St. Mary’s Parish Launches Capital Campaign to Restore, Renew, and Build for the Future (Photo provided by St. Mary's Catholic Church)

Good morning, Newport! Today is Wednesday, July 16, the 197th day of 2025. There are 168 days left in the year.

🚨 You need to know

Saint Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Roman Catholic Church has launched an ambitious $5 million capital campaign to restore and renew its historic Newport campus as the parish approaches its bicentennial celebration in 2028.

The campaign, titled “Remembering our Past, Building Our Future: The Bicentennial Campaign,” will fund critical restoration work on the church that has served as a spiritual cornerstone for Newport’s Catholic community since 1828.

“As stewards of this extraordinary house of worship, we are called to honor its history while ensuring its strength for future generations,” said Fr. Mark Sauriol, pastor of St. Mary’s. “This campaign is not just about bricks and mortar. It’s about laying a solid foundation for the next 200 years—deepening our fellowship, preserving our sacred spaces, and expanding our ability to serve.”

The fundraising effort, which runs through December 31, 2025, will support comprehensive repairs to the church’s exterior envelope, including installation of a new north roof. Interior improvements will include a new elevator for the choir loft to ensure ADA compliance and upgrades to the HVAC system.

St. Mary’s holds special significance beyond its role as Rhode Island’s oldest Catholic parish. The church gained national attention as the site where Jacqueline Lee Bouvier wed then-Senator John F. Kennedy, and where the future President and First Lady attended Mass during their summers in Newport. The church, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008, welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually from across the country and around the world.

Timeline and Funding Strategy

Campaign Chair Charles Kenahan said the parish anticipates closing the campaign in 2026, particularly to accommodate grant writing deadlines, with hopes of completing all restoration work by the end of 2028 to coincide with the bicentennial celebration.

The campaign will pursue funding from multiple sources, including parishioner donations, foundations aligned with Catholic missions, and organizations committed to historic preservation.

Currently in an informational phase, the campaign will host five receptions for parishioners during the last week of July. Online giving will launch Monday, July 28th through the parish website at stmarynewportri.org, featuring QR codes and planned giving options.

A Legacy of Service

Founded in 1828, St. Mary’s has deep roots in Newport’s community fabric. Parishioners volunteered to dig the foundation trenches for the current church, with the cornerstone laid on August 15, 1848, and construction completed less than a year later.

Today, the parish continues its mission of service through a weekly soup kitchen, hosting concerts and community events, and serving as a gathering place for numerous groups. The church remains open for prayer and visitation Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“As we prepare to celebrate our 200th year, we’re not simply restoring a building, we’re renewing our mission,” Fr. Sauriol added. “We invite the community to walk with us in this effort to build our future together.”

The campaign represents a critical investment in preserving one of Newport’s most significant architectural and spiritual landmarks while ensuring it can continue serving the community for generations to come.

For more information about the campaign or to contribute, visit stmarynewportri.org starting July 28th.

Here’s what else you should know

🗓️ On this day in 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when their single-engine plane, piloted by Kennedy, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

👉 The Newport City Council unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday night, urging Brown University Health to maintain full operation of the Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center at Newport Hospital.

🚧 Newport is embarking on its most ambitious roadway improvement project in nearly a decade, with 18 streets across the city set to receive major upgrades as part of a $3 million investment made possible by the 2024 General Obligation Bond.

👏 A Rhode Island specialty license plate has earned national recognition for the first time, bringing honor to the Ocean State and supporting a beloved Newport landmark.

🗓️ On tap this week/weekend: Newport Classical, Newport Dance Festival, Save the Bay Swim, Newport Beer Run, Lobster Muddy Festival, and more. Full Roundup

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Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...