I am currently one of the lay directors and
member of the finance committee.
In my catechism days, we had three groups meeting in the congregational part of the
church and two sacristies. In later years, the classes were moved to St. Mary Hall using
folding dividers in the lower level to partition off meeting spaces. From a teaching
environment, this is not totally desirable.
The proposed project would have separate classrooms which would allow bulletin
board space and soundproof rooms. Therefore, I am supporting the feasibility study to
determine whether or not our parish is in a position to take on this project.
Don Saxton
Just as St. Mary has been an important part of our family, it has blessed the lives of
many others these past 154 years. And although the Church Hall has served us well,
were excited about the potential to build a more functional and handicap accessible
gathering space. One in which our students will learn and grow spiritually and all members can gather to celebrate life occasions safely and comfortably. This is an important
step in the life of our parish and one that will benefit generations well into the future.
Tim & Robin Hennes
We have been members of St. Mary for over 15 years. Our three children
received an excellent religious education from the numerous volunteer teachers.
Through the guidance of the teachers our children received the sacraments of Holy
Communion and Confirmation. We have been blessed to have two of our children
receive the sacrament of Holy Matrimony at St. Mary. As our community and our
church community continue to grow, a modern facility is needed to meet our growing
demands; a facility that will provide not only our religious education needs but our
parish life and our community needs. Lets build for the future.
Brad & Lynn Hahn
15
St. Mary Church has been a very important part of our lives for many years- 56 for Joel
and 30 for Joan. Our children make the fourth generation of St. Mary parishioners. We
consider St. Mary Church our home. As with any home, there are times when updates
and expansions are necessary in order to grow.
We believe the addition will help our church grow in community and spirit. The
Parish Council would like to hold more fellowship events right after church. But
traveling to the hall is a barrier to attendance. Imagine the ease of attending if the
event is in an adjoining space!
Providing a quality environment for religious education should be a top priority for our
parish. The frustrations of teaching in the hall are, at times, daunting. Ask anyone who
teaches religious education in our parish.
I like to think of the possibility of a new center as paying it forward just as the
generations before us have. We look forward to what the feasibility study
recommends.
The Joan & Joel Grabin Family
We are so blessed to have St. Mary church in our family. We have celebrated many
events there over the years. Our dad is 85 years old and his parents were members of
St. Marys as well. My parents raised 7 children, each of us became involved in one way
or another in the church. We all have taught Religious Education including teaching First
Communion, Confirmation, RCIA, different mission works, retreats, etc. Our mother was
the Religious Education director for many years. We have in return raised our own
families in St. Marys. All 37 in our family received our sacraments there. St. Mary
church is one of a kind, its open and caring to all people who enter. My own son was
wanting to go to a Notre Dame Division youth catholic retreat in Indiana. He needed to
raise $425 in order to go. Within a few weekends we raffled off a garden basket after
each mass. All of the youth that wanted to go were able to because of the generosity
of the St. Marys people. The community spirit at St. Marys church is unmatchable. We
are so proud to be a part of this loving and growing parish.
The Alfred Scheetz Family
Fifty years ago we joined St. Mary Parish and were warmly welcomed into this vibrant
community. Our family has received the sacraments, had weddings and funerals, and
participated in the many activities in the church and at the parish hall. The parish has
become larger and more diverse over the years, but still remains a family and
wonderful place to worship.
Thelma Wagner Kolar
16
We have been active members at St. Mary for the past 11 years and attending members
for longer. The openness and accepting nature of this parish has always impressed us.
That openness extends from welcoming new members to new ideas and new practices.
After being so involved with the liturgy, Faith Formation, Knights of Columbus, and
Church Council, we see the tremendous need for new facilities to match the greater
number of new faces, the growing service programs we offer, and the new technology
with which our parishioners are fast becoming accustomed. The longer we are here,
the more we desire to see facilities to match all the needs of our community whom we
have come to love. We want to celebrate those milestones within our community and
not have to go elsewhere for lack of facilities.
Dorene & Joe Francis
St. Mary has served 5 generations of my family. We couldnt imagine going anywhere
else. Its the people and their involvement that makes St. Mary the wonderful place
that it is. Our needs are growing and our parish needs expanded facilities so we can
continue to thrive for generations to come.
Camelle Disterhoft
The existing hall gets us by for most things, but it is in need of many upgrades. Also, it
should be closer to the church for maximum use.
Mass, weddings, funerals and other events happen at church and now you must drive
five or six blocks to the hall and many folks opt not to once they are in their cars after
mass. This is an opportunity for us, as our past parishioners have done, to expand and
make it more functional for our parish. Building an education center, along with a
gathering space next to our existing church is greatly needed.
Leon & Linda Curran
17
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Prayer
Send your Holy Spirit to be our guide and our strength in this life-changing
project that will respect what has been done in the past, and prepare for what is
needed now and into the future.
Strengthen our faith that we may be able to respond to your call with generous
hearts. Deepen our hope that we may walk steadily toward your final will for us
the Kingdom of God. Under the example of Jesus, the carpenter and
master-builder, let all we do increase our love for you and for one another.
Under the protection and intercession of Mary, our parish patron and our
mother, if it is your will may we walk together happily to the successful
completion of this project.
May our efforts show our appreciation of all those who build the beautiful church
that we enjoy, those who labored tirelessly to pass on of the faith to our children,
and those of every age who desire to honor you in a way that is fitting.
With joyful yet humble hearts, we make our prayer to your Father, through your
Son Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.