Goal achieved: Hamburg parish breaks ground for new religious education center

March 15, 2022

On a sunny Sunday morning, the parishioners of St. Mary Parish in Hamburg broke ground for a new religious education center, a dream come true.

The resiliency, determination and faith of the people have been tremendous.

“I’m totally amazed at what they’ve done,” said Monsignor Ed Hurley.

Three times, the parish of 70 families in the far southwest corner of the Diocese of Des Moines tried to replace a 125-year-old rectory that served as a religious education center. A flood, the pandemic, and then sky-high building costs set them back. Over the years, the parish raised significant funding, but in light of the cost increase, it wasn’t enough.

The new building will have five classrooms for the parish’s 42 religious education youth. Two of the classrooms can be made into larger areas, an office, a small kitchenette and restrooms.

“Our capital campaign brought $300,000 in pledges and donations,” said parishioner Cheryl Phillips. “Had the prices stayed where they were, it would’ve covered the cost of the building when we added the savings we had invested.”

The Diocese of Des Moines launched the Parish Solidarity Fund, a means for parishes in the diocesan family to help each other. Several parishes were asked to pledge to the effort, and others were asked to take up a second collection. 

The goal was to raise $400,000. To date, a total of $413,122 has been raised, said Maureen Kenney, diocesan director of Stewardship. This includes a $100,000 commitment from the Diocese and five-figure commitments from some parishes totaling $256,925. 

“We are so pleased that more than 50 parishes and their parishioners have participated in this effort so far, standing in solidarity with their sister parish, St. Mary Parish in Hamburg,” Kenney said.

Funds raised over the goal for St. Mary will go into the Parish Solidary Fund to be used the next time a parish is in need of help.

On March 13, the parish broke ground for its new religious education center.

The aid that came to St. Mary Parish is a story of a family of parishes helping one of its own.

There have been times when neighboring parishes helped each other. As St. Francis of Assisi in West Des Moines was getting off the ground, Sacred Heart Parish in West Des Moines and St. Pius X Parish in Urbandale helped.
And when St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Ankeny was getting started, Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Parish, also in Ankeny, helped.

In the case of St. Mary Parish in Hamburg, the broader diocesan family of parishes came together to provide financial assistance.

“I think that’s a concept that would be great for us going forward,” said Monsignor Hurley. “I think it’s important here that one of the overall consequences of this is that we realize that we are all in this together, whether you’re urban or rural, that we’re willing to help each other.”