This brochure features current information - St. Anthony of Padua ...

A Letter from
FATHER RAFFERTY
Dear Parishioners & Friends,
I am truly blessed to be sharing my faith journey with loving and
dedicated people like you. From your humble beginnings at Oak Ridge
High School to our current church home, we have not only celebrated but
lived the Eucharist. Many have been led to Christ here in our midst.
All Things
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Capital Campaign Prayer
O Lord,
We are grateful for all You
have given us. We are Your people,
and we thank You especially for
the gift of our parish community.
We ask You to bless our capital
campaign. Grant us success
in our efforts and send Your
Holy Spirit upon us so that
we may face the challenges
of our undertaking with a
spirit of courage, unity,
cooperation and generosity.
Guide us O Lord and help us
to do this work according to
Your will. May You inspire each
of us to prayerfully consider how
we can help to reach our campaign
goals so we can better serve You
and do more to bring You to our
community. We make this prayer
in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
In the same way that our founding families embraced the trials of starting
a new parish, it is now our time to embrace the challenges that are in
front of us. The basic challenge is still the same. We are called to lead all to
Christ. Our parish mission states:
“We, the people of St. Anthony of Padua are a 
joyful Roman Catholic
Community. We believe Our Lord calls us beyond membership to become
His true disciples and live as one body in Christ. Therefore, we choose to
use our unique gifts to build a welcoming, interconnected gathering of the
faithful that will be a beacon, a light to the world.”
It is time for us to continue what we have started. With our capital
campaign, we aim to eliminate our existing parish debt. It is important
to accomplish this in order to determine and carry out what our next step
is in continuing our mission.
This brochure features current information about our parish community
and the infinite blessing we have received in the past 13 years. By
supporting the capital campaign you will contribute in a meaningful
way to the future of our parish and the role it will play in the future.
I ask you to prayerfully consider how you can support this campaign.
Together, through the generosity of God, we can make the vision of our
mission a reality.
Your brother in Christ,
Reverend Thomas F. Rafferty
Pastor
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Our
BEGINNINGS
On June 3, 1997, Most Reverend Joseph Fiorenza, Bishop of the Diocese of
Galveston-Houston, announced the establishment of a new parish in response
to the growing community of faithful in The Woodlands, Texas. In addition, a
mandate was given to the new parish to establish the first Catholic elementary
school in South Montgomery County. Both the new church and school would
serve to address the needs of an ever-increasing Catholic population, and
respond to their strong demand for parochial education.
Reverend John Vincent Rouse accepted the role of founding pastor and late in the
summer of 1997, set up the framework for a new parish from the newly purchased
rectory in the Alden Bridge subdivision of “Sandalbranch”. It should be noted that in
the first year of the parish, Fr. John made the announcement to the parish that 100%
of the first three years of the Diocesan Services Fund proceeds would be reinvested
back into the parish. The newly organized “Paduans” (about 300 families) responded
with great enthusiasm and raised over $264,000. This helped St. Anthony to pay
off the Sandalbranch rectory’s mortgage for the parish to own free and clear. The
pioneering parishioners began celebrating Mass in the cafeteria of Oak Ridge High
School, gradually referred to lovingly, as St. Oakridge. Wednesday evening Masses
were also begun with the celebrations occurring in parishioner’s homes.
PHASE I
In the spring of 1998, St. Anthony of Padua ran its first capital campaign
appropriately titled the Founders’ Fund. The purpose of this campaign was to raise
funds needed to begin construction of the parish facilities on the new parish
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property located at the corner of Kuykendahl
Road & Bay Branch Drive. The purchase of this
property was also completed in 1998. The diocese
completed the land purchase for the parish’s
17 acres at a cost of $470,000 to be paid back to
the diocese after the parish established its roots.
The campaign raised $3.8 million over three years.
Groundbreaking on the new site took place on
March 7, 1999.
In September 1999, the parish had grown to over
1,500 parish families and Reverend George A. Sheltz
was installed as the second pastor of St. Anthony
of Padua. Under his leadership, St. Anthony of
Padua completed construction of the entire campus
beginning with Phase I: the Parish Life Building,
Fellowship Hall and the beautiful new church,
which opened their doors in December 2000. The
total construction cost of the first phase was $7.5
million. A construction loan was drawn between
April 2000 & February 2001 of $4.5 million that
would pay for the completion of construction.
A new rectory, located in the Northwest corner of
the property was constructed using the proceeds
from the sale of the Sandalbranch rectory. In
August 2001, the parish fulfilled the mandate given
by Bishop Fiorenza when it opened the doors to
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School using the
classrooms of the Parish Life Building and a few
temporary buildings.
PHASE II
In 2003, the parish embarked on its second major
campaign Continuing the Vision. The $5.2 million
raised from this campaign over its three-year
redemption would begin construction on Phase
II of the Parish Master Plan, which consisted of
the Parish Education & Resource Center (PERC),
gymnasium and Adult Meeting Room. The total
cost of construction for Phase II was $8.5 million.
A second loan was drawn by the parish to pay for
construction in the amount of $8.5 million between
September 2004 & October 2005.
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School moved to its
permanent location in the PERC in 2005. From its
humble beginnings of 138 parochial students, the
school currently serves over 400 students.
INTO TODAY
As 2005 came and went, the parish found itself
with a campus of buildings completed in seven
years that typically takes most parishes 20 years or
more to assemble. The Finance Council, along with
now Msgr. George, began looking at the options
available to the parish in regard to the structure of
the remaining debt and decided to consolidate and
refinance to take advantage of a better interest rate.
In July 2007, Reverend Thomas Rafferty became
the third pastor of St. Anthony’s. Under his
leadership, the parish continues to grow and be a
vibrant Catholic community rooted in Stewardship
with over 80 active ministries dedicated to serving
the parish family, local community and providing
outreach across our archdiocese. Each day, we strive
harder to fulfill the call of our Mission Statement to
be, “a welcoming, interconnected gathering of the
faithful that will be a beacon, a light to the world.”
In November 2009, the parish was blessed with
another opportunity to purchase 5.1 acres of land
adjacent to our campus. The parish leadership saw

this as an opportunity to ensure St. Anthony of Padua would
have the ability to grow in the future. The land was purchased
at a cost of $600,000. The first $150,000 for the purchase
came from parish savings while the remaining $450,000
was added to the parish’s loan with the Archdiocese. In a
day where many parishes find themselves in a land locked
situation, it is providence that St. Anthony of Padua will
have the ability to expand, if necessary, to continue its
mission of serving the faithful of The Woodlands.
As we worship into our fourteenth year as a parish, we
have much to be thankful for. Our parish campus currently
maintains over 125,000 square feet of building space, which
help to foster the spiritual growth of the over 4,500 families
that choose to call St. Anthony of Padua their parish home.
With this in mind and after much prayer, discernment
and the results of our feasibility study, we move forward
with the intent of significantly reducing if not eliminating
the existing debt. By doing this, we will be able to pay for
and better maintain what we have, while preparing for
our future.
In this era of renewed personal financial responsibility,
the parishioners of St. Anthony of Padua have spoken
and chosen to strengthen our commitment as Stewards
of all the gifts with which God has blessed our family and
community. Together, as a community of faith, we will
accomplish great things.
LAND & CONSTRUCTION COSTS
Original Land Purchase..............................$470,000
Phase I (Including Rectory).....................$7,530,000
Phase II...................................................$8,500,000
2009 Land Purchase...................................$600,000
Total Construction & Land
Costs for the Parish........................$17,100,000
LAND & CONSTRUCTION FINANCING
Total Construction &
Land Purchase Loans.............................$13,920,000
Loan Principal Paid
as of 12/31/10........................................$5,400,000
Current Loan debt
as of 12/31/10................................ $8,520,000
Loan Interest Paid
as of 12/31/10........................................$3,500,000
Current Monthly
Loan Payments.................................... $94,000
Not everyone can make the same size gift,
but everyone can make the same size sacrifice.
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YOUR DECISION TO GIVE
No one can tell you how much
you should give. The family is
the only one who actually
decides what to contribute,
since the financial obligations
of each family are different.
What you give will be held
in the strictest confidence.
This is our parish and only
through sacrifice can we achieve
our goals. All contributions
from the smallest to the largest
will be gratefully appreciated.
Your decision is a personal one.
It should be made in good conscience
and in true Christian spirit.
How To Pledge
YOUR SUPPORT
Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church would like to raise as much as possible to
eliminate the debt through the efforts of this campaign. Every member of our parish
community is integral to our success in reaching this goal, and, therefore, each family
is asked to consider making a pledge to the campaign to the best of their ability.
Each family in this phase is asked to consider a sacrificial pledge of $5,000 or more,
payable over three years. A pledge of $5,000, after a down payment of $500, is $125
per month for 36 months. This breaks down to only $4.11 a day!
A NEED FOR SPECIAL GENEROSITY
Everyone is asked to prayerfully consider how their generosity can reflect their
gratitude for the gifts that God has given them. We know that a pledge of $5,000 or
more will be a challenge for some, therefore, it is vital to the success of our campaign
that those who are able to make larger pledges do so.
In Deuteronomy 16:10 we are reminded that -
“the measure of your own free will offering should be in
proportion to the blessing the Lord has bestowed on you”.
Individuals who are financially capable of pledging $25,000, $50,000, $100,000
or more, are asked to step forward and become leaders of our campaign.
AS YOU MAKE YOUR GIFT, PLEASE REMEMBER ...
• Payments may be made over a period of three (3) years. A longer period can be
arranged if necessary.
• Pledge payments are in addition to your regular weekly offertory contribution.
Your pledge payments to this campaign will be used for the specific parish needs
outlined in this brochure.
• Payment reminders and a special payment envelope will be mailed to you in
accordance with the payment schedule you choose.
• Pledge payments are fully deductible for tax purposes.
• Please make checks payable to: St. Anthony Capital Campaign.
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SUGGESTED GIFT PLANS
The gift plans in this brochure are provided as a suggested guideline when considering your intention.
Please review the gift plans carefully and select one that fits your family’s financial situation.
Total 10% Down 3 Annual 6 Semi-annual 12 Quarterly 36 Monthly Daily
Pledge Payment Payments Payments Payments Payments Sacrifice
$1,000,000 $100,000 $300,000 $150,000 $75,000 $25,000 $821.92
$500,000 $50,000 $150,000 $75,000 $37,500 $12,500 $410.96
$250,000 $25,000 $75,000 $37,500 $18,750 $6,250 $205.48
$100,000 $10,000 $30,000 $15,000 $7,500 $2,500 $82.19
$50,000 $5,000 $15,000 $7,500 $3,750 $1,250 $41.10
$30,000 $3,000 $9,000 $4,500 $2,250 $750 $24.66
$25,000 $2,500 $7,500 $3,750 $1,875 $625 $20.55
$15,000 $1,500 $4,500 $2,250 $1,125 $375 $12.33
$10,000 $1,000 $3,000 $1,500 $750 $250 $8.22
$8,000 $800 $2,400 $1,200 $600 $200 $6.58
$6,000 $600 $1,800 $900 $450 $150 $4.93
$5,000 $500 $1,500 $750 $375 $125 $4.11
Pledges Via Cash or Check: Simply complete
your pledge card by selecting the amount of
your pledge and down payment. Make sure to
select your frequency of payment, i.e. monthly,
quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments
and when you would like to begin redeeming
the pledge. Please make checks payable to: St.
Anthony Capital Campaign. You will be sent
payment reminders and a special payment
envelope in accordance with the payment plan
you choose.
Credit / Debit Card: To make your gift via
credit card, simply complete your pledge card
by selecting the amount of your pledge and
your down payment. Make sure to select your
frequency of payment (monthly, quarterly, semiannual
or annual payments). Please also complete
the Credit Card Authorization on the back of
the pledge card. We accept Visa, Mastercard,
American Express and Discover. Please call the
campaign office with any questions.
Gifts of Stock: Donors can use their own broker/
agent or the archdiocesan agent to transfer and
sell stock. If the stock has been held long-term
(over one year), the donor does not have to pay
capital gains tax on the stock, and is allowed a
tax deduction for the full value of the stock.
Donors may also choose to donate stock in order
to claim a loss, which may be beneficial for tax
circumstances. In either case, the stock must
first be transferred to the parish before being
liquidated. Please contact the campaign office for
more information.
Gifts of Property, Life Insurance, Annuities,
Wills or Bequests: There are different ways
to support St. Anthony both today and in the
years to come via Planned Giving. Families or
individuals can make gifts of real estate, personal
property, automobiles, life insurance, estate
bequests, annuities or charitable remainder
trusts. For substantial gifts of property other
than marketable securities, the IRS requires an
appraisal. Please contact the campaign office for
more information.
Gifts from Retirement Accounts: The 2010
Relief Act permits individuals age 70.5 or older
to contribute up to $100,000 from a qualifying
retirement account directly to a qualifying charity
without recognizing the assets transferred to the
charity as income. Please contact your financial
advisor for additional information concerning
your retirement accounts.
All contributions to the campaign are fully tax
deductible for those who itemize their taxes. Pledges
are not legally binding, but rather an indication of
your intention to donate. If you have any questions
about the campaign or making a pledge, please
contact our Parish Campaign Office at (832)
482.4032 for more information.
How to Make
YOUR GIFT
IN THIS EFFORT
Every member of our
parish community is
integral to our success in
reaching this goal, and
therefore, each family
will be asked to consider
making a pledge to the
campaign to the best
of their ability.
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All Things
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Capital Campaign
Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
7801 Bay Branch Drive
The Woodlands, Texas 77382
p: (281) 419.8700, f: (832) 482.4050
www.staoptw.org