Letters from The Pastor

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January 19, 2016

 

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

It seemed, at least for me, like this weekend would never arrive! Four months of preparation for a new chapter in my priesthood and four months of farewells to close the previous chapter have made me anxious to get on with it already!

 

As a history enthusiast, a devotee of church architecture, and a student of the great tradition of our Roman liturgy, I still cannot believe that Divine Providence has placed me in such  magnificent and historic parish. One cannot stand in our beautiful church and not think of the founders and builders of our parish who have gone before us. I certainly am humbled to be numbered among those who have served as pastor, starting with the Jesuits who sailed down the Mississippi to first explore this new territory. I pray that I will be worthy of the legacy that precedes me.

 

As a pastor, I view my mission as that of a steward. Too often those in authority or in leadership can view themselves as a king or queen; a pastor, however, must be quite the opposite. As a steward I am entrusted to preserve the deposit of our faith while also communicating it effectively in the 21st century through faithful teaching and preaching. As the chief liturgist for the parish it falls to me to faithfully celebrate the sacraments and the liturgy, preserving continuity with our rich traditions, and leading all of us to have an encounter with the Living Lord who is present in the Eucharist. As the leader of the parish it also is my duty to respectfully and wisely administer the temporal goods entrusted to the parish, always being mindful that hard working people sacrifice greatly to support the church and school financially; we can never squander or dishonor those gifts. 

 

We are all aware of the financial challenges that currently face our parish and our school. While this has been a source of anxiety and concern for many, I wish to reassure all of us that no challenge is too great for us to overcome together. I pledge to you that I will work tirelessly to address our finances and fundraising so that fear and uncertainty will be foreign feelings to us once again. I promise to clearly communicate my vision and plans as well as be transparent in all matters of finances. The challenges we face are nothing compared to the grace that God will give us to emerge stronger and more faith-filled than ever before.

 

I am humbled by the trust the Archbishop has placed in me with this assignment. I am humbled by the warm welcome with which I have been greeted by all of you. I ask you to please ask Our Lady to intercede for me as I undertake this new ministry. I look forward to our many years together! Sainte Genevieve, pray for us!

 

Fr. Nemeth

 

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June 15, 2020

 

Dear Parish Family,

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I am very excited to announce the establishment of the Ste. Genevieve Parish Endowment Fund through the Roman Catholic Foundation of Eastern Missouri.

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Last week I joyfully signed the documents that created this new endowment, placing one more brick in the solid financial foundation we are building for our great parish. Whereas the Ste. Genevieve Church Preservation Fund (an endowment fund invested in the St. Louis Archdiocesan Fund and managed by the Archdiocese) provides funds as needed for repairs and maintenance on the church building, the Ste. Genevieve Parish Endowment Fund will provide annual financial support back to the parish’s operating budget. As this endowment grows from the support of individual donors, especially through planned giving, the yearly contribution from the endowment will grow as well, relieving the burden on offertory contributions and allowing us to do more as a parish!

 

This endowment was funded by a most generous estate gift from a loyal parishioner who has gone home to the Kingdom. The parish finance council is developing a policy regarding future unrestricted major gifts and bequests which directs a major percentage of all those gifts directly to the endowment. By enacting this policy, we hold ourselves accountable for fiscal responsibility with the money that is the fruit of a donor’s lifetime of work. Those who support our parish should rest assured that their legacy gift is used wisely and will make a significant financial impact for generations to come.

 

The Roman Catholic Foundation of Eastern Missouri is a 501(c)3 public charity, independent from the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Though independent from control and management by the Archdiocese, it is the only entity with which parishes, schools, and Catholic organizations within the Archdiocese are able to create new endowed funds. The Roman Catholic Foundation was established in 2013 with the goal of building endowed funds that will support Catholic parishes, schools and ministries throughout the Archdiocese of St. Louis for generations to come. The Roman Catholic Foundation’s mission is to inspire giving and connect donors to Catholic ministries, sustaining the local church for future generations. The Roman Catholic Foundation assists donors with legacy gifts, from their will, trust, or retirement plan, to the Catholic parish, school or organization of their choice. One aspect that makes pastors and donors happy is that monies invested directly with the Roman Catholic Foundation or transferred from the parish account to the endowment are not subject to the Archdiocesan assessment on our parish revenue. Please learn more about the Roman Catholic Foundation at their website: www.rcfstl.org.

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I hope this news makes you as excited as I am in the strong financial future we are building for the generations of those who will worship in our beautiful church and will live their faith in our parish community!

 

Fr. Nemeth

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