In the year 2000, the parishioners of the Church of St. Michael stepped out in faith to answer a call to live in the likeness of Jesus Christ. We recognized that it was our baptismal responsibility to answer the call in five specific ways
- Help each other learn our faith and live it
- Be a spiritual home for all members of our parish family
- Offer Catholic education, youth faith formation, and religious education
- Continue faith formation for our adult members
- Reach out to those in need
In order to fulfill this responsibility, we began a project to update and expand our facilities. This project began with planning meetings by parishioners over a three-year period. At that time, we saw this project as part of what we called “Our Bright Future.” In order to fund this bright future, the Capital Campaign was kicked off on January 22, 2000.
Today, we share in the “bright future” foreseen a decade ago. The upgrades and expansions are a reality. They are being used to answer our baptismal responsibility. Parishioners continue answering the call to live in the likeness of Jesus Christ. The Capital Campaign, too, continues. The first leg, 2000-2002 raised over $3,700,000. The second leg, 2003-2005, brought in an additional $1,786,000. Now, in the middle of the third leg, 2006-2008, parishioners have pledged nearly $1.8 million and have paid $1,072,000 of that.
As of December 2006, project costs, including financing have exceeded $11 million dollars. Our remaining debt principal is $3.12 million. Based on this, a fourth leg beginning in 2009 is anticipated.
By continuing to live in the likeness of Christ and paying down our debt, we are contributing to the formation of a Catholic culture in the St. Croix Valley. As we move forward, let us resolve to work together and to pray for each other.
