Case Statement

For generations, the steeple of St. Mary’s Catholic Church has stood as a beacon on the northern horizon of Texas A&M University, calling Aggies to the life-changing love of Jesus Christ. Through the sacraments, Bible studies, prayer, fellowship, retreats, organizations, and continuing spiritual and intellectual formation in the Catholic faith, thousands of students are being formed to be sent as apostles for the Church and the world.

Our current church was constructed in 1958, designed to hold 650. At that time, the enrollment at Texas A&M numbered 7,500. In the 1980s, the growing enrollment of Texas A&M necessitated the expansion of the balcony to bring the capacity to 850. With current enrollments at Texas A&M and Blinn exceeding 70,000 (17,000 of whom are estimated to be Catholic), we are unable to fit the Aggie Catholic family into our current church during the seven weekend Masses. We expect these enrollments and thus the demand on St. Mary’s to continue to grow. That’s why we are launching a campaign to build our new church with seating for 1,600. This is a great blessing for the future of our parish and the Catholic Church for which we must happily prepare.

As we work with knowledgeable and experienced architects to design the new church, we keep three values in mind: Beauty, Encounter, and Tradition. Beauty has an incredible power to attract, teach, and evangelize the heart and soul: we want to build a church that is aesthetically beautiful and calls upon the reality of heaven. Secondly, encounter: though the parishioner base of St. Mary’s is large, the sense of a tight-knit community remains. Our new church will enhance the intimacy of encounter with the Lord and one another that is already so evident in our existing church. Lastly, tradition: Aggies and Catholics love tradition, and base the rhythm of our lives around it. We want to build a church rich in our Catholic heritage to serve generations to come.

The goal to build this church is $20 million. This can be achieved through prayer, commitment, and the transformational generosity of the Aggie Catholic family. You are invited to participate in a variety of ways:

First and foremost, we want this project to be anointed by God through prayers. Jesus says, “apart from me, you can do nothing.” Please place this church and our campaign in your daily prayer, that our efforts may be successful and glorify God and his kingdom. Second, you can invest in the future of the church by making a significant contribution to the campaign. Third, we need your help to connect us with your classmates, friends, business contacts, and others in your network who could help us to raise the funds needed for this once in a generation project.

When complete, this new Church will be a magnificent sign of God’s presence in the midst of these communities of learning reminding all who belong, visit and pass by that there is a Truth, Beauty and Goodness that surpasses the highest science that can be taught or learned on campus – that a complete education raises not only the mind but the heart and spirit as well.

If you would like further details, information on how to make your gift, or a list of what naming opportunities might be available, please visit community.aggiecatholic.org/campaign or contact Frank Shannon at fshannon@aggiecatholic.org.