St. Mary Catholic Church

THE CHALLENGE

Situated on the capitol square of Lincoln, Nebraska, St. Mary Catholic Church stands proudly in the heart of the city as an icon of Catholic presence and worship in the state. Known as “the Old Cathedral” due to the church serving as the cathedral for the Diocese of Lincoln for 54 years until 1965, the 112-year-old building has gone through several rounds of renovations in its history. In 2023, substantial renovations were needed. It is a parish where Sunday Mass attendance leans heavily toward visitors, and leadership knew finding the right partner was crucial to capital campaign success.

THE VISION

Integral parts of the infrastructure of the church were neglected, and the community could no longer wait to address major upgrades. Campaign goals included:

• Replacing the original HVAC system from 1962.
• Upgrading the electrical system with a new transformer and electrical panel.
• Installing a modern alarm system.
• Paying for general construction costs.

THE SOLUTION

Leadership at St. Mary’s sought counsel to manage a major fundraising campaign and partnered with the Steier Group for a comprehensive campaign planning study and the Opening Doors to the Heart of St. Mary Capital Campaign. The Steier Group worked to create an extensive communications effort to reach all Mass attendees, including visitors. A major key to success was the efforts of volunteers recruited by the parish and the Steier Group team. The volunteers personally reached out to all parishioners and visitors who showed support for the campaign. Signs in the narthex, Mass announcements and in-pew envelopes helped the campaign reach as many visitors as possible each week. The successful campaign exceeded the projection by raising $1.9 million and will allow the St. Mary community to update this historic church for future generations of worshippers in Lincoln.