To Move Closer To God In All That We Do.

Transcription

1 St. Francis Xavier Parish Parish Activities and Financial Report 2010

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3 St. Francis Xavier Mission Statement To Move Closer To God In All That We Do. In fulfilling this mission, we are a Roman Catholic Community called to: Celebrate in Prayer and Eucharist Dedicate Ourselves to Religious Education Serve and Love our Parish Family Reach Out to the Larger Community Gifts of Time and Talent Bring Us Together WORSHIP (page 4) Altar Servers Cantors Anna Ministry Liturgical Arts & Environment Committee Children & Youth Choir 5:00 PM Mass Choir 9:30 AM Mass Choir 11:30 AM Mass Choir Gym Mass Choir Eucharistic Ministers Gym Mass Liturgy Committee Lectors & Commentators Parish Liturgy Committee Ushers EDUCATION/FORMATION (page 6) Adult Education Baptismal Preparation HSO (Home School Organization) Liturgy of the Word for Children Men s Spirituality PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) PREP Advisory Board Retreats RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Spiritual Direction Spiritual Book Club St. Francis Xavier School St. Francis Xavier School Board WORD (Lectio Divina) Women s Spirituality PARISH LIFE (page 8) ACTION Men s Club Moms & Tots Boy Scouts Women s Club HUMAN CONCERNS (page 10) Annulment Support Bereavement Ministry Good Samaritan Network HOPE (Helping Other People Enthusiastically) Ministry of Care Ministry of Praise Knitting Ministry Peace and Justice Ministry Respect Life St. Thomas of Canterbury, our Sharing Parish St. Vincent de Paul Society Financial Report for the period of July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010 (page 12) ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH Annual Report

4 Letter from the Pastor PARISH COUNCIL Convener: Dani Froelich Welcomers: Greg & Deidre Proteau Stewardship: Kerry Suse Communicator: Retta Glavin Liaisons: Mary Charles (Education/Formation) Julie Conway ( Parish Life) Shelagh Donoghue (Worship) Vic Doucette (Human Concerns) FINANCE COMMITTEE Chair: Ted Dabrowski Members: Fr. Bill Sheridan Tom Caestecker Mary Doucette Mark Gibbs DJ Gorman Maureen Ivory Ross Richards Dan Ryan Tracy Sommer MEN SCLUB Bob Langill WOMEN S CLUB Mary Quinn Gordon Here at St. Francis Xavier Parish I am always mindful of the generosity of our community. Our sense of purpose and connection to one another and our larger community would not be possible without the unwavering support of our parishioners. We are blessed with a population of more than 1,330 families in the last year we saw an net increase of 33 new families. The time, talent and treasure put forth has resulted in an increased enrollment at St. Francis School of 58 children. Our Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) has also experienced an enrollment growth of 54 new students from 40 new families. In addition we now have over 40 different programs and ministries all possible due to the dynamic character that is distinct to St. Francis Xavier. We are thankful for the contributions of your time, energy and resources to our parish. It is this dedication that allows our programs and ministries to continue their vitality and excellence. This Annual Report highlights and celebrates your good works in action both close to home and in the larger community. The ministries described give an impressive overview of a parish family dedicated to bringing the good news of the Gospel to life. I encourage you to volunteer for the areas that appeal to you the most. It is notable that our parish has persevered through a prolonged economic downturn. Your donations help the day-to-day operations of St. Francis Xavier, which cost approximately $1,500 annually per parish family. To continue to be a vibrant parish and serve our community, we ask that you carefully review the information presented in the financial pages of this Annual Report and consider the possibility of increasing your support. We have been greatly blessed as parishioners at St. Francis Xavier Parish. Our parish has a long and wonderful tradition and we seek to be faithful to that tradition. We seek to be faithful to the Lord Jesus as Catholic Christian people. Thank you for all that you do for our parish. Sincerely, Fr. William J. Sheridan 2

5 Worship Celebrate in Prayer and Eucharist We worship in many ways. Every month over 70 Masses are offered at St. Francis Xavier Parish twice daily and six on the weekends. At Mass we gather together as a community to hear the Liturgy of the Word and take part in the Liturgy of the Eucharist given to us as a gift by Jesus Christ. Through the liturgy we are given the opportunity of taking time to explore and build a relationship with a God who loves us unconditionally. What brings that Liturgy to life? In addition to the priest who presides over the Mass as celebrant, the liturgy comes to life through the efforts of ushers, altar servers, lectors, commentators, cantors, choirs and Eucharistic ministers. At the conclusion of Sunday Mass, our Ministers of Care take Communion to those who are homebound or hospitalized and therefore unable to join the celebration. We are rich in opportunity and blessed with dedicated volunteers. We have 20 ushers, 120 altar servers, 40 lectors and commentators, about 15 cantors, five different choirs for children and adults, over 100 Eucharistic Ministers and more than 70 Ministers of Care. In the last year we worshiped in a variety of ways by celebrating daily Mass, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, Gym Mass, Home Mass, ACTION Mass, School Mass, Lakefront Mass and special Sunday evening Lenten Masses. We have been joined by the choir of our sharing parish, St. Thomas of Canterbury, and visited by representatives of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Religious Retirement Fund and a variety of missionaries who keep us in touch with the work of the Church throughout the world. In gratitude for our Altar Servers, Cantors, Anna Ministry, Liturgical Arts & Environment Committee, Children & Youth Choir, 5:00 PM Mass Choir, 9:30 AM Mass Choir, 11:30 AM Choir, Gym Mass Choir, Eucharistic Ministers, Gym Mass Liturgy Committee, Lectors & Commentators, Parish Liturgy Committee and Ushers 3

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7 Education/Formation Dedicate Ourselves to Religious Education St. Francis Xavier School Celebrates its 100th Anniversary St. Francis Xavier School opened its doors to 37 students on January 10, The Sisters of Providence from St. Mary of the Woods in Indiana served as both faculty and administrators for the school for 85 years. Enrollment currently stands at 351 students in Grades 1-8. The school also has a preschool and full day kindergarten program. During 2010 the school celebrated its 100th Anniversary with a year-long series of events which culminated with a 100-year alumni reunion attended by an estimated 1,000 people. Cardinal Francis George and several priests, including twow St. Francis Xavier graduates, returned to concelebrate the Liturgy. During its 100 year history thousands of students graduated from St. Francis Xavier School. Today three generations of St. Francis Xavier students continue to raise their children at the school which boasts a loyal and dedicated teaching staff, over 50% of whom hold Master s degrees. Student class size averages 15 to 25 students, allowing children to build strong friendships and participate in all academic, athletic and extracurricular activities. Summerfest 2010 St. Francis Xavier s HSO hosted its 4th Annual Summerfest on August 28, expanding on the feeling of a good old-fashioned block party complete with good neighbors, popular music, great food and beverages. Music by Matt O Connor and friends got the party started for about 600 parishioners and friends. The main attraction was the band Coveropolis, along with food from Backyard BBQ and Fresh Market. Kim and Scott s donated pretzels and enthusiastic beer sponsorship was provided by Glunz & Mularkey. While the event was not meant to be a fundraiser, the 2010 Summerfest actually made an estimated $12,000 for the HSO. Plans are already underway for Summerfest

8 Parish Religious Education Program Over 400 children from 245 families gather on Sundays or Mondays from September to May to share and learn about their faith from 42 catechists who volunteer every week in the program. This year 54 new students joined the program drawn from 40 new families who desire to have their children take an active role in the Catholic faith. The PREP program provides parents of students not attending the parish school the assistance they need in handing on the faith to their children. For those who grew up in an earlier era, religious instruction was known as CCD. The PREP program not only provides opportunities for faith sharing and instruction within the classroom setting, but also offers opportunities for families to come together for special seasonal events such as the All Saints Day Liturgy, the Advent Potluck, the Christmas Concert, the Ash Wednesday Mass followed by a pizza supper, the Family Reconciliation Service and an end of the year Liturgy. 25 years of RCIA The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is the process through which adults join the Catholic Church by receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. In 2010 St. Francis Xavier Parish celebrated 25 years of RCIA. More than 200 people have been received into the Church since the RCIA program began at St. Francis Xavier. In celebration of RCIA, over 75 people gathered for Mass and dinner in April. In the last 25 years the RCIA program has been led by two women, Judy Logue and Sr. Joyce Shanabarger. Candidates meet weekly with a team of parish volunteers and Sr. Joyce, the current program leader, from September through the Easter Season. In gratitude for Adult Education, Baptismal Preparation, the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP), the PREP Advisory Board, St. Francis Xavier School, the St. Francis Xavier School Board and HSO (Home School Organization), Liturgy of the Word for Children, Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), Retreats, Spiritual Book Club, Spiritual Direction, Men s Spirituality, Women s Spirituality and WORD (Lectio Divina). ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH Annual Report

9 Parish Life Serve and Love our Parish Family A Night to Remember at Wrigley Field On the evening of May 25, thanks to the generosity of Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, a St. Francis Xavier parishioner, more than 200 members of our parish community enjoyed a Cubs game complete with a bevy of perks: a pregame party, a chance to meet Cubs Hall-ofFamers Ernie Banks and Billy Williams, and a chance to stroll onto Wrigley Field itself. Tickets to the event were raffled with great fanfare. Additional Cubs prizes skyboxes for later games, official bats and Cubs caps helped promote the event. The evening was warm and the skies were clear. Parishioners arrived at Wrigley Field smiling ear to ear. Many were old enough to remember when the ballpark had no lights, others came with their parents to build future memories. The final triumph of the evening was a 3-0 victory for the Cubs. Even White Sox fans had to be impressed! We re heading back to Wrigley, mark your calendars for Wednesday May 25th Parish Hosts 7th Annual Fun Run The Annual St. Francis Xavier Fun Run celebrated its seventh year bringing together people of all ages, faiths and neighborhoods to participate in a fun, family event. Inaugurated on Sept. 26, 2004, with over 350 runners and walkers from all over the North Shore area, the 5K and 1 mile raises money for charities supported by St. Francis Xavier parish. This year more than 326 adults and children participated in the event which was held on Oct 3. Each year the Fun Run has kept the event exciting by adding a new feature which has included inviting children from our sharing parish, St. Thomas of Canterbury, to participate in the fun; having the course certified; offering a Breakfast for Champions; adding electronic timing and providing fun SFX socks rather than T-shirts as a giveaway for one of the races. Much of the Fun Run s success is due to the committed efforts of a number of committee members from our parish and we are grateful for their dedication. 7

10 In gratitude for ACTION, Men s Club, Women s Club, Moms & Tots, Boy Scouts, St. Francis Art Guild. ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH Annual Report

11 Human Concerns Reach Out to the larger community St. Francis Xavier hosts Family Promise Program To help address the increasing phenomenon of homelessness, St. Francis Xavier joined a new network of local faith congregations called Family Promise North Shore in For two weeks during the summer, St. Francis hosted four homeless families from the North Suburban area for Family Promise becoming the first Catholic parish in Illinois to do so. Close to 100 volunteers from different parish organizations helped load and unload vans, set up furniture, prepare and serve dinners, pack lunches, make breakfast & sleep overnight with the guests. Others contributed their talents or made financial contributions. It was a wonderful opportunity for the parish to come together and help others in need at our house! Plans are underway to repeat the program again next summer. Family Promise North Shore is an affiliate of the national Family Promise program, which was founded in 1982 and consists of over 5,000 congregations across 41 states. Family Promise works in partnership with Catholic Charities, Connections and Good News and is dedicated to helping families who are temporarily homeless return to permanent housing. Bereavement Ministry Since its founding three years ago, the St. Francis Xavier Bereavement Ministry has reached out to more than 300 people. This parish-based ministry provides support for those who journey through grief and loss so that no one suffers alone. The efforts of 14 bereavement ministers provide one-on-one outreach through the resources of printed materials, referrals, small group discussions held six times a year and speaker forums on the topics of grief and loss held twice a year. All sessions are free and open to the public. The Parish s All Souls Mass, in November, is also coordinated by the Bereavement Ministry and helps to honor those who have died in the previous year. Speakers have included: Patrick Dean, director of grief and loss services, Archdiocese of Milwaukee; Amy Florian, of Loyola University, a national speaker and author on grief and loss; Thom Dennis, bereavement coordinator for Hospice at North Shore Hospice; and Paula D Arcy, author and speaker on grief, loss and healing. 9

12 Parish Service Day Lends a Helping Hand St. Francis Xavier families and parish organizations joined forces to reach out into the community for the 3rd Annual Parish Service Day on April 17. The day started with a prayer service to focus and inspire the efforts of all participants and then everyone went to work! In cooperation with the Kindness Connection several projects were tackled: making bookmarks for the blind, designing placemats for the homebound elderly, creating a Welcome Banner for the homeless and packing lunches for the soup kitchen. The ACTION teens held a car wash with proceeds benefiting their Christmas in April project. The Knitting Ministry offered lessons and knit more than 200 prayer squares that were distributed to military personnel overseas. The Adult Choir sang at Maryhaven Nursing Center in Glenview and flowers were planted around the school and parish office building. Sharing Parish: St. Thomas of Canterbury You may notice the grocery bags of food piling up every month in the back of church near the St. Vincent de Paul memorial. Every month St. Francis Xavier parishioners join forces with our sharing parish, St. Thomas of Canterbury, to collect food for the benefit of St. Thomas food pantry. St. Thomas is a small but richly diverse parish in Chicago s Uptown neighborhood. With less than 200 families, St. Thomas resources are stretched to meet the needs of the many Uptown residents who need and seek help. The food pantry feeds approximately 90 individuals every Tuesday and approximately 50 families every Friday evening. In addition, clothing is provided every week to around 90 Uptown residents. Throughout the school year approximately 40 St. Francis parishioners offer tutoring services to children at St. Thomas school and the Women s Club coordinates a Supply the Supplies drive each fall to provide school supplies and uniforms to the St. Thomas school children. The St. Thomas School choir graces our parish once a year with a performance, and Fr. Dan Costello, pastor of St. Thomas, annually preaches at our parish. Nancy Rey, from St. Thomas, and Sara Crome and Ray Gass from St. Francis, are the parishioners who have coordinated the efforts of so many people in this partnership a sharing relationship that is a sign of God s presence in the world. Children present a check for $5,000 to the Ministry of Care to help fund the installment of accessible doors for St. Francis Xavier Church. The money was raised by the Fun Run. Participants in the Church of the Second Chance Just Matters program on prison reform visit St. Leonard s Ministry for formerly incarcerated men in Chicago. With thanksgiving for Ministry of Care, Peace and Justice Ministry, Ministry of Praise, Annulment Support, Bereavement Ministry, Knitting Ministry, Respect Life, HOPE, Good Samaritan Network, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Sharing Parish: St. Thomas of Canterbury ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH Annual Report

13 Parish Financial Report 2009/2010 Fiscal year July 1, 2009 June 30, 2010 St. Francis Xavier Church had a net operating loss of $83,000 for fiscal year 2009/2010. Fortunately, the operating loss was fully offset by extraordinary items that included a special $50,000 donation and the Cubs Night fundraising event. This operating loss continues to reflect the difficult revenue environment due to the economic crisis. The following tables highlight the key financials for the church, the school, and the religious education programs, as we continue to build upon our mission and the strength of our community. Church Financial Report CHURCH REVENUE Sundays and Holy Days Christmas Easter School Appeal Interest and Other Income TOTAL REVENUE ACTUAL ACTUAL 1,145, ,279 96,739 39,741 26,352 1,487, % 1,131, % 187, % 103, % 39, % 32, % 1,493,344 VARIANCE 75.7% 12.6% 6.9% 13,319 (7,839) (6,469) 2.6% 2.2% 100.0% 529 (5,674) (6,134) CHURCH EXPENDITURES Priest Salaries 68, % 68, % (369) 292,825 Lay Salaries 115,444 Lay Benefits ,741 School Subsidy / School Appeal 131,999 Religious Ed Subsidy 192,927 Archdiocese 175,066 Utilities/Insurance/Maintenance 46,702 Church Supplies and Liturgy 70,537 Communication / Office Expenses 77,761 Administrative 18.7% 7.4% 25.4% 295, , , , , ,962 51,140 67,620 75,335 1,572, % (2,406) 3,402 (471) 4,531 (2,041) (5,896) (4,438) 2,917 2,426 (1,991) TOTAL EXPENSES OPERATING RESULTS 1,507, % 12.3% 11.2% 3.0% 4.5% 5.0% 100.0% 7.1% 25.4% 8.1% 12.4% 11.5% 3.2% 4.3% 4.8% 100.0% 2. (82,876) (78,733) (4,143) 3. 50,000 50, ,000 3, ,000 28,000 (16,000) 4. (1,876) (9,733) 7,857 EXTRAORDINARY ITEMS Special Donation Fund Raising Cubs Night Catholic Church Appeal Rebate NET RESULTS Parish and School Reserves and Endowment Funds Both the Parish and School Operating Reserves and Capital Project Reserves were established to stabilize current finances and to provide for future financial flexibility and security. The current reserves and endowments are as follows: PARISH FUNDS Operating Funds Capital Project Funds 5. Morin Endowment Funds SCHOOL FUNDS Operating Funds Capital Project Funds 6. Unrestricted Endowment Funds 7. Louise Murphy Endowment Funds ,355 16,645 1,600, ,335 38, ,709 79, The Parish provides approximately 25% of its offertory revenue as a subsidy for the school. This line item is made up of a $359,000 school subsidy and the $39,741 School Appeal. 9. The net operating results for the past three years have progressively become more negative due to flat revenues and increasing costs. The operating deficit for FY 2011 is projected to decrease from ($83,000) to ($75,000) 7. The Parish is grateful for two $50,000 contributions that helped close the operating shortfalls. Additionally, the Cubs outing provided the funding needed to close the remaining gap in Despite rising costs and a difficult revenue environment, the Parish has avoided using valuable reserves to cover operating shortfalls. 4. The Vivyenne Morin Funds was bequeathed for the purpose of enriching the pastoral ministry of the Parish. The funds are to be used for adult education, liturgical needs, programs of Church music and charitable needs of the community. 3. The School Endowment Fund was established to stabilize tuition increases, to subsidize scholarship funds, to support school resources, to develop education initiatives, and to provide professional development for teachers 1. The Louise Murphy Endowment Fund was established to provide scholarship assistance for families in need.

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15 Parish Financial Report 2009/2010 Fiscal year July 1, 2009 June 30, 2010 School Financial Report SCHOOL REVENUE Tuition Books and Supplies Technology HSO Annual School Appeal Parish Subsidy Operating Reserve Other ACTUAL 1. 1,120, ,439 75, ,000 39, , ,837 32,166 1,919,460 TOTALREVENUE 58.4% 6.8% 3.9% 7.6% 2.1% 18.7% 0.8% 1.7% 100.0% ACTUAL VARIANCE 936, % 99,535 28, ,000 39, , % 1.7% 5.8% 2.3% 20.8% 146,490 20,358 1,730, % 1.2% 100.0% 184,367 31,904 46,987 45, (1,000) (130,653) 11, , Tuition revenues have risen by almost 20% due to the large increase in the number of enrolled students, particularly those in the pre-school program. The current one-child tuition rate is $4, The Parish makes a yearly contribution to the school that is limited to the lower of 25% of the church s offertory income or 25% of the school s operating expenses. 3. Due to the large improvement SCHOOL EXPENDITURES Lay Salaries 1,212, ,604 79, ,074 75,699 63,348 Lay Benefits Instructional Materials Utilities/Insurance/Maint. Technology Other School Expense TOTALEXPENSES 63.2% 18.2% 4.2% 7.2% 3.9% 3.3% 1,919, % 1,151, % 309, % 61,782 63, % 39, , % 28, % 35, % 1,730, % 16,658 (3,720) 46,987 27, ,943 in enrollment, the school significantly decreased its use of school reserves in the past fiscal year. 4. The Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) provides religious education to 400 children of the Parish in grades K through Action provides a ministry to, with, and for youths attending high school. 6. The Rite of Christian Religious Education REVENUE 73,704 7,800 4, , ,668 PREP (Elementary) Fees Sacramental Program Fees Action Youth (HS) Fees Parish Subsidy TOTALREVENUE EXPENDITURES PREP (Elementary) Sacramental Program Action Youth Ministry Other Ed (RCIA) Maintenance TOTALEXPENSES , ,708 47,955 3,871 18, ,668 (1,026) 127, , % 3.7% 1.8% 59.6% 100.0% 3, % 4.6% 21.3% 1.8% 8.5% 2, % 136,459 9,781 45,548 3,929 18, % 213, % 3, % 3.6% 1.9% 60.6% 100.0% 63.9% 4.0% 22.0% 1.8% ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH Annual Report ,730 7,965 3,805 (165) 360 4,531 Initiation for Adults (RCIA) provides information for people interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. Other adult education programs are funded by the Morin Endowment. (1,073) 2,407 (58) (252) 13

16 How your Parish contributions are spent Building and sustaining a strong and relevant SFX Parish community requires a strong General Offertory. The General Offertory fuels the wonderful works of our Parish. The good deeds of our Church, ministries, and religious education depend greatly on steady financing to help them thrive. Without your generosity, our efforts to reach those in need would be greatly reduced. The reality is that our buildings must be maintained, staff salaries paid, and ministries funded. St. Francis Xavier has a great history of generosity, not just in support of the Parish, but also in support of the greater Chicago area and around the globe. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to share our gifts our time and talent as well as our financial resources. Church Expenditures of $1.57 million for 2009/2010 Percentage Distribution Admin 5% School Subsidy 25% Office Supplies 5% Church Supplies 3% Utilities/Insurance/ Maintenance 11% CHURCH MINISTRIES 54% Religious Ed Subsidy 9% Personnel Benefits 7% Archdiocese Programs 12% Lay Salaries 19% Priests Salaries 4% Outreach Support Each year, we as a Parish provide financial support to organizations outside the Parish. Through Special Collections, you provided $243,346 in support of these organizations. 14 St. Thomas of Canterbury $72, 740 Annual Catholic Appeal $87,968 Peter s Pence Missions of the Universal Church Campaign for Human Development Retirement Fund for Religious Catholic Charities Eastern Europe Church Latin American Church $3,019 $4,771 $10,199 $13,769 $11,371 $2,719 $1,799 Archdiocesan Seminaries Holy Land Nigeria Missions Priest s Retirement Fund Capuchin Missions Haiti Emergency Appeal Total Special Collections $4,983 $1,418 $4,659 $7,755 $689 $15,487 $243,346

17 Frequently Asked Questions to the Finance Committee How much of what I contribute on Sundays goes to the Archdiocese? Our Parish, like all Archdiocesan Parishes, is assessed 10% of offertory collections by the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese uses these monies to fund its staff and operating costs, including support services given to our Parish. It is important to note that there is no assessment on bequests, Sharing Parish donations, school tuition, interest on savings with the Archdiocese, gifts to the school Annual Fund, or the Endowment Fund. Does any of my offertory contribution go to pay off the Archdiocesan problem relating to the sexual abuse of minors? Absolutely not. The 10% assessment that our Parish pays to the Archdiocese is for staffing and operating costs. Direct expenses related to the misconduct are covered by income received from the sale or lease of various non-parish related properties owned by the Archdiocese, as well as proceeds from insurance coverage. How much of my Parish contributions go to fund the activities of St. Francis Xavier School? In the school year, a subsidy to the school of approximately $359,000 equaled 25% of the Parish s offertory income and about 22% of the school s operating costs. This subsidy is a function of a formula that has been in use for the past six years, under which the Parish contributes an amount equal to the lower of 25% of its offertory income or 25% of the school s total operating costs. What is the right amount to give the Church? Most religious groups ask their members to give 5-10% in support of the church. We suggest that everyone choose a comfortable level to commit for the year. The chart on the following page suggests guidelines for monthly donations based on monthly income. What is the Parish s preferred way to receive donations? There are many alternative ways of giving to the Parish. The majority of our families contribute through the weekly envelope program, the monthly automatic credit card program, and the monthly electronic check program. We encourage participation in the automatic giving programs. Automatic contributions greatly enhance the budgeting process and income projections of the Parish. (Note, the most efficient method is through the monthly recurring electronic check, which has the lowest processing costs.) How does the Parish staff and support the approximately 40 Parish ministries and programs? The Parish is very fortunate to have the time and talent of many volunteers from our community. As a result, the many groups dedicated to serving our community are able to highly leverage the Parish religious and lay staff. The Church has 19 lay employees that are the equivalent of 9 full time staff (9 FTEs), dedicated to supporting the programs and ministries that serve our 1,300 families and our Parish community. What has the Parish done to control costs during these difficult economic times? The Parish has faced a challenging operating environment since Revenues have remained flat, while utilities, insurance premiums, and personnel benefits have risen. Great care has been taken to preserve our programs and support for our services. In response, the Parish has frozen all salary pay for the past two years and has reduced non-essential operating costs. Additionally, the Finance Committee has prepared contingency plans that outline steps that can be taken should the economic environment worsen significantly. 15

18 St. Francis Xavier Parish - Planned Offertory Program We need more families to give to the General Offertory The St. Francis Xavier Offertory Program represents 80% of the Church operating revenues of $1,487,210. Every year the Finance Committee asks each family to plan the financial support it intends to provide to the Parish. We emphasize that everyone is welcome at St. Francis, regardless of means or level of financial support. Today, we have a record of donations from 900 of our 1,300 families. Of those, over 400 families participate in the St. Francis Planned Offertory Program by returning their planned offertory cards to the Parish office. Using the aggregate of each family s planned support level, the Finance Committee is able to build a realistic budget to meet the operating needs of the parish. The chart below shows the distribution of current families annual contributions to the parish. $3,000 $4,999 $2,000 $2, Families 12% $1,500 $1, Families 8% $5, Families 7% 95 Families 11% 143 Families 16% 102 Families 11% 159 Families 18% $1,000 $1,499 Up to $ Families 17% $200 $499 $500 $999 What is an appropriate level of giving? Most religious groups ask their members to give 5 10% in support of the church. We suggest that everyone choose a comfortable level to commit for the year. The chart below has suggested guidelines for monthly donations based on monthly income. Suggestions for a Monthly Gift Monthly Income 10% $1, $3, $5, $7, $10,000 1,000 5% % % How do families contribute to the St Francis Xavier Offertory Program There are many alternative ways for giving to our parish. The majority of our families contribute through the weekly envelope program, the monthly automatic credit card program, and the monthly electronic check program. Importantly, 225 of those families have chosen the option of an automatic credit card or electronic check process. Monthly Automatic Offertory Giving Program Credit Card 150 families Electronic Check 75 families We encourage participation in the automatic giving program. Automatic contributions greatly enhance the budgeting process and income projections of the Parish. St. Francis parishioners have a history of generously sharing their time, talents and material possessions. The Finance Committee thanks you for your participation and support. 16

19 Masses and Sacraments Masses Sunday 8 a.m.; 9:30 a.m.; 10:15 a.m. (in the gym); 11:30 a.m. Daily Mass (M-F) 6:30 a.m. & 8:15 a.m. Saturday Mass 8:15 a.m. & 5 p.m. (Sunday Vigil) Vital Statistics St. Francis Xavier July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010 Baptisms: 54 First Communions: 75 Confirmations: 83 Weddings: 18 Funerals: 22 Newly Registered Families: Registered Households: 1,322 Holy Days 7:30 p.m. (Vigil, night before); 6:30 a.m.; 8:15 a.m. Holidays 9 a.m. Baptisms On the 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month. Call the Parish Office to make arrangements and to register for a preparation session. Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays after the 8:15 a.m. Mass Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick Friday after the 8:15 a.m. Mass, or by appointment Sacrament of Marriage Should be arranged at least four months in advance. Call the Parish Office for Details. St. Francis Xavier Church, 9th St. & Linden Ave. Parish Office, 524 Ninth St., Tel: Religious Education Center, Tel: St. Francis Xavier School, 808 Linden Ave. Tel: Parish web: School web: sfx-school.org