A Warm Home for Our Pastor:

Thank You to The Catholic Foundation

As the weather turns colder, we are especially grateful for a new HVAC system in our rectory—and for the support that made it possible.

Earlier this year, St. Mary Catholic Church received a grant from The Catholic Foundation to replace the aging HVAC system in our rectory. The old system was becoming unreliable, and replacing it was an important step in making sure our pastor had a safe and comfortable home.

Established in 1984, The Catholic Foundation is an independent, authentically Catholic, charitable organization that maximizes personal giving to transform lives through parishes, education, vocations, and ministries.

With the help of the Foundation's grant, we were able to install a new, energy-efficient York HVAC system at a total cost of $15,500. The new system was installed and commissioned in October, just in time for the colder months ahead.

Fr. Denis S. Kigozi receives a check for our Catholic Foundation Grant by Development Officer, Julie Barber.

As with any project, there was a small issue after installation. The contractor discovered a problem with the condensate pan related to the installation and corrected it at no cost to St. Mary. Since that repair was completed, Fr. Denis has had no heating or cooling problems or outages.

"I'm very thankful for the new system and for everyone who helped make it possible," Fr. Denis said. "Having reliable heating and cooling in the rectory is something I don't have to worry about anymore, and that allows me to focus on serving our parish."

The available AEP records also show lower electricity usage following the installation. While we do not yet have enough data to determine the exact long-term energy savings, the new system is already providing the reliability and comfort we hoped for.

Most importantly, this project is about more than a new furnace and air conditioner. The rectory is the home of our pastor, who is an important part of the life of St. Mary. Providing a safe and comfortable place for him to live supports his ability to be present for our parishioners and carry out his ministry.

A photo of the parish rectory located on Michael Ave.

We are grateful to The Catholic Foundation for investing in St. Mary and helping us care for our facilities and the people they serve. Your support allowed us to address an important need before it became a larger problem.

Thank you to The Catholic Foundation for helping St. Mary continue its mission—and for helping make sure our pastor is ready for whatever Ohio weather brings next.