A Note From Father Eickhoff

October 6, 2024

This weekend I want to draw your attention to the annual parish financial report that you will find on the facing page of this bulletin article. Please take the time to read the report and then come back to this bulletin article.

I first want to thank the members of the St. Anne Parish Finance Committee for their work in reviewing and supervising the parish finances. The members of the committee are: Christopher Maynard, Don Oblazney, Rebecca Kidd, and Zachary Hooper. The committee members have a dual responsibility to both me as the pastor of the parish and to the Bishop of the Diocese of Joliet to ensure that the money and resources that parishioners give to the parish are being used wisely and that all the financial policies of the Diocese of Joliet are being correctly followed. The members of the parish finance committee are the ones who prepared the report you have just read for your review.

There are a few points about the parish finances that I want to bring to your attention. First, St. Anne Parish, through the past generosity of its parishioners, is in an excellent financial position. The parish has no debts and has a very healthy monetary reserve. Second, although the current financial health of the parish is sound there is a growing issue: namely, the stagnation over the past few years in the Sunday collection. Although the parish was in the black this past year this was only possible due to a lack of spending on major projects during the year. The current budget for 2024-2025 shows the parish in the red due to the need to spend money on major building projects. Third, the parish buildings and infrastructure are starting to reach the point in which they will need replacement or major upkeep. We tend to think of the parish buildings as “new.” And in comparison to some other parishes they are newer. However, even the newest buildings here at St. Anne are now over twenty years old and they and their mechanical systems are starting to need overhaul and/or replacement. This cannot be delayed indefinitely. We will need to spend substantial amounts of money over the next few years to keep the physical part of the parish in good order.

Because of this I am writing today to urge you, the people of St. Anne Parish, to consider giving more in your regular offerings to the parish. I know that many of you have regularly supported the parish for many years and I am grateful for your assistance. I also know many of you who do support the parish have been giving the same amount to the parish on a weekly basis for many years. I ask you to review the amount that you give to the parish and if you have been giving the same amount to the parish for many years to increase that regular amount. Even a small increase will be greatly helpful to the parish.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Stephen Eickhoff
Pastor