On July 25, 2000, Father Woodrow "Woody" Pace took up residence as the most recent and current pastor of St. Mary’s. Fr. Pace relates that his is the "Highway 10 priesthood," having previously served as assistant at St. Mary’s in Durand, Holy Rosary in Lima and Sacred Heart in Mondovi, all cities along that east-west thoroughfare.

An Altoona native, after an initial year of seminary studies, he completed high school at Eau Claire Regis. He attended seminary at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, and completed Theology graduate work in Mundelein, Ill. Bishop Burke ordained him in June of 1995 at La Crosse.

The membership of the parish Pace now leads includes about 360 families, or approximately 1,200 people.

The past few years have seen many changes on the St. Mary’s campus. The parish office, so many years located in the rectory, was relocated to the former convent. This required extensive remodeling of the residential building in 2001-2002 to provide reception, office, meeting, and classroom space while still retaining two rooms for overnight visitors. The cost of the project came to nearly $100,000.

New paint and carpeting spruced up the school along with necessary electrical, plumbing and lighting work done 2002-2003. The $29,000 cost was aided by a $26,000 gift from the estate of Joe Resong.

A quarter million dollar project to improve water drainage around the church and repair the roof was completed 2003.

More jarring, the ancient mimeographs and typewriters were swept away and replaced by computers!

Staff changed as well. Steven Covington was hired as the DRE in October of 2000. The first Diocesan curriculum was released in 2002, in turn prompting the first major reorganization of the CCD curriculum since 1972. Covington stepped down at the end of the 2003-2004 CCD year and was replaced by Margaret Ouimette.

Lisa Anding served as parish secretary for the first two years of the Fr. Pace administration, succeeded by Martha Opelt in 2003.

Plans for major remodeling of the church interior are scheduled for the future.