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Jim, the committee has been active for more than two years. Are you satisfied with the progress?

Well, you always want it to go faster. But this process requires patience. We are making tremendous strides.

An example?

We are excited that our architect, Jake Rodriquez of Santa Fe, is hard at work on a layout parishioners should be able to view by July. Jake designed Santa Maria De La Paz in Santa Fe. He is a Catholic who understands our needs.

Where is Jake getting his ideas for the new St. Eleanor’s?

Our group has met with Jake on several occasions and he is working from a list provided by Sue Koepp who heads our Liturgical Committee. Sue and others visited many churches, went through a great needs assessment and came up a detailed list of suggested features.

Will parishioners have an opportunity for further input?

You bet! We think it will be exciting when all of us can view definite plans. There will be a parish meeting to discuss the plans.

What architectural style might describe the new St., Eleanor’s?

Jake is working along the lines of a Territorial Style building with a steeple, the type of structure you see at San Jose or San Patricio in the valley.

The tough question, Jim. What is all of this going to cost us?

The architect’s plan will include more precise numbers, but right now we are looking at a cost of $1.2 million for the building. It will have to be furnished, of course, and we will need to provide a home for Father Al whose present residence will be torn down so the new church may be built and we can have parking spaces.

Do we have the money?

We are getting there. Even though our fund drive took place when the economy was in recession, we came

If 450 families who have note yet pledged would give less than the cost of a 12-pack of coke each week for three years, it would add

$175,500

to our campaign!

up with $481,900 in cash and pledges. Add what we already have banked and we are just under the $600,000 mark.

Is that enough?

No. We need to get to a figure more like 800 or 900 thousand dollars before we can, in good conscience, borrow the balance.

Seems like a tough challenge.

Tough, for sure. But doable. You need to realize that we can reasonably hope to receive grants in the range of $200,000 to $400,000, which gets us ever closer to the mark.

Any other possibilities?

Now that the economy is perking up we hope parishioners who might not have yet participated might reconsider.

Are there many of those?

I was speaking the other day with Vic Dunham, our Follow Up (Interview continued on back of the page)

Committee Chairman, and he was explaining to me that just over 200 families pledged almost $500,000. I was disappointed that 450 of our families did not pledge at all.

Is there potential there?

It’s huge. People can only give what they can give, but consider this. If each one of those 450 families would pledge only $2.50 a week for the next three years, it would add $175,500 to our fund. And that starts getting us real close to groundbreaking on a beautiful new church, which we all will enjoy.

$2.50 a week. Sounds reasonable.

Less than the cost of a 12-pack of Coke. But, look, we know that is a sacrifice for some. We just hope they will realize how important that gift is to making the project a “go.”

That extra money could be the turning point, then?

In more ways than one, actually. When we start applying for grant money, one of the things the grant people look at is how many people are participating in the project. If we can show a high percentage of family pledges, the closer to 100 per cent the better, we have a much greater chance of getting the grant money.

If the 450 families who have not yet participated would pledge just $2.50 per week for three years, it would add

$175,500

to our campaign!

Jim, is there a timetable you have in mind?

Obviously, we have to have the funds in hand. Right now, we are looking at the Spring of 2003 for removal of the old church, followed by the building of our new church. It will be a glorious day for all of us.

Is there anything parish members can do to help the cause?

Most important of all is to pray that God will lead us in this campaign. This is not for me, or the committee, or for Father Al. It is for the good of all of us, that we may have a church that will enhance our worship.

Your message sounds simple enough: “pay and pray.”

I guess that pretty well sums it up. But I do want to stress something else. A major factor in our campaign is the huge effort of those who work on the annual St. Eleanor’s Silent Auction and Enchillada Dinner.

So, we need to support that event, don’t we?

Exactly. Those folks work for months and can always use more help. Besides, it is one of St. Eleanor’s really fun social events of the year. Mark July 7 on your calendar and see Stan East if you would like to help.

Any final thoughts?

Raising money and building a new church is a significant challenge. A lot of dedicated people have worked on this from the beginning, and others have joined as we went along.

There will be times when not every person in the parish is pleased with every detail. We know that and expect that.

We just ask that all of us keep in mind the greater purpose, and that all of us will be patient and tolerant. I want to thank each and every parishioner, as well as our wonderful visitors, who help us achieve our goal.

Thank you, Jim.

Building News

An interview with Jim Dickinson, chairman of our Building Committee