T he committee that guided the Parish Center project through months of planning, which

led to last fall’s capital cam-paign, is initiat-ing a more de-tailed design-phase of the project. The hope is to sharpen cost estimates and determine a timeline for construction. Building Upon a Firm Foundation includes $1.9 million in improvements to the church and a Parish Center, esti-mated to cost $3.5 million, which would include a gathering space, a large multi-purpose room and kitchen, and parish offices. A plan for the project was prepared by an architect last winter in consultation with the project committee. The next “design” phase will produce more detailed plans and clarify costs. This next stage follows a capi-tal campaign that gathered pledg-es, at this point, of nearly $3.6 mil-lion. Contributions in responses to those pledges began for many pa-rishioners in December, and sever-al have increased their pledges. While the campaign has not yet covered the total cost of the

project it was a great success by several measures. The campaign identified pledges of nearly four

times the parish’s annual income, which in campaign circles is a sig-nificant accomplishment. In addi-tion, 78 percent of all parishioners participated, and have made an average contribution or pledge of $5,573, again a strong result. While additional contributions will be needed, the parish has other resources to draw upon, including funds from the sale of the Newman Center, which was appraised in 2013 at $550,000. UW-Stevens Point has long been interested in purchasing the building, which would be retained and used for university programming. A pledge form for parishioners who have not yet contributed can be found in this newsletter. More information about the project can be found at the parish web site.

BREAKING NEWS Embarking upon a time of transition for a parish and its pastor

T his past weekend I shared the news that I will be leaving Holy Spirit Parish for St. Anne Parish

in Wausau in early July. This news might have been as surpris-ing to you as it was to me. Obviously, I’ve been aware of the move since Bishop Callahan called in mid-April to talk with me about a potential transfer of as-signments. Regardless, leaving our parish hadn’t seemed like a likely, or even reasonable, possibility. After all, we are nearing the end of only our third year as a new par-ish, the unification process is still something that’s under way, not completed. More immediately, we have just completed the campaign for our Building Upon a Firm Foun-dation project and begun initiating more focused preparations for the initial phases of that project and the sale of the Newman Center. It would not seem, as I men-tioned to the Bishop, that this is the right time. But, I responded to my own remark so that he wouldn’t have to: “Well, Tom, when is there a right time?” See TRANSITION on Page 2

�PLANNING BEGINS TO MOVE AHEAD WITH PARISH PROJECT�

THEADVOCATE News of Holy Spirit Parish | Spring 2018

The Parish Center pro-ject is understandably a sig-nificant concern that’s been expressed since I made the announcement, and even prior to that during the cam-paign. “What happens if/when Fr. Tom leaves Holy Spirit?” was a frequent question. A few parishion-ers raised that point with me when I met with them seek-ing their financial support. My answer then and now is the same: The project must continue! We’ve done too much work and there is too much support within the parish to do otherwise. We need to make necessary improvements to the church and we desperately need the opportunities offered by our proposed center. Thankfully, Fr. Steve Brice, Holy Spirit’s new pas-tor, has considerable experi-ence with similar projects. He was pastor of St. Anne Parish in Wausau, during a time of a building project far

more substantial than ours. Gratefully, he’s willing to accept this assignment, but I know he’s also enthusi-astic about the tremen-dous benefits that Building Upon a Firm Foundation will bring the parish. As you’ll note in the adjacent news item, our pro-ject contin-ues! In terms of the evolv-ing life of our relatively new parish, this might be just the right time for a new pas-tor to come on the scene. He will bring new perspec-tive, new ideas and a new pastoral sense to what has already been accomplished,

and what might be pursued. And how. Parish unification, as I’ve come to discover, is a balancing act as we create

something new while honoring val-uable compo-nents of our past. Some-times my at-tempts at bal-ancing have been more successful and at other times, I acknow-ledge and regret, some-what painful. A new pastor arrives as a clean slate — he to the par-ish and the parish to him.

There’s benefit in that. Which is not to mini-mize the challenge of transi-tion. Regardless of how advantageous the arrival of a new pastor might be, the

adage “change is difficult” certainly holds true. The significance of patience, of understanding, of ac-ceptance in welcoming a new pastor cannot be un-derstated. Nor the sadness of parting, on my part, as I leave our parish and Ste-vens Point, which is some-thing I have not even begun to comprehend. I have been in Stevens Point longer than I’ve lived anywhere else in my life — 21 years — and, while I am not the longest serving pastor in the diocese at the moment, I am close. Approaching my final weekend on July 1, I’ll observe more as to the joys and heartaches of these years, much like life itself, but for now I’d urge that we embrace the goodness and potential that awaits us all: a relatively new parish with a generous and skilled pas-tor, and a grateful pastor anticipating new ministry in a new place. Good things to ponder as we celebrate spring! TL

TRANSITION | from Page 1

Which is not to

minimize the

challenge of

transition. Re-

gardless of how

advantageous

the arrival of a

new pastor might

be, the adage

“change is diffi-

cult” certainly

holds true.

H oly Spirit’s new pastor, Fr. Steve Brice,

will celebrate his first weekend of Masses with our parish on July 7/8. Fr. Steve comes to us from Loyal, Green-wood and Willard, in Clark County, where he has been pastor of those three parishes for the last six years. If Loyal sounds familiar, it’s be-cause that’s Fr. Tom’s hometown and Fr. Steve has been pastor of

his home parish, St. Anthony’s, and Fr. Tom’s parents have been among his pa-rishioners. Fr. Steve was like-ly chosen by Bishop Callahan to be Holy Spirit’s second pastor because of his eight-een years as pastor of

St. Anne Parish in Wausau, which is similar to Holy Spirit in terms of size and spirit. St. Anne’s is the parish to which Fr. Tom is going.

Ordained in 1982, Fr. Steve was an associate at St. John Par-ish in Marshfield for four years, at Aquinas High School in La Crosse and Columbus in Marsh-field for six years, and then served as a pastor in Spencer be-fore going to Wausau. When asked about his new assignment, Fr. Steve said, “It will be hard to leave the good people here. But it is an honor to be asked to follow one of our di-ocese’s finest pastors. And the reputation of Holy Spirit as a community of vibrant liturgy and works of justice makes it very appealing to me. We are in God’s good hands.”

MORE BREAKING NEWS

A brief introduction to Holy Spirit’s new pastor�

If you have not yet pledged to BUILDING UPON A FIRM

FOUNDATION, or if you want to increase your pledge,

now is the time. Return this pledge form to the parish

office, or make a call - 344-9117. Thank you! �

�

�

W e're so excited to announce this summer’s *BUZZ* on Bible Camp! We are seeking ways to meet needs of

whole families — whatever your family looks like! We want par-ents, grand-parents, children, and young people to be able to par-ticipate in learning, sharing, and celebrating our Catholic faith and traditions in the same way and in the same place that Jesus learned his faith first: #AccordingToHisCustom and #WithHisFamily. Parents — consider sharing your time with your family and our parish in a really special way this sum-mer as we take a good close family look at what Jesus and Pope Francis and “Glory BEE”, (see what we did there?), say about the Beatitudes and how to *BEE* holy families! YOU are in charge of forming your families – and we want to support and resource you! All the usual summer suspects will be there: games, gospel, prayer, crafts, saints, music and more … and new this year – service elements as well as dinner every night! It can’t get easier than that! There are limited spots this year so we can do our best -- registration will be online at www.holyspiritstev-enspoint.org beginning May 7 or contact Colleen O’Dowd, director of faith formation and evangelization.

�

A Pentecost concert featur-ing Holy Spirit’s Celebration Choir will con-clude our Cen-tennial Concert Series at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 20. The choir will sing familiar tunes from its repertoire and other hymns. Plan now to gather for a great celebration of the Spirit!

INTRODUCING CATHOLIC FAMILY CAMP�

HOLY SPIRIT PARISH 838 Fremont St.

Stevens Point WI 54481

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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Stevens Point WI

Permit No. 53

CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT Pentecost, the great feast of the Holy Spirit (and our parish), is May 19/20. Wear some-thing RED, the color of the Spirit, when you come to Mass that day.

Recovering from the great storm of 2018 What happens to the collection when only a fraction of our peo-ple gather for Mass? It’s a frac-tion of the usual collection. When one of the most in-tense snowstorms in many peo-ples’ memories struck on April 15, most people chose to stay safe at home. That meant a col-lection that ideally totals nearly $20,000 was a measly $2,105. With giving already behind expectations in this fiscal year, the stormy shortfall was of even greater consequence. This offers an opportunity to consider our ongoing, regular support of the parish, and possibly make a spe-cial, one-time contribution for general programming and maintenance.

All hands needed for SpiritFest success Online sign-up begins soon for the various activities connected with our parish picnic on July 22, as well as efforts leading up to SpiritFest. Go to the parish web site to see what’s needed and determine how to help. Also needed is a couple — a married couple, a couple of friends, a couple of couples — to coordinate the SpiritFest raf-fle. Parishioners do the work of selling (or buying) the tickets, but someone needs to keep it all in order. To learn more, contact Brant Bergeron, SpiritFest chair, at Bergeron@dcopy.net.

Lunch Club May 30 Parishioners free from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, are invited to gather for lunch and a presentation by Sr. Jolynn Brehm, FSPA, of St. An-thony Spirituality Center. Sign-up at Mass, call 344-9117, or send an email to contact@holy-spiritstevenspoint.org.

Gr. 1- Violet Zaborowski, Cason Roberts; Gr. 2 - Braylon Poggemann; Gr. 3 - Sadie Wanta; Gr. 4 - Mateo Arias, Ryan Peterson; Gr. 5 - Conner Skare; Gr. 6 - Logan Baird, Andrew Falkavage, Mekaillah Hammerstad, Mark Pavelski, Carter Vrieze, Peyton Wanta; Gr. 7 - Brock Chandonais, Thomas Hammerstad, Suresh Keefe, Taslima Keefe, Lauren Strasman, Maria Kildahl, Ryan Wysocki, Logan Yetter; Gr. 8 - Andrew Brzezinski, Leah Pavelski. (Not pictured: Sadie, Andrew and Leah)

PERFECT These children never missed a night during the recently com- pleted year of Faith Forma- tion. Way to go!