Building for the future, constructed with love

November 15, 2022

This Thanksgiving, the people of St. Mary Parish in Hamburg are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support they received from across the Diocese as they struggled to build an education center for their faith formation program.

Finishing touches are going in the building, which Bishop William Joensen will bless the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

“We thoroughly appreciate everything anyone has donated or contributed,” said Cheryl Phillips, parish secretary. “It would have been a terrible struggle if we had not received the outpouring of love and support.”

The parish had been using a rectory that was constructed in 1895 as its religious education center until it was no longer safe to do so. It was torn down.

St. Mary’s started its capital campaign in 2019, only to have it placed on hold because of the flood. Muddy water covered farm fields, filled downtown streets, and the parish hall in the basement of St. Mary Church. With the insurance and donations from parishes in the Diocese, the parish recovered and repaired its hall.

They restarted the campaign after the cleanup of the flood only to be stopped again by the pandemic in 2020. Finally, with completion of the campaign, in January of 2021, they started to look forward to the building process.

At that point, St. Mary Parish was ready to build, but learned construction costs had skyrocketed.

“It’s been one obstacle after another,” said Carolyn Maher, a parish trustee. Looking for spaces for children to meet with their catechists, they gathered in the parish hall kitchen, in the church by the altar and the confessional.

The parish met with diocesan officials asking for help and the Diocese responded.

Monsignor Ed Hurley led the effort; he visited with the people of St. Mary and a few others, then recommended a plan. The 79 other parishes that comprise the Diocese of Des Moines were invited to lend a helping hand to one of their own in the diocesan faith family by holding a special collection. The Diocese provided some funding and other finance options were explored.

“The whole parish has been very determined and resilient in their efforts to finally get this project accomplished,” said Monsignor Hurley. “Several parishioners were instrumental.  They have been pursuing this goal for many years.”

The small parish with a big heart is grateful to its parishioners for their support, their patience and their perseverance, said Phillips.  

They’re also grateful to the Diocese and the parishes big and small, urban and rural, who pitched in to help.

“The Diocese has been so good to us and Bishop Joensen has really supported us,” said parishioner Teresa Jamison, chair of the Parish Council.

“Our building is being built on donations of the pledges from our parishioners, other parishes and the Diocese,” she said.

“And love,” added Phillips. “Not only from our parish but from the many contributors who came forward.”