Updates
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June 27, 2026
It is with great joy and gratitude that I share some wonderful news.
On July 26, 2026, the Holy Cross–Marty Community Preservation Corporation and the newly merged parish officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a cooperative framework for the preservation and continued religious use of Holy Cross Church over the next three years.
This agreement represents many months of prayer, discussion, negotiation, and collaboration. Most importantly, it reflects a shared commitment to preserving Holy Cross Church as a sacred place of Catholic worship while defining how HCMCPC and the parish will work together going forward.
Some of the highlights of the agreement include:
- Holy Cross Church will remain a sacred Catholic church dedicated to the celebration of the liturgy, prayer, sacraments, funerals, weddings, devotions, retreats, and other activities consistent with Catholic teaching.
- HCMCPC will assume responsibility for the church’s ordinary operating expenses, including utilities, routine maintenance, custodial care, snow removal for scheduled functions, and insurance reimbursement as outlined in the agreement.
- Up to 12 Masses each year may be celebrated at Holy Cross without additional written approval from the Pastor, and HCMCPC may invite priests in good standing to celebrate those Masses. Weddings, funerals, baptisms, and other sacramental celebrations may also continue in accordance with Church law and diocesan policy.
- HCMCPC may continue to organize rosaries, Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Adoration, prayer services, and other devotional activities at Holy Cross.
- Funds raised by HCMCPC for the preservation and operation of Holy Cross Church remain under HCMCPC’s stewardship for those designated purposes, while regular Mass collections and sacramental offerings continue to belong to the parish in accordance with canon law.
- The agreement also provides HCMCPC with reasonable access to the church to fulfill its stewardship responsibilities.
This agreement is much more than a legal document. It is an important milestone that allows us to move forward with clarity and purpose. It recognizes the deep spiritual, historical, and cultural significance of Holy Cross while providing a practical path for our organization to preserve this treasured church for future generations.
There is still much work ahead. We will continue to build our membership, recruit volunteers, raise funds, and care for the church and surrounding property entrusted to us. This success belongs to our entire community—everyone who prayed, attended meetings, signed petitions, offered encouragement, volunteered countless hours, and believed that Holy Cross was worth preserving.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your unwavering support and commitment. Together, we are ensuring that Holy Cross Church remains a vibrant place of Catholic faith, prayer, and community for generations to come.
June 2, 2026
Statement Regarding Holy Cross Decree
The decree merging Holy Cross Parish into a newly created Parish has now been issued by the Diocese.
For many in our community, this news brings mixed emotions. While the decree preserves Holy Cross Church as a sacred church and pilgrimage site for now, it also marks the end of Holy Cross Parish as an independent parish and the loss of regularly scheduled Masses that have been a cornerstone of life in Marty for generations.
t is important to recognize that many members of our community will need time to grieve this change. Holy Cross is more than a building—it has been the spiritual home for countless baptisms, weddings, funerals, and family traditions spanning well over a century.
The HCMCPC cannot appeal this decree as an organization. Under the provisions of the decree, any appeal rights belong to individual parishioners. Furthermore, given the goodwill shown by the Diocese in working toward the transfer of the non-sacred property to the HCMCPC, we believe it would be inappropriate for our organization to pursue opposition of a parish merger and loss of regular masses, even if such an option were available.
We respectfully disagree with portions of the decree—particularly, we believe it does not adequately recognize the strong local desire and commitment to maintain Holy Cross Church as a sacred space for Catholic worship – we remain convinced that the primary challenge facing Holy Cross and many rural parishes today is the shortage of available priests.
Rather than dwell on our disagreements, we choose to focus on the opportunities that remain before us.
The decree recognizes a future role for the HCMCPC in preserving and stewarding the non-sacred property associated with Holy Cross. More importantly, our organization remains committed to ensuring that Holy Cross Church itself is maintained in a manner worthy of its sacred purpose. We intend to be proactive stewards of this historic church so that future generations may continue to worship here and so that the church never falls into a condition where deterioration could be used as justification for closure or relegation to secular use.
We remain grateful to everyone who has supported this effort through prayers, volunteer work, donations, participation in meetings, and words of encouragement. The faith, dedication, and love shown by this community over the past year have demonstrated that Holy Cross remains an important part of the spiritual and cultural fabric of Marty.
As we move forward, we ask for continued prayers, patience, and support. Please try to keep any comments positive. Together, we will honor our past, care for what has been entrusted to us, and work to ensure that Holy Cross remains a vibrant presence in our community for generations to come. See less