WE’VE DONE IT!!

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Post-Bulletin article from 12-26-2009

           Countless people, parishioners and visitors, have called, sent emails and talked to members of our parish to comment and thank us for the beautiful job we did when we renovated our church.  Tons and tons of thanks go to all those who have supported this project with prayers, time and financial support.  To all those families who are paying their pledges, please continue to do so as we are counting on your pledges to pay the loan.  To all the families who have completed their pledge, we would appreciate if you would prayerfully consider extending your pledge.  To all the families who have not yet made a pledge, now is the time to assist your fellow parishioners with the loan payments. 

            Our Diocesan original loan was approved for $850,000; we only borrowed $604,963.83.  We would like to update you on where we are financially.

            Total Cost of the Renovation:  $ 2,142,906.48 

                          Paid to Date:                           - $ 1,634,091.51

Loan Balance:                                $   508,814.97            

Projected Interest Payments: + $     42,000.00   

Total to Pay Off:                         $   550,814.97

Outstanding Pledges:             - $    204,666.72

                          Dollars Still Needed:                 $     346,148.25

Contributing to this Renovation Project financially is a difficult task and we recognize that many of you have already made substantial sacrifices.  We are so grateful for your efforts.  IF each of the 1223 parish families could financially assist with an additional $95.00 for 3 years (or $285.00 – join the few people who have already come forward) we could raise an additional $348,555.00!  We realize that this is not possible for some and that some will be able to do more; working together we can do it! As you prayerfully discern your families’ ability to assist with additional funds over your current pledge, please mark on your check that the amount you are sending in your Church Renovation envelope is over and above your pledge.  If we pay off our loan before the three years we agreed as the repayment plan, we will SAVE interest costs.  Remember, we raised over $40,000 in just two weeks for the organ! 

There are two major steps left in our Master Plan, the addition of a gathering space on the west side of our church and the renovation of Founders Hall; then an addition of a Parish Center on the west side of the school gym and renovation of our school gym and cafeteria.  On Good Friday at the noon Mass, as people were leaving the rain came down in buckets and many people said “We wish we had a place to talk to our friends like we did when we were in the gym/cafeteria during the renovation.”  Several people have asked why we didn’t add the gathering space last summer; our answer is that we didn’t have the money.  The cost of the gathering space last summer was $1,500,000.00 – this amount includes remodeling Founders’ Hall.  Keep in mind; the sooner we complete payment of the church renovation loan, the sooner we can begin to concentrate on adding our gathering space on the west side (along 13^th Ave.) of our church.  

A big THANK YOU to the members of the Renovation Team for their hard work and dedication to the project and many hours of planning that took them away from their families. 

 Fr. Charlie Collins                        Ambrose King  

Denise DeRienzo                           Irene Maze

Dick Bins                                       Jalene Miller

Debbie Eitzen                                Lori Melhorn 

Lisa Ellman                                    Ralph Pearson

Marty Ellman                                Helen Schroeder

Bob Freund                                   Katie Stinson

Kent Hensley

We would also like to thank the following companies for all the work       they did:

Architect – Hord Architects, Memphis, TN

General Contractor – McGough, Rochester

Site Excavation – Frazer, Rochester

Structural Steel Supply – Briese Iron Works, Rochester

Structural Steel Installers – South Central Erectors, Rochester

Architectural Woodwork – O’Keefe Incorporated, River Falls, WI      

Roofing – Merit Contracting, Rochester

Caulking & Sealants – Dziedzic, Andover, MN

Doors & Hardware Supply – Green Door & Hardware, Dodge Center

Glass & Glazing – Hentges Glass, Rochester

Gypsum Wallboard – Olympic Wall Systems, Minnetonka

Tile and Flooring – Tile Superstore & More, Rochester

Painting – Sorensen & Sorensen, Rochester

Mechanical – Steve Green, Rochester

Fire Protection – Viking Fire Protection

Electrical – Hunt, Rochester

Pews – Ratigan-Schottler, Beatrice, NE     

Sound System – InterMedia Systems, Burnsville

We addressed many things that will be behind the walls and hidden, they include: 

Ø    Asbestos removed from the Church (asbestos remains in areas in Founders Hall and will be addressed in the next phase).

Ø    Insulation on all exterior walls.

Ø    Correct structural supports.

Ø    New HVAC system.

o    Correctly sized new water pipes for our HVAC system.

o    Old soffit roof system corrected to work with our new HVAC system.

Ø    New roof and ceiling system in the vestibule going from the church into the school.

o    There was no structural support for this roof.

Ø    New sprinkler system.

Ø    New sprinkler heads as required by the fire marshal.

Ø    Added support for door frame that was nonexistent in hall way behind cry room.

Ø    Wiring infrastructure for organ, organ speakers and new speaker cabinets.

Ø    Infrastructure is in place for full immersion font.

Other things that you will be able to see include:

     Ø    New sanctuary configuration.

o    We made the space more symmetrical for ease of everyone.

o    More space available for processions at front of church.

Ø    New Ambry

o    Placement of the Holy Oils should be as close to the font as possible.

Ø    New placement of Baptismal Font.

o    Baptism is the way in which we enter into our Catholic Faith; the font should be at the entry to our church.  When we add our gathering space the font will be at its proper place.  

o     One baptismal font, no small fonts at each entry door.

Ø    Reconfigured altar and New Ambo.

o    The altar has been scaled down in size so as not to be so massive with the portion being removed becoming the ambo top. 

o    Our altar top weighed over 4,000 lbs; it was cut in half to better fit our space.

o    There was also 2 ½ feet cut off to be used as the top of our Ambo.

o    The ambo and altar should be constructed out of the same material because the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are of utmost importance.

o    Mankato stone bases for both elements ties the interior to the building exterior with beautiful stone from the region.

Ø    New ramps to sanctuary.

o    People who have trouble navigating steps can now have access to the sanctuary.

Ø    New placement of Votive Candles.

o    We have created more of a “prayer space”.

o    $5.00 dollar suggested donation for votive candles.

Ø    New Reconciliation rooms.

o    The reconciliation rooms have been resized and made more welcoming so that penitents feel more at ease. 

o    The reconciliation room placement is near the font, because through reconciliation our sins are forgiven and we reenter our church.

o    The most used reconciliation room is now be closest to the north entry.  This reconciliation room has two doors for the safety of everyone.

o    Second reconciliation room will have two doors when we add the gathering space.

Ø    New pews.

o    Better spacing between the pews as the standards are now for comfort.

Ø    New balcony configurations.

o    New safer balcony railings.

o    Stain glass windows are now highlighted.

o    Both balconies are useable.

o    49 seats are available in the south balcony.

Ø    Smaller cry room.

o     New hallway from south vestibule to stairs to the school

Ø    New sound system.

Ø    A new organ and speakers have been purchased.

Ø    New sky light system.

Ø    New lighting.

Ø    New air returns.

Ø    New diffusers.

Ø    New flooring – carpet and ceramic tile.

Ø    New wall and ceiling coverings.

Ø    New bathrooms.

Ø    New nurse’s office.

Ø    New north entry ushers closet.

Ø    New placement of things that used to be in the entry ways.

Ø    Our four wooden statues have been cleaned.

Ø    A new cabinet will be purchased for our relics. 

       The Renovation team will continue work after a brief rest.  The plan is to build the gathering space and renovate Founders Hall after we complete payments of the existing loan.  Please continue to pray for us and support us financially as we continue the process of completing our Master Plan. Feel free to contact Denise DeRienzo, Parish Administrator and Director of Renovation at the parish offices by phone at (507)288-8238 ext 11 or by using her email address dderienzo@piusx.org to ask your questions; get answers; make a new pledge; or change/extend an existing pledge.

Click here for pictures before renovation.

Click here for pictures of beginning renovation.

Click here for pictures after asbestos removal.

Click here for pictures of sanctuary demolition.

Click here for more pictures.

Click here for even more pictures.

Click here for yet more pictures.

Click here for skylight pictures.

Click here for ceiling work.

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