St. John Neumann Catholic Parish

THE CHALLENGE

For more than 60 years, St. John Neumann Catholic Parish has served the Bryn Mawr community with faith and generosity. As the parish grew to include nearly 1,400 families and Sts. Colman-John Neumann School reached nearly 400 students, so too did the needs of its campus. Originally focused on enhancing the church, parish leaders soon realized that growing school enrollment also demanded action. What began as a facilities assessment became a broader vision to unite the church and school under one transformative effort. The parish needed a way to improve its worship space and expand its school while honoring its long tradition of faith and education.

THE VISION

Parish and school leadership partnered with the Steier Group to develop a comprehensive plan that would support the evolving needs of the St. John Neumann community. The plan included:

• Renovating the church interior to improve the worship environment and address needed maintenance.
• Expanding and updating the school building to provide additional learning space and a better educational experience.

THE SOLUTION

Through the Steier Group’s guidance and campaign services, including a planning study, on-site management, design support and donor research, the parish launched the Celebrating Our Faith, Embracing Our Future Capital Campaign. Under the leadership of the pastor and a committed steering committee, the community rallied behind a unified vision. New architectural plans brought cost-effective solutions that met the needs of both church and school. Parishioners responded with generosity and enthusiasm. The result was a successful campaign that raised 115 percent of goal and positioned St. John Neumann Parish as a leader in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Today the parish is poised to enter its next chapter with renewed facilities and a stronger foundation for worship, learning and faith formation.