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Mass Times at St. Mary's
As disciples of Jesus, we live out of a humble awareness that all we have, and all we are, has been given to us freely from God. As responsible caretakers (stewards) of these many God-given gifts, we are called to give towards the needs around us. It's through our stewardship of time, talent and treasure that we offer our lives back to God in love and gratitude.
HOW to DONATE to ST. MARY'S PARISH in COCHRANE
In-Person Giving
The Collection Basket is passed during weekend Masses (cash or cheque accepted with gratitude).
Donations are also gratefully accepted at our Parish Office during regular office hours (see schedule at bottom of this page).
Periodic Donations (weekly/monthly/bi-monthly, etc.)
— can be made in four ways:
Write a cheque — Mail it to: St. Mary’s Parish, 10 River Heights Dr., Cochrane, T4C 0N8 or drop off at the Parish Office during office hours (or you could drop your cheque in the collection basket at Mass).
Direct Debit or Credit Card payments— Use the appropriate printed form HERE. Completed forms can be scanned and e-mailed, mailed via regular post, or dropped off at the Church.
e-transfer — Initiate your transfer using accounting@stmaryscochrane.ca as the target email. Please refer to your envelope number (if you have one) in the message section of the transaction.
"NEW" — MULTIPLY THE HOPE — Use the online giving form available via the Calgary Diocese website HERE. Name your parish as "Cochrane, St. Mary's" and designate your gift toward "Multiply the Hope" to have the Diocese double your donation.
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* St. Mary’s is a registered charity and donations are eligible for a tax-receipt.
The Needs of Our Parish*
WHY do we need your kind, generous donations?
The Building Fund:
Our current Parish Centre was completed in 2007. The motgage at the time was $5 million. We continue to work towards becoming a debt-free community with a view of one day completing Phase Two of our parish complex — the Sanctuary of the church. We invite you to join us in this goal.
Meantime, we work to finish paying down that 2007 mortgage plus interest payments, along with other expenses (program/ministries costs, our yearly obligatory Diocesan Assessment, insurance, salaries, property taxes, heat, light and other essentials). The challenge is to adopt a sustainable, proportional spending strategy, with your help.
We THANK YOU in advance for any way
that you can contribute.
Need Help, Advice or Suggestions? You can contact Charlene Jennings (accounting) for assistance with your parish donations — directly by phone (403) 932-2944, ext. 228, or email at: accounting@stmaryscochrane.ca.
more ways to donate at St. Mary's:
more ways to donate at St. Mary's:
1) Grocery Cards Fundraiser — an ongoing Parish program
1) Grocery Cards Fundraiser — an ongoing Parish program
Whooooooo's Got Their Grocery Cards?
We purchase our grocery gift cards in bulk at a discounted price. You buy them from us for $100 and get to spend $100 at the grocery store of your choice. The profit for St. Mary's varies from 5% to 8% depending on the store. The program has been an excellent fundraiser and is used to help make St. Mary’s mortgage payments.
And Did You Know? In the year 2024, a profit of $12,716.00
was raised through the sale of grocery cards!
Go HERE for more details about this very successful fundraising program!
2) Our Parish Supper Fundraiser
2) Our Parish Supper Fundraiser
—Usually once a year, sometimes more
—Usually once a year, sometimes more
Ever since 2008 the Fun-Food-and-Fellowship (F-F-F) Committee has put on festive suppers (along with Silent Auctions) at least once a year to help the parish supplement the Building Fund. The list of events includes: Oktoberfests, Harvest Moon Galas, Royal Gala, Western Round Up, the 125th Anniversary Gala, and numerous ethnic celebrations featuring menus like: Italian, Greek, Ukrainian, and Filipino Suppers.
Thanks to the hard work and commitment of the FFF Committee and the generosity of our Parish community, an amazing grand total of $445,000.00 has been raised over the past 13+ years!
The organizing committee always needs help. You can volunteer your time and talents with the Fun-Food-and-Fellowship Committee on the SERVE page, HERE.
“He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed Him.”
—Matthew 4:22
Reflections on Stewardship: giving, donating is stewardship, our calling:
Just as Jesus called the first apostles, He calls each of us to follow Him, too. But, not everyone is called to leave their business or family behind, as Matthew said.
Still, we are expected to put God first in everything — everything from our TIME in daily prayer, to our TALENT in participating in our parish community, and our TREASURE to support the financial needs of our parish mission. It's all about Stewardship.
The Diocese of Calgary needs our help, too: two examples
And the best news? Once we reach our goal, hopefully by Easter, any surplus will be used to pay down our mortgage.
Together in Action
This Annual Bishop's Appeal (TIA) supports dozens of ministries and organizations throughout southern Alberta and Canada — the 68 parishes in Southern Alberta each receive parish-assessments from the diocese.You can learn more about the Diocesan TIA campaign HERE.
Each year St. Mary's Cochrane is assessed a portion of this endeavour. This year, 2026, our assessment is $26,170. The parish has launched its annual LENTEN CAMPAIGN for TIA with the goal of reaching our assessed amount by EASTER.
And, as of April 05, 2026, we've done it! Yay!
Thank you for your generous support!
Bishop McGrattan has re-affirmed that DECEMBER 12th (the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe) be designated as "MISSION MEXICO DAY" in the Calgary Diocese. That's the day when Catholics from all parishes are invited to donate through their parish’s second collection on the Sunday closest to Dec. 12th.
Mission Mexico
Now officially adopted by the Diocese of Calgary, Mission Mexico originated right here at St. Mary's back in 2000 with former pastor, Fr. Fred Monk!
It started as an outreach Jubilee project to assist the girls in a remote village of the mountains of southern Mexico, known as La Montaña.
The girls needed a new dormitory in an orphanage, operated by the Sisters of Immaculate Mary in Tlapa, Guerrero. "If every parishioner would give one loonie per week," stated Fr. Fred, "St. Mary's could raise the required $100,000."
Since that time, Mission Mexico, working with the poorest of the poor in the villages of Tlapa in southern Mexico, "has funded micro-economic projects, thereby encouraging agricultural and small-business initiatives, adult literacy programs, health projects, construction of a high school with student accommodations, and student bursaries for young people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue a higher education.
As well, Mission Mexico has helped with post-hurricane disaster relief and other unexpected emergency situations" (from Mission Mexico website).
To learn more about Mission Mexico, you can
find further information HERE.
Besides your contributions of TREASURE, learn how you can offer your TIME and TALENTS at St. Mary's by checking out the list of opportunities in ministries on the "SERVE" page.
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