The idea for Unum didn’t start in a boardroom or a tech accelerator. It started after a men’s group meeting, when St. Catherine of Siena’s parish business manager approached me about migrating their legacy database system to something newer.
That conversation revealed challenges I hadn’t fully appreciated before. Outdated database systems that couldn’t handle Catholic-specific needs like sacramental records, family relationship tracking, and stewardship reporting. Multiple disconnected tools that created more work instead of less. These weren’t just inconveniences—they were barriers preventing dedicated parish staff from focusing on what matters most: serving their communities and supporting ministry.
The Technical Foundation
My background as a data engineer and ETL architect has been spent solving complex data challenges at enterprise scale. I’ve seen what happens when systems are built with precision, security, and the end user’s actual needs in mind. I’ve also seen the cost of poorly designed databases and fragmented workflows.
When I looked at the church management software market, I saw a gap. Most solutions were either built for Protestant churches with different structural needs, or they were aging systems maintained by companies that had lost touch with their users. Catholic parishes deserved better—software purpose-built for their unique requirements, with the kind of data architecture and security that enterprise organizations expect.
Building the Right Way
Rather than rushing to market, my co-founder Benjamin and I are taking a different approach. Benjamin brings over a decade of C#/.NET and SQL Server expertise—the kind of deep technical knowledge required to build software that parishes can trust with their most sensitive data.
We’re developing Unum deliberately, with St. Catherine of Siena serving as our pilot partner. This isn’t a quick prototype thrown together over a weekend. We’re implementing enterprise-grade security from day one, including Always Encrypted for sensitive parishioner information and a database architecture designed for both data integrity and diocesan compliance.
I continue my full-time role as an ETL Architect at Reyes Holdings, which might seem unusual for a startup founder. But this approach reflects our core philosophy: sustainable, thoughtful growth in service to the Church. We’re not racing toward an exit or prioritizing investor returns over product quality. We’re building software that will serve Catholic parishes for the long term.
Service First, Always
The Catholic Church has endured for two millennia not through rapid disruption but through faithful stewardship and patient service. Unum embraces that same philosophy.
We’re not trying to “move fast and break things.” We’re moving methodically to build things right. We’re not maximizing revenue at the expense of parishes with limited budgets. We’re creating modular, affordable pricing that lets even small parishes access professional-grade tools.
Most importantly, we’re listening. Every feature decision, every architectural choice, every workflow we design is informed by real parish needs and real operational challenges.
What’s Next
Unum is more than a software company. It’s a commitment to serving the Church through technology that respects both the sacred trust parishes place in their management systems and the practical realities of parish administration.
We’re building member registries that handle complex family relationships and sacramental histories. We’re developing giving platforms that integrate seamlessly with parish workflows. We’re creating communication tools that help pastors stay connected with their flocks.
And we’re doing it all with a service-first mindset that puts parishes—not profits—at the center of every decision.
If you’re a parish administrator tired of fighting with inadequate software, or if you’re someone who shares our vision of serving the Church through better technology, we’d love to connect.
Because the Church deserves software built by people who understand that this work is about more than just data management. It’s about supporting the mission of the Gospel in a digital age.
Drew is the founder and CEO of Unum. Benjamin serves as CTO and technical co-founder. Together, they’re building church management software purpose-built for Catholic parishes.
Comments
2 responses
Interested in discussing this!
Thanks Vallin! I’ve sent an email to you!!