In Support Of Our Plans
To Renew and Repair Our Church,
School and Convent Buildings
The Church and School of Saint Agnes
St. Paul, MN
T
hrough the tireless and faithfulcommitment of Austro-Hungarian and German immigrants over 100 years ago, God has blessed us with a beautiful church where we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We are also blessed to have a classic school building where young people are able to pursue the relationship between faith and reason, in fidelity to Christ and His Church. As we celebrate our 125th years for both
Church and School, we seek to continue our long history of worship, sacrifice, and accomplishment. We are called today to ensure that our buildings will serve current and future generations.
Introduction
Our Needs
Needs for Improvements and Repairs to Our
Church Building
Completed in 1912, our church building is in need of improvements and repairs to both honor our founders and their sacrifices and to continue her preservation for the next 100 years. • CHURCH FRONT ENTRY: The damaging effects of rain, snow, freeze and thaw cycles
throughout the winters and the harmful effects of salt have taken a toll on the front steps of The Church of Saint Agnes. These steps are an increasing safety issue due to the cracking, shifting and expansion of the concrete, and the continued settling of the underlying foundation. The platform at the top of the stairs has been compromised due to settling and weather factors as well. We often have ice that forms on the platform and steps, increasing the chance of someone falling as they enter the church.
• CHURCH LOWER LEVEL RESTROOMS: When we have inclement weather, water consistently leaks into the lower level women’s restroom causing significant damage. This repeated water issue, combined with the aging fixtures, has made the women’s restroom an extremely unpleasant area, incapable of being fully repaired.
• CHURCH HANDICAP RESTROOM: We currently do not have a handicap accessible restroom in our church building. If a member or visitor required a handicap accessible restroom, the options are extremely limited. They would need to locate someone with a key for the school, obtain assistance to get across the parking lot, use the ramp entry into the parish office on the first floor, and maneuver to the far north end of the building to gain access to a bathroom that is still not equipped for those with disabilities. It is imperative that we make our facilities accessible to everyone.
• CHURCH ELECTRICAL: We need to improve the lighting and wiring within our church. Operating the lights is not as easy as flipping on one or two light switches. To light either our church or chapel requires flipping multiple circuit breakers within the sacristies. These breakers wear out over time as they were not designed for this level of continual usage. There are also safety concerns as these old circuits have been known to both smoke and spark at times. Most of the switches and receptacles are original within the church, and the current wiring is not equipped to provide adequate power for potential future upgrades within our building.
A hundred
years from now,
the land north
and west of the
downtown
will still be here.
With God’s grace,
Saint Agnes will
be. The great
church with its
baroque onion
tower and red tile
roof will stand.
With greater and
greater sacrifices
demanded,
the schools will
continue, since the
education of the
youth will always
remain the most
important work
of any generation.
Msgr. Richard J.
Our Needs
• CHURCH ROOF: Our church roof needs serious attention. Many suggest that the lifeexpectancy of a clay tile roof is about 50 years; the majority of our tiles are 100 years old, original to the building. Though the roof was last rebuilt in 1958, many of the original clay tiles were reused at this time. Brittle clay tiles continue to break during the winter months causing interior water damage. We have tried to repair and patch but the time has come to address a new roof so that extensive damage to the interior of our church does not occur.
Needs for Improvements and Repairs to Our
School and Convent Buildings
Built in 1939 and 1959 respectively, our main school building and convent need repair and improvements to make them safer, accessible and efficient for those who use these spaces, including the religious sisters who have been so dedicated in their service.
• SCHOOL ROOF: The roof of our main school building that protects the interior is past its life expectancy and is no longer repairable. Years of leakage have saturated the insulation, creating further issues as the water freezes and contracts. Repeated leaks have caused damage in the science lab, library and several classrooms; we have repainted these areas many times, as well as replaced ceiling tiles that were badly stained. Additionally, the floor tiles have come loose in places due to the consistent water problem, creating an uneven floor to walk on for both students and teachers.
• CONVENT/SCHOOL ELEVATOR: Our main school building is not handicap accessible. Our only elevator in the school, adjoining the convent, is a freight elevator which does not consistently work properly. While it provides access to all four floors of the convent where the teaching Sisters of Charity reside, it does not allow accessibility to each floor of the school, and therefore our building is not handicap accessible. If a student with crutches or a wheelchair needs access to the 3rd floor, they must maneuver stairs. This requires regular assistance from
others to carry books and backpacks, or in the case of a wheelchair, assistance in actually carrying the wheelchair up the steps. As the old elevator no longer meets fire code requirements, the City of St. Paul has allowed us until December 31, 2014 to replace the elevator, or they will literally shut it down.
• SCHOOL ELECTRICAL/TECHNOLOGY: The electrical and lighting system in our school building is also deficient and inefficient. There is often only one permanent receptacle in each classroom often tied to a single breaker making it virtually impossible to upgrade our technology in the classroom. This inadequate electrical infrastructure coupled with aged equipment within our computer labs, science labs, and classrooms, hinders us in providing the most effective academic preparation for our students. Our current computers within these noted areas are between 8-10 years old; the average lifespan for similar equipment in most schools is 4-5 years. Inefficiencies, expiring support options and software limitations pose serious future issues.
• SCHOOL CLASSROOMS/CAFETERIA: Most of the classroom furnishings are
extremely mismatched and antiquated. We have been frugal in ‘assembling’ our classrooms with limited resources, but now often find ourselves at a significant disadvantage trying to compete for prospective students with classrooms that give a perception of a compromised educational product. The smaller classroom desks simply do not meet the physical needs of our older students. These same limitations are true for our cafeteria, as high school students struggle to modestly sit on benches more suited for elementary students. The immobility of the current tables also creates great inefficiencies with the daily cleaning. • CONVENT WINDOWS: The north and east sides of the convent are the only original
windows on campus that have not been replaced. Their current inoperative state actually allows weather (snow, rain, wind) to penetrate certain areas of the convent; specifically where the Sisters of Charity reside. The windows are inefficient, incapable of being cleaned, and inoperable.
Our Plans
T
o address these needs, our Church and School leadership has formulated what it believes is a very positive and prudent plan that will allow us to focus on our more pressing and immediate needs while planning for the future generations of Saint Agnes.Our Plans to Improve and Renew Our Church
Building
• CHURCH FRONT ENTRY: We want all those who enter and exit the church to do so with ease and safety. To ensure safety, we will rebuild the structural support and the foundation walls for our front steps, as well as refurbish our railings. We will replace the concrete platform at the top of the stairs, and add heating coils to the platform in order to melt ice and snow during inclement weather. As a final enhancement, two custom light fixtures will be added, providing additional lighting for all those that enter; this will recreate the historical appearance that was once present on the stone piers at the top of the stairs in 1912.
• CHURCH LOWER LEVEL RESTROOMS: We plan to add a new handicap accessible private restroom on the lower level that would meet all current ADA requirements and would alleviate the need for those with disabilities or physical limitations to leave our church building; it would be welcoming and accessible to all. Additionally, we will update the current lower level women’s and men’s restrooms by replacing the leaky fixtures with automated faucets and flush valves for efficiency and germ prevention. At this time we will also repair the water damage caused by the leaks from the front steps platform.
• CHURCH ELECTRICAL: Our church electrical system will be updated to be more energy efficient. An automated panel will
allow us to pre-program our needs for our various liturgical ceremonies, thereby decreasing our energy usage and saving us money.
• CHURCH ROOF: Our church
roof will be replaced with a new tile system and a significant underlayment to maximize the life expectancy while protecting the interior of our beautiful church for many generations to come.
“He who sows
bountifully
will also reap
bountifully.
God loves a
cheerful giver.
God is able to
provide you with
every blessing in
abundance. He
will supply and
multiply your
resources. You
will be enriched.
You will glorify
God by your
generosity.”
2 Corinthians
Our Plans to Improve and Renew Our School
and Convent Buildings
• SCHOOL ROOF: Our plans include replacing our school roof. It is not fiscally prudent to continue to patch, paint and repair interior water damage, without addressing the source of the ongoing issues. We plan to replace the roof with a multi-layered tar pitch roof. As the roof has many long runs, we will utilize a customized design that includes several expansion joints in order to minimize future repairs. It will be a more rigid and stable surface.
• CONVENT/SCHOOL ELEVATOR: The deadline of our three year extension with the City of St. Paul is rapidly approaching for the replacement of our convent elevator. We will replace our current elevator with one that will provide access to all floors of the convent, as well as the school, making it fully handicap accessible and meeting all ADA requirements.
• SCHOOL ELECTRICAL/TECHNOLOGY: Our current electrical system will be updated throughout the school, replacing older fuse boxes with current circuit breakers, while also upgrading the amount of accessible power and receptacles within classrooms to meet modern technological needs. We will update our antiquated light fixtures to a more energy-efficient system with additional automatic shut-off switches. Current all-in-one desktop computers will be purchased to replace approximately 75 dated machines located within the high
school computer lab, science lab, and classroom faculty desks.
• SCHOOL CLASSROOMS/CAFETERIA: We will replace the desks and chairs within 20 separate classrooms creating a more uniform, ergonomically-correct, size-appropriate and attractive environment for student learning including a complete refurbishment of our current science lab. This investment better reflects the excellence of our current academic program, and allows us to remain competitive with other K-12 schools. At the same time, we will replace the current bench tables in the cafeteria with a combination of 30 collapsible tables including several circular tables with freestanding chairs to better suit the older students.
• CONVENT WINDOWS: We will replace the north and east side windows on the convent in order to create a more civil living space for our teaching sisters, and the various ministries that utilize the building. This investment will provide long-term energy savings.
Our Campaign
T
o address our needs and plans we are initiating an intensive fundraising campaign effort entitled “Honoring Our Past, Preserving Our Future”. Our aim with this important effort is to raise the funds required to renew and repair our church, school and convent buildings.Our minimum goal is $4,000,000, with half of this amount used to address church building needs and the other half going toward the school and convent buildings. Our proposed plans within this statement will be achieved if we are able to meet our minimum goal. The efforts pertaining to the church include refurbishing the front entry, upgrading the current restrooms, adding a handicap accessible restroom, addressing our electrical deficiencies and replacing the roof. In regard to the school and convent buildings, meeting our minimum goals will allow us to successfully replace our roof and elevator, upgrade our electrical infrastructure, address our computer, classroom and cafeteria needs, and allow us to replace the convent windows.
Challenge Goal of $5,000,000
An additional $1,000,000 has been established as a challenge goal, for a total campaign goal of $5,000,000. If met, we will be able to address air climate issues within both the church and school buildings, in addition to the replacement of our current gymnasium floor within Bandas Hall, as further detailed below.
Our Needs and Plans for the Challenge Goal
• NEEDS: Our church and school buildings have many air systems that are either inefficient or no longer function. Though our boilers have been well-cared for throughout the years and are still quite efficient, the systems for delivering and controlling fresh air within the buildings and their limitations has created serious issues. Besides significant fluctuations in overall temperature and humidity, the inability to control the inside climate within the church continues to damage previously restored areas. Similar adverse conditions within the school have created the negative effects of poor air quality, interior condensation, and expansion/contraction damage to our wood flooring.
• PLANS: By reaching the challenge goal, we will be able to address and improve air climate and quality issues within the church and school. Potential solutions will include the installation of new HVAC systems and ventilation. This may include providing air conditioning to the church, chapel and various meeting spaces in Schuler Hall, in addition to Bandas Hall and the gymnasium in Gruden. We will also then replace the gymnasium floor in Bandas Hall that can no longer be repaired due to the repeated need for refinishing.
Beyond the Challenge
Goal
Any additional funds raised beyond the $5,000,000 challenge goal will be used toward current and long term needs of the church and school.
Goals
$4,000,000
Minimum Goal
$5,000,000
Challenge Goal
Levels of Support Needed to Succeed
In order to reach our financial objectives, we will need both a substantial number of givers and a few, fairly substantial gifts.
Number Minimum
Size of Gift Needed Need
$ 750,000 or more 1 $ 750,000 $ 300,000 - 749,999 2 $ 600,000 $ 150,000 - 299,999 4 $ 600,000 $ 75,000 - 149,999 8 $ 600,000 $ 30,000 - 74,999 20 $ 600,000 $ 15,000 - 29,999 40 $ 600,000 $ 7,500 - 14,999 80 $ 600,000 $ 7499 or less 145 $ 650,000 Total 525 $5,000,000
Gift Options & Opportunities
Prices of the stated items are not necessarily reflective of the component’s cost. Rather they are based on the prominence of the item, our needs, and hopefully, the gift abilities of our community. Although payments for these gifts may be made over the entire pledge period, recognition will be given when the gift is paid in full.
E
Everyone is asked to consider gifts above and beyond what they might give regularly through offerings, contributions or annual giving. There are a variety of ways that gifts can be made. • Long-term subscriptions, or pledges payable over 3 years, are easier for most and essential to meeting our goal, since it would be impractical, if not impossible, to reach our objectives with one-time, out-of-pocket gifts. Gifts may be made in monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual installments at the donor’s discretion. A 10% initial investment toward your total pledge is requested.• Non-cash gifts are an additional or alternative way you can support our cause. You may, for example, wish to consider gifts “in kind” such as labor and materials; gifts of securities such as stocks and bonds; gifts of real estate or even personal property such as artwork, automobiles, jewelry and antiques.
• And finally, you can also choose to support our efforts through deferred gifts. These are gifts that can be given or arranged for now, but will not be received until later, and include gifts through a person’s will by bequest, gifts of life insurance policies or annuities, and gifts in trust.
Gift Opportunities
There are also a number of very special gift opportunities available to donors of qualifying gift amounts. These opportunities allow people the unique chance to designate their gifts to a particular part of the project and dedicate them in honor or memory of those whom they choose.
Church Building Improvements
New Church Roof $ 1,000,000
New Entryway Steps $ 500,000
Upgraded Electrical System $ 150,000
Heated Platform for Entryway Steps $ 100,000
New Handicapped Lower Level Private Restroom $ 50,000 Renovation of Lower Level Women’s Restroom $ 35,000 Renovation of Lower Level Men’s Restroom $ 35,000
New Main Entryway Light Fixtures (2) $ 15,000 each
Entryway Step Railings (2) $ 10,000 each
School and Convent Building Improvements
New School Roof $ 600,000
New Convent/School Elevator $ 500,000
Upgraded Electrical System $ 200,000
Bandas Gymnasium Flooring $ 100,000
Science Lab Renovation/Refurbishment $ 75,000
Desktop Computers (75) for Labs and Classrooms $ 75,000
Convent Windows (North) $ 45,000
Convent Windows (East) $ 30,000
Classroom Desk/Chair Upgrades (20) $ 10,000 each classroom
Cafeteria Tables (6 sections) $ 5,000 each section
Pledge Plans
“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another
as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
1 Peter 4:10
Payment Plans (10%) (6)
Gift Total Initial Daily Weekly (36) (12) Semi- (3) Level Gift Investment * * Monthly Quarterly Annually Annually
Pacesetting $2,000,000 200,000 1,644 11,538 50,000 150,000 300,000 600,000 1,000,000 100,000 822 5,769 25,000 75,000 150,000 300,000 750,000 75,000 616 4,327 18,750 56,250 112,500 225,000 500,000 50,000 411 2,885 12,500 37,500 75,000 150,000 250,000 25,000 206 1,442 6,250 18,750 37,500 75,000 100,000 10,000 82 577 2,500 7,500 15,000 30,000 75,000 7,500 62 433 1,875 5,625 11,250 22,500 50,000 5,000 41 288 1,250 3,750 7,500 15,000 40,000 4,000 33 231 1,000 3,000 6,000 12,000 30,000 3,000 25 173 750 2,250 4,500 9,000 25,000 2,500 21 144 625 1,875 3,750 7,500 Major 20,000 2,000 16.44 115 500 1,500 3,000 6,000 15,000 1,500 12.33 87 375 1,125 2,250 4,500 10,000 1,000 8.22 58 250 750 1,500 3,000 5,000 500 4.11 29 125 375 750 1,500 Community 4,000 400 3.29 23 100 300 600 1,200 3,000 300 2.47 17 75 225 450 900 2,000 200 1.64 12 50 150 300 600
* These figures are provided for illustration purposes only. To minimize costs, suggested payment plans include monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual installments.
