Family of Faith Campaign

You have heard me speak at Church about The Family of Faith campaign, which is rooted in the archdiocese’s Pastoral Plan, released by Cardinal Collins in February of 2013.  The Pastoral Plan contains many exciting initiatives that will support and grow our Catholic community. To help fund many initiatives in the Pastoral Plan, the $105 million Family of Faith campaign will address a number of urgent needs within the church. The most pressing of these needs include:
• Providing financial support to parishes to help ensure growth and sustainability
• Supporting Catholic education through parish and campus based ministry to keep our youth engaged in an active life of faith
• Investing in resources that will help all of our clergy grow and be the pastoral leaders we all rely on them to be
• Ensuring there is a strong Catholic voice in an increasingly secular world
• Restoring and enhancing the beauty of St. Michael’s Cathedral as the mother church of all Catholics in the archdiocese
• Establish a new capital fund to provide financing to new churches and to support those parish communities that may be struggling with significant building issues.

Here is a video descibing the Family of Faith Campaign:

I fully support the goals of the Family of Faith campaign.  As Catholics, we are challenged to respond to God’s call to prepare the Church for its next century of service.  
Every parish in the archdiocese will participate in this project.  Each parish has a financial goal. Our parish goal is $490,000 dollars. Our parish will keep 25 cents of every dollar we raise. Upon reaching our goal, this parish will receive at least 119,000 dollars. 
With the funds we raise in our campaign, we will be able to:
• Upgrade our Sound System, and enhance our Youth Ministry with Technology;
• Contribute to the Food Support Program through the Exchange;
• Remodel our Hall Kitchen; and repair / repave our Parking Lot.

When we surpass our goal, our parish will receive 75 cents of every dollar we raise from that point forward. It is my hope that we can raise over 1 Million Dollars, and be able to build an Atrium over the Concrete Pad on the Allen Drive side of the church entrance. This could allow for better situations for overflow Masses and another meeting room.

Now, this may seem like a lot, but I am pleased to announce that, as of today, we already have received pledges of $452,500 dollars from only 52 gifts! That’s an average gift of over 8,800 dollars.  I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our parishioners thus far!  

We also have been blessed by the volunteer support of some of our fellow parishioners. Michael Stapleton and David Martin have been serving as Co-Chairs, and a group of dedicated men and women have been helping me with this project. I am grateful for their leadership and assistance for the benefit of our parish community and this unprecedented effort.  

We will be talking more about Family of Faith over the next several weeks.  
Please pray for the success of the campaign. Thank you and God bless.