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Mass Times at St. Mary's
The Church is a non-profit charitable organization. In other words, both the parish and the diocese rely completely on donations from members to handle their respective financial obligations —their buildings, utilities, maintenance, administrative salaries, local charitable initiatives, and more. This page presents some of the financial considerations first of St. Mary's parish, and then, of the Calgary Diocese.
NEEDS of ST. MARY's PARISH
NEEDS of ST. MARY's PARISH
—The Building Fund
—The Building Fund
Our current Parish Centre was completed in 2007. The original mortgage was $5 million. The first building effort involved completing the Administration wing, the Hall (temporary Worship space), a small Christ the King Chapel, and the Gathering area (large central lobby or narthex). Click HERE for photos of the building of Phase One.
We continue to work towards becoming a debt-free community with a view of completing Phase Two of our parish complex — the Sanctuary of the church. We invite you to join us in this goal. The $5 million mortgage, signed back in 2007, has been graduallly whittled down. We're moving closer to the finish line in terms of Phase One!
Now, moving forward, all donations will be matched through the Diocese’s Multiply the Hope Campaign, which stands to make a huge difference!
Below is an example of the Parish's financial obligations, entitled "EXPENSES," in this case, for the year 2024. Further down is a second diagram entitled, "INCOME," showing the funds generated from the same year's "giving/donating" by St. Mary's parishioners.
EXPENSES for the PARISH = general administrative costs + occupancy and general maintenance expenses + parish programs and ministries + Diocesan assessment
+ mortgage interest payments + mortgage principal payments
INCOME for the PARISH = weekend collections + intermittent fundraising + parish programs/ministries + other income
It becomes abundantly clear in comparing the two charts that the major source of revenue for the PARISH is ongoing GIVING —that is, St. Mary's relies/depends on weekly collections of funds shared by parishioners.
For ways that you can share/give to the PARISH to help it function successfully, go HERE. There you will find best methods for fulfilling the obligation of Stewardship of Treasure.
NEEDS of the DIOCESE of CALGARY
Together in Action
This Annual Bishop's Appeal (TIA) supports dozens of ministries and organizations throughout southern Alberta and Canada. 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. Thank you for your generous support!
And the best news? Once we reach our goal, hopefully by Easter, any surplus will be used to pay down our mortgage.
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).
Meanwhile, back here in Canada, in the Diocese of Calgary, 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
Other Outreach Charities supported by the Diocese: examples include—
Elizabeth House
Feed the Hungry
Mission Council
Vocations
St. Francis of Xavier Chaplaincy
Care of Retired Priests
and More
Special Collections for:
Holy Childhood
The Pope's Pastoral Works
Development & Peace
WHAT DO CATHOLICS DO?
We do STEWARDSHIP!
When the history of our generation of Catholics is written, may it be said of us:
“What good stewards they were! They faced economic uncertainty and shifting demographics. They faced threats to the church from without and scandal from within. And yet they kept investing themselves in the life of the Church. They kept praying. They kept coming to Mass. They kept participating. They kept giving their life’s blood for the sake of God and His Church, and through their efforts and the grace of God, the world around them started to change. Ever gradually, the culture of death became a culture of life.”
—From Our Sunday Visitor Stewardship Pamphlet, 2007
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