Feast Day Celebration: October 4, 2026
"Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace, intercede for us before the Lord."
Pope Leo XIV
This is where FAD smashes together his video script and bulletin announcement to make a "yay St. Francis" introductory note.
IGNITE represents the next exciting chapter in the journey that began in 2004. With the remarkable growth of our parish, school, and surrounding community. the need for our building to expand is clear. As our church continues to be our cornerstone, a new parish hall will address our need for space to gather, evangelize, and socialize. We are excited to set out on this next journey together as a parish community.
Event Schedule
Doors Open
TIME
The Activities Entrance of Lennox High School will open for families to be seated prior to Mass.
Mass
9:30 AM
Parishioners from throughout our pastorate will gather together for the celebration of Mass.
Brunch
Following Mass until 1:00 PM
The Knights of Columbus will serve brunch in the auxiliary gym.
Youth Ministries Fair
Following Mass until 1:00 PM
The halls will feature booths and mini-games from our pastorate's youth ministries.
Children's Activities
Following Mass until 1:00 PM
A bouncy house and activities will be available for children of all ages.
Arrival Instructions
Someone else writes out driving instructions because I am just a Gen Z girl who only knows how to send people google maps links.
Valet parking will be available for the elderly and physically impaired, please use the school drop-off lane to get to the Activities Entrance for assistance.
Lennox High School
1201 South Main Street
Lennox, SD 57039
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Masses will be cancelled?
The Parish Hall will provide an improved space for parish activities and programming, while relieving the burden on the current spaces. Parishioners will have access to a beautiful venue for hosting receptions for significant sacramental moments like weddings and baptisms. It will also accomodate larger pastorate-wide and diocesan events.
I requested a Mass intention for October 4, will it still be honored?
The Parish Hall will be approximately 12,000 square feet, 50% larger than the school gym and kitchen. It will include ample storage, a large kitchen, and bathrooms. This addition allows generous seating for 350-400 people. Partitions can also be used to divide up the space, offering flexibility for events that need multiple rooms.
How will the offertory work? Can I bring my envelope?
As of Spring 2025, the plan is to build southwest of the church, along Katie Ave. The building will blend seamlessly into our current campus, with 12-foot ceilings to align with the existing roofline of the Gathering Space and Chapel, and to minimize echo. All other details are conceptual until financial pledges are made and feedback from group discussions is considered.
Will I still receive a bulletin?
The current estimate is $3,680,000. Any financing we take on will be a short-term “bridge loan” and not add any long-term debt. Final costs will be shared as design decisions come into focus.
I was scheduled to volunteer at our parish's Mass on October 4, does this mean I will be volunteering at the pastorate Mass?
A Parish Hall that meets the needs of our community can only be achieved through the generousity of each parish family. During Commitment Weekend, each household was asked to prayerfully consider pledging a contribution above their current Sunday giving to make this project a reality. The IGNITE Campaign is a generational decision to address both our immediate and future needs.
Will Children's Liturgy of the Word be offered during Mass?
At this time, the IGNITE does not include plans for a rectory. The plan for our pastorate’s rectory space is an ongoing conversation. Our current rectory was never meant to be a long-term solution; all the more so now with Set Ablaze and Bishop DeGrood’s desire for priests to live more often in community with one another. Our current rectory is debt-free and a saleable asset for our parish.
Will childcare be available after Mass?
Any fundraising above the needs of this building will be used to pay down existing debt, which, as of Spring 2025, is at $1,860,000. Our existing debt remains on track to be paid off by 2035.
What can I do to help?
All parishioners are asked to consider offering their time, talent, and treasure to this campaign. In addition to prayerfully discerning the pledge request, parishioners looking to get involved are encouraged to reach out to the IGNITE Leadership Team.