Lately, our finance council and our parish pastoral council have been rather busy. Busy enough that we didn’t manage to skip one of our meetings this summer! But, busy with things that are important to the life of the parish. After all, these women and men are the representatives that you nominate to serve. I genuinely look to them to give me advice as we move forward on so many fronts.

One of the responsibilities that falls to finance councils, pastoral councils, and pastors is the regular evaluation of properties. We’re always called to look closely at the buildings we own in the same way we pay attention to our programs and ministries. Do these pieces of property truly help us in the one mission that matters—the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

I’m sure you’re aware that currently, the former St. Lawrence Rectory (aka, the former SJNRA Preschool, the former PREP building, the former Family Promise shelter space, the former St. Lawrence Convent) sits empty. Beginning this fall semester, the Pre-School returns to the elementary building connected to St. Boniface Church.

That leaves us with an empty building. An empty building that we need to minimally heat through the winter, maintain when things break down, and look after when storms strike. An empty building for which we have no mission-driven use. And, without that mission-driven use, an empty building is taxed like any other secular structure.

The parish pastoral council and finance council have discussed the possibilities for the former rectory and advised that the time has come to sell it. We’ve asked the Bishop for his permission and he’s given it. We’ve begun the process of marketing the property. Keep us all in prayer as we move forward!