Rectory Update – 07/26
In the June 21st bulletin, I wrote to you about the housing challenges and long-term housing need for our parish priests. In my summary I indicated that this need has been a topic with the Parish Finance Committee, Parish Council and a recently formed Rectory Committee. I also highlighted that three possible long term housing solutions were being considered 1) Building a new rectory on campus, 2) adding on to the current off campus rectory and 3) relocating to a more suitable house close to campus.
Please consider this an informal, informational paragraph about how things are progressing on the Rectory Committee. The Committee is composed of three architects, two retired civil engineers and two gentlemen very with hands on knowledge in building and city requirements.
Some parishioners have recently asked about a potential fourth solution, i.e., the possibility of the priests returning to the former on campus rectory. We did investigate that option early on. Its location, right off Army Trail and in the heart of parish business, make it an undesirable place to go home to for our men. Secondly, the building has 13 staff offices and various parish meeting rooms. If we invested money in the old on campus rectory, we wind up with an old building that is too big for a rectory, and we will still need a new office building for staff and parish meetings.
We have not completed our investigation of the other three options, but there is some meaningful activity along those lines. One of our parishioners has been watching the market and showing me larger homes in the area that could work with some modifications as a rectory. There’s not a lot in that category in our area, but it is a real possibility. We recently evaluated the soil at the potential building site just north of our garden and determined that it is fine for building. The site is really beautiful with great views of the pond. Clearly, this is the most expensive option, Don’t hold me to this number just yet, but I think it is probably $600,000 or more than the other options. The third option, which has been a real surprise to me, is the potential of the current off campus rectory. It is by far the least expensive of our options, but with an addition and some other modifications it would provide an optimal rectory for three priests and occasional seminarian or guest. This option would also be the easiest to involve voluntary parish talent and labor. We have some very talented trades people in our parish. We recently did some work on our parish offices and 90% was done with volunteer labor. Special thanks to our 7AM Ushers who have been working on a variety of projects for us. They can hand out bulletins and take down walls. They can take up a collection and put up sheetrock.
Eventually, I will need to figure out how to gage the level of parishioner support. Just so you know my other hesitation with the most expensive option, I want to create a plan to grow our school endowment. So I won’t be pressing for financial support for any of the new rectory options, but instead, I’ll be saving that for growing the school endowment. I’m committed to donors setting their priorities for themselves. However, I would ask that you wait a bit in your own discernment of the direction you want to see happen until I can present vetted numbers in which my committee is confident. Additionally, we are also finishing up a study on priestly ministry and how it relates to the campus. That output will be shared with you too.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with your continued suggestions and questions. I have enjoyed the input and conversations. “The longer I am here, the smarter parishioners become.”
Fr John the Builder.
Rectory Update – 06/28
Dear Parishioners,
The recent change in priestly assignments comes with difficult “goodbyes” to two priests who have served our community with real distinction. I have really enjoyed the brotherhood and teamwork with these two fine priests. The two new men who are coming will make their own contributions to building up the kingdom of God. I know parishioners will welcome the newcomers with kindness.
The changes do bring some housing challenges. Currently just Fr Ramon and I share the off campus rectory. Fr Benzes is a Norbertine priest and lives in community at St Philip’s in Addison. Fr Marek Herbut and newly ordained Fr Jonathan Hernandez are Joliet priests. The current off-campus rectory is a very fine family home but problematic as a rectory. When I was Vicar for Priests, before my assignment here, I told a previous pastor that I would not be allowing the parish to house the second vicar in the basement. I can’t change that directive to suit myself. Moving Day is July 1st, so I am putting the pastor in the basement until a long term housing solution is found.
What should that be? There was a survey done in 2013 as part of a capital campaign. Parishioners wanted to see the priests living back on campus. The funds raised enabled building the Adoration Chapel but did not cover the costs of a new rectory. In 2013 a rectory on campus was preferred, is that still the case?
This has been a topic with the Finance Committee, Parish Council and a recently formed Rectory Committee. The Rectory Committee is made up of three architects, two retired civil engineers, and a tradesman. We are considering three possible long term housing solutions, 1. Building a new rectory on campus, 2. Adding on to the current rectory, 3. relocating to a more suitable house close to the campus.
I really appreciate the ideas the above groups are contributing, if you have rectory options you would like to add to the list please send it to general@stisidoreparish.org. Please send it by the end of July.
Going forward, our focus will be on obtaining three key pieces of data that we need to know in considering the options. Are the majority of the priestly staff service type requests, on any given day, mostly predictable (known and scheduled) vs. non predictable (unknown drop-in’s with immediate/when available) needs? What is the frequency (how often) of the most highly requested service types, on any given day, AND locations required for service type delivery? We are currently trying to gage how much priestly service of parishioners is related to our campus and how much of it happens off campus within the parish boundaries of St. Isidore. Simply said, Is having the priests live on campus important? Lastly, how do the options compare in terms of initial costs and on going costs?
We own our current rectory outright and its market value has been evaluated by a parishioner/realtor. This parishioner is also looking at housing inventory in the area to see if there are any options there.
Rectories are different than a family home. Our own former rectory here on campus housed three priests comfortably. Each priest had a small sitting room, his own bath and bedroom in a suite arrangement. There were common rooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry and garage. We did take a quick look at that as a possible future option but the building is now full of staff, and its location right off Army Trail Road is in the heart of extensive parish activity which would not make it a good option to pursue.
Once we have done more homework on the options I will report our findings to you and request your comments, questions, and recommendations on the way forward on the project as further parish input.
Sincerely,
Fr John Balluff