St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Frisco, Texas, knows a little something about growth.
In 1966, 12 families stepped out in faith to establish a mission parish in the small farming town of Frisco. Today, it ranks among the largest parishes in the United States with 24,000 registered parish families. More than 9,000 of those families are considered active in parish life. The parish has also added, on average, more than 100 new families each month over the past few years. This growth directly corresponds to the increase in residents in Frisco, in recent years named as the “fastest growing city in the United States,” by population.
This kind of growth creates many blessings but also complex challenges.
St. Francis of Assisi is bursting at the seams. Space is at a premium. There is a waiting list to reserve meeting rooms. There is not enough parking to accommodate all those who attend the 14 Masses held every weekend, as well as dozens of weekly activities. The current rectory can only house three of the four priests currently on staff. Creating a welcoming environment through evangelization requires room to grow.
To address their challenging space issues, parish leaders diligently worked on a long-range plan to accommodate their needs through new and upgraded facilities on their campus. Fr. Rudy Garcia, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, turned to the Steier Group for planning study and campaign expertise.
“Our parish is growing rapidly, stressing our current facilities and spurring our need for this campaign,” Father Garcia said. “The master plan addresses that growth and a need for evangelization as we position our parish for success today and for generations to come.”
After trusting the Holy Spirit for guidance and carefully discerning parish-wide feedback during a campaign planning study, the parish moved forward in faith with the I Am with You Always Capital Campaign. It focused on raising funds for four projects: construction of a family life center, a new rectory, parish center renovations and funding for the Diocese of Dallas’ new Mother Teresa Catholic School, all designed to accommodate the parish’s rapid expansion and commitment to evangelization.
The Steier Group, in partnership with parish leaders and volunteers, helped the community raise $17.5 million during the campaign, nearly four times the annual offertory.
“With guidance from The Steier Group, we not only exceeded their initial projections, but we continue to grow and raise funds,” Fr. Garcia said. “Without the Steier Group’s leadership, hard work and dedication, it would not have been possible.”
The Steier Group’s campaign manager worked on site each week with the team at St. Francis of Assisi, quickly becoming a part of the team and community.
“The campaign manager assigned to our project instantly fit into our parish team and culture. He established outstanding relationships with all staff, volunteers and parishioners,” Fr. Garcia said. “They [Steier] have an uncanny way of leveraging their vast experience and success with dioceses and parishes, while at the same time making us feel as if we were their only client.”
