Proposed Renovation of the Worship Space

The Renovation Committee wishes to express our sincere gratitude for your prayers and responses. We have been humbled by the thread uniting the feedback, that a Church is not simply a building - it is where we come to meet Our Lord in the sacraments.

To date, our discernment process involved reviewing parishioner input gathered between summer 2022 through April 2023. Responses reflected an overall positive response in favor of a renovation. Therefore, we would like to introduce the next phase. Funded by previously donated contributions, the next phase is comprised of the following:

· Using feedback gathered during phase one as guidance, final drawings will be completed to get a clear picture of the scope of the potential project.

· A feasibility study will be conducted by an outside firm to provide due diligence in determining if there is sufficient financial support to move forward.

To be clear, this update does not mean a renovation has been approved. The Archdiocese requires 50% of funds prior to starting any renovation, with committed pledges for any remaining amount without drawing from general funds.

The prayerful discernment process has maintained the “why” regarding moving forward. Our worship at the Eucharistic table is sacred. We receive grace through the sacraments. Jesus is present in the tabernacle which deserves a beautiful home and is a testimony to who we are as Catholics. A timeless, beautiful church is the best steward investment we can provide.

The Renovation Committee will provide updates moving forward. Please continue to pray for our parish.

Blessings to you all,

The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Renovation Committee

This letter appeared in the bulletin on May 7, 2023.

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 Email the renovation committee HERE.  

 See design concepts



1. How long is the discernment process and when will a decision be made?
May 1, 2023, is the date scheduled for the committee to decide if the renovation will move forward to the next phase.

2. What about funding the potential renovation?
Approximately $300,000 has already been donated. Additional funds would need to be raised. This project won’t be funded from donations for the general operation of the parish and school. Fundraising would need to take place and the donations specified for the renovation. The Archdiocese requires half of the cost be received and in the bank to be able to start the project, with pledges received for the remaining half of the cost.

3. What is the cost?
The final cost has a lot of variables due to final decisions on the design, economy, labor and material costs. Currently, our estimate is $1-1.5 million.

4. How long would it take?
If it’s decided that the renovation will move forward, then fundraising would begin. During this time, we would also be working with a firm to finalize the design and the costs. When those things are completed, construction can begin, which is estimated to take three to four months.

5. Where would Mass be during construction?
Mother Seton Hall

6. Would the new design lose seating in the church?
Approximately 100-150 seats would be lost with the renovation.

7. Are the drawings final?
No. The renderings are a concept. If the decision is made to renovate, then the details such as colors, artwork, and statues would need to be decided. Parishioner input during the discernment period would help this process. See concept drawings HERE.

8. Could it be done in stages or all at once?
Ideally, all the major components would be completed at once. Further minor components could be made in the future.

9. Why do we need to change the design of the church?
As Catholics, the Mass is the most important form of prayer. It is where heaven meets earth. The church building should express what it is meant to be – it should point us to heaven. Our hope is that this renovation will incorporate the pattern of Christian churches established by God beginning back in the Old Testament (Exodus Chapters 25 & 26). We want people who walk into our church to know right away that this is unlike any other building in the community. The renovation will also address other issues with the lighting and the sound.

10. What about the school?
Leadership from the parish and the school work hard to ensure that our school has a strong future. The parish will continue to support the school as one of its core ministries. The hope is that the renovation will strengthen the parish and bring new families to the parish. A strong parish is a good recipe for a strong school.

11. Why not give the money to the poor?
Our parishioners already give anywhere from $90,000-120,000 to the Catholic Services Appeal. Our parish and school give anywhere from $70,000-90,000 in tuition assistance to families in need. Parishioners also give their time, talent, and treasure to many other organizations that support the poor. Most importantly, this renovation will benefit all people, despite any one individual’s level of income. All people deserve access to beauty.

12. How will we know if this is what God wants? Why not just take a vote?
As believers in God’s goodness and faithfulness, we know that God will guide us in this important decision. The parish renovation committee will help us discern this potential project and has asked the parish to pray about it so that we may clearly know God's will. Because the parish has been informed about the project, the committee wants input. The committee is currently receiving questions and comments from parishioners to help in the discernment process. The committee has researched the teachings of the Church and looked into data and surveys that provide insight to such a project. We are placing our trust in God’s providence.

13. What is the evidence that a renovation would attract young families?
Data shows that more traditional parishes are growing and the age demographic trends to be lower. A recent PEW research study determined that younger priests are more traditional than older priests. Young women choosing the religious life are choosing more traditional religious orders. Young people, if their faith is important, are drawn to environments that give a sacred feel.

14. What about the parking lot and the other maintenance needs of the church?
Parish leadership is aware of all the maintenance needs of the church and school. The committee is working with the parish staff to be able to present to the parish all the maintenance needs, timelines, and costs. Your generosity over the past 7 years has helped us build up our Capital Improvement Fund for these purposes. These maintenance needs will be addressed no matter what happens with the renovation.

15. Why don't we work on evangelizing, welcoming, and ministries first?
Each of these points is critical to the life of any church and its outreach to the community and must continue to be a focus of our parish, with or without a renovation. These things are low cost and require people with hearts on fire to serve the Lord and his church. These are all things the parish is currently working on and will continue working on as long as there is a church in Hastings. The renovation would help the faithful deepen their worship at Mass, which will inspire them to be involved in ministries and to go and evangelize to bring the good news to others.

16. Can we improve the worship space without such an extensive renovation?
There are many changes that could be made to our worship space. We believe that the ones being proposed will achieve what we think will prepare us for the next generation of faithful Catholics in our community. These changes are bold but also necessary in a culture that is turning from God. We need a place that reminds us that God is always with us.

This insert appeared in the March 19, 2023 edition of the parish bulletin.

Dear parishioners of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church,

In an effort to discern the next steps for our parish, Father Dave has formed the Sanctuary Renovation Committee. As a committee our mission is to help the parish discern whether or not we will move forward with the proposed renovation. We understand there is a lot of confusion currently on the purpose of our committee and we want to be clear that our current role is to foster discernment. The idea for this project began with a gift of $100,000 to beautify the sanctuary. Parish leadership then started looking at the possibility of a renovation. Since that time, others have donated to this project, and now $300,000 has been raised. The parish has been very clear to the donors. The money will ONLY be used for the purpose of a renovation of the sanctuary. If the choice is made to forgo the renovation, all donations will be returned to the donors unless they direct it to another purpose.

As a committee our first step is to ask everyone together, as a parish, to pray together to discern if this is God's will for our church. The decision of if or when to renovate will not be made by Fr Dave. It is up to us as a parish to decide. But first, as a whole and unified parish, we must pray to our Father in heaven and ask for God to let us know His will. Whether you are currently for, against or indifferent to the potential renovation, we ask for you to earnestly pray about this project.

Here are some things to bring to God in prayer:
• Could a renovation help with our worship and help lift our hearts towards heaven?
• Will it help strengthen the future of the Catholic Church at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton?

The next time you are in the worship space, picture in your mind the images of what it might look like and how it could affect your worship.
• How might this impact your devotion to the Eucharist?
• How might this help you realize that our worship is meant to be like heaven on earth?

Please, allow God some time to speak to you. There are prayer cards available throughout the pews and church to help us pray together as a parish. You can also find pamphlets by the renderings of the proposed renovation in the gathering space that will answer a lot of questions to why this should be considered. We thank you for your prayers and patience as we discern His will. Please feel free to share how God is speaking to you in your prayer or any questions you may have with the renovation committee. All committee members are open to a face-to-face conversation, and we welcome written correspondence via post or email to renovation@seasparish.org. You can also submit your comment or question by scrolling down to the submission form below.

Sincerely,
Dennis and Ashley Brummel, Greg and Delrae Hodgson, Scott Schaffer, Jerry Bambenek, Tracy Steiner and Lynn Judge.

This letter appeared in the March 5, 2023 edition of the parish bulletin.