Financial Summary:
This year the parish basically broke even. Both our income and expenses increased over the past year. COVID deeply affected the last two years’ financials, and we are returning to normal.
Things to note:

• Fundraising income increased dramatically, as we have been actually able to have fundraisers, notably the Sponsor’s Dinner Dance and Auction, which raised over $80,000
• Increased school and pre-school enrollment have increased tuition income.
  While raises for existing employees were modest, inflation, a rising minimum wage, and a tight labor market increased personnel costs by about 9%.
• Utility costs increased by $18,000 and were 13% above our 5-year average.
• The heating system required additional repairs; several condensate pipes needed replacement increasing maintenance costs.
• Our endowment fund lost around $19,000 in value in the market.
• We received a grant from the ACA to fix a leaking boiler feed water tank.
• Insurance paid to repair/replace areas of the roof on the school.
• We received but have yet to spend a $25,000 grant from the ACA to fix uneven concrete and doors on campus.
• We received reimbursements for purchases made for the school with federal COVID relief funding. The current round of relief spending is benefiting us, but the money is being spent by a third party to support our students.
• The most worrying issue is a decline in offertory, Sunday collections. We saw a decline of $24,000. This is really bad! A continued decline would make the parish unsustainable.

Disciple Maker Index Theme: Participation

People at St. Ann participated in the survey at twice the rate of people in the Archdiocese as a whole. Across the Archdiocese, the number of surveys was about 75% of the number of people counted across all the Masses for an Average Sunday last October. At St. Ann, we had 308 surveys completed with an average mass attendance in October of 204 people. That is 150% of Mass attendance.

Disciple Maker Index Theme: Community

St. Ann parishioners have lived in the parish longer and recommend their parish more than the average. We are more involved. We attend and invite people to attend parish social events more often than the average. We more strongly agree that we are involved in decisions, clearly communicated with, welcomed, supported, and followed up with. These high levels of belonging not only apply to long-time parishioners but newcomers as well!

Disciple Maker Index Theme: Intentionality

We are intentional in social gatherings. St. Ann parishioners are more likely to attend social events or invite people to social events than other parishes. We are weak overall and in comparison in offering Bible studies and retreats and inviting people to church. We enjoy being together. If we are more intentional in getting together and inviting people for spiritual community that will undoubtedly be an engine for spiritual growth. 

Disciple Maker Index Theme: Education

90% of those answering the survey from St. Ann with school-aged children send their children to Catholic School compared to 66% for the Archdiocese as a whole. 79% of those parents “strongly agree” that they would recommend the parish Catholic School to a friend, and another 15% agree. We are the second most highly recommended school of any of the 1500 parishes taking the Disciple Maker Index. Our parents more strongly agreed that “One of my most important responsibilities as a parent is helping my child(ren) to know Jesus.” than average. Not only do people recommend our school, they feel the religious education at the school is excellent. 83% strongly recommended our parish’s religious education. We don’t have a religious education program outside of the school and our Confirmation program. Twice as many people at St. Ann strongly agreed, relative to the national average, that they have support from the parish “to help my child(ren) grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ.” People also rated our sacrament preparation programs well, with more and stronger agreement and half as much disagreement than the national and diocesan benchmarks. 71% of respondents felt the church and school were of either “one mind and heart” or “of one mind.” That is an incredible amount of unity and support for the quality of religious instruction and identity, considering that the majority of school children are not Catholic. The DMI says we have a truly Catholic parish school that serves mostly non-Catholic and non-parish families!

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