Annual Report 

For the Fiscal Year July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022

Let us not be daunted by comparing ourselves with others,
or be puffed up in doing so.
God has given us an individual life which he has not given to any other.
This individuality let us live.

Fr. Hecker, 1844

St. Austin's participated actively in the diocesan Synod process through eight listening sessions in which we heard the voices of over 100 people participating in person and through our online survey.  The responses were compiled into a 10-page report to the diocese which was also shared with our Parish Pastoral Council, Liturgy Committee, staff and is available on our parish website. The comments shared in our Synod sessions were also sent to those parish groups to inform future planning at St. Austin’s.  

Key findings from the parish listening sessions acknowledged that ours is an “intentional” parish, where most live some distance from the parish which presents challenges for people who want to participate outside of Sundays. Our sessions also identified that, while many are involved in the parish, some perceived a lack of communication regarding the opportunities available within the parish. Nonetheless, in our Synod sessions it was clear that St. Austin’s is a parish committed to the future, to charity and justice, to nourishing community, and to worshiping together.

The love of God and the love of humans are one.
God promises His reward not to the ignorant, or to the indolent, or to the indifferent,
but to those who visit the prisoner, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked –
to the doing of good works as the evidence of the true faith.

Fr. Hecker
 

Our ministries of charity and service, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Outreach to Persons in Need, Gabriel Project, and Micah 6 ministries provided hope and help to many across our community. Here is an overview of the support your generosity enabled us to share.
 

* UPLift is a ministry of University Presbyterian Church.
**Earn While You Learn allows Gabriel Project moms to earn baby gear, such as car seats and cribs, as they learn about how to have a healthy pregnancy, effective parenting, and self-sufficiency.
***Families graduate once their children turn 2 years old.

Cultivating Volunteerism, Collaboration, & Community

We formed ourselves to serve others…

• Two retreats for volunteers to reconnect, reflect, and recharge

• Dozens of charity and justice ministry meetings began in prayer and spiritual reflection

• Four new volunteers were trained

• Three visits to nonprofit organizations allowed us to learn more about who and how they serve

…and offered gratitude as we adapted our charity and justice ministries for the future.

We shared our appreciation for Carmen Adams, who retired after serving as our Gabriel Project Coordinator for nine years, and divided Gabriel Project leadership into three new roles.

• After two years of exclusively serving families remotely, our Outreach ministry began by-appointment guest interviews at our Ministry Center in March 2022.

• We are deeply grateful to the kind benefactor who underwrote the entire fiscal year cost of hiring a part-time Outreach Administrative Assistant to support the ministry.

• We deepened partnerships with six service organizations* as well as local Gabriel Project ministries and St. Vincent de Paul conferences to better serve our neighbors in need.

*Austin Energy’s Plus 1 Partners Program; Casa Marianella; Catholic Charities' St. Gabriel Pregnancy & Parenting Program; the JPII Life Center; The Other Ones Foundation; and UPLift

Our Efforts in Advocacy

• As a parish community, we began sponsoring a young Afghan man, whom we call Adam, to be reunited with his family in the U.S. We continue to pray that he can soon join his family.

• Parishioners sent letters to City Council to let them know the impact that the Orange Line would have on our parish and school communities.

• Parishioners and staff advocated for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, renewing the Child Tax Credit, prison sentencing reform, and more.

Our affairs are in the hands of God…
Let us not be impatient; God is with us,
and will lead us if we confide in Him.
Fr. Isaac Hecker, 1857

Fiscal year 2022 saw enormous progress on our development pilgrimage. After five years of hard work by
St. Austin’s Development Committee, the Diocese of Austin (on behalf of the parish) executed the contracts with our development partner, Greystar, in September 2021. Completion of the many legal agreements allowed construction to begin.

In November, we said a grateful, though sad farewell to our old buildings and watched them fall bit by bit. The first to go was the school building, followed by the gym, Paulist and Newman Halls, and the Rectory. We met some surprises along the way, but nothing too serious. With the buildings down, we saw retaining walls built, soil moved, and foundations poured.

When contracts were signed, St. Austin received its initial lump sum payment from Greystar of $5 million. We immediately placed that money into an escrow account to fund construction. With serious prayers to assure low interest rates, the Parish secured its loans in March 2022 at rates more favorable than originally forecast. Coupled with our debt, we launched the Beacon of Hope Capital Campaign to provide the final funds needed to ensure a successful completion to this project.

It is with continued hope and great anticipation that we look forward to the completion of Parish East (the main portion of our new space) in late summer 2023. Between now and then, many parishioners are engaged in work to ensure our new space feels like home, from the moment we move in. 
 

Generations before us repeatedly answered the call to create a welcoming Catholic home at St. Austin’s. We continue that commitment as we look to the future. Please follow our efforts at Our Property Development Journey. We invite your questions – reach us at Develop.