At a weekend last summer, I talked to you briefly about the Archdiocesan “Lord, renew your church Capital campaign. All 180 parishes in the diocese are part of this. This weekend we’re officially kicking off this campaign. What’s different about this campaign is this. Archbishop Hebad is using the campaign as an opportunity to maintain parishes vital and strong.
And here’s why I’m really excited about the campaign. Archbishop Hebda has built in an incentive package for each parish. Whatever the parish raises for the archdiocese the archdiocese will give 60% back to the parishes. How can you go wrong with that?
The Archdiocese will use its 40% to educate young people for discipleship, to sustain the Cathedral and the Basilica, to care for clergy, and to provide for those most in need.
St. Victoria will use our 60% first for enhancement of our sacred spaces. That includes deferred maintenance on historic church and for things the new church needs.
Secondly, think of it, how many of you have adult children who are not always with us on Sunday. Thanks to the diocesan capital campaign we’re going to have fulltime position dedicated to reaching out to the “twenty thirty some crowd. The goal is to engage them more fully in their faith and the life of the church.
Finally, the campaign will help us engage in mission driven gestures of good will that keep us faithful to our call to be a parish family that reaches out as the face and hands of Jesus
Specifically, the campaign will increase our capacity to share our blessings with our sister parish in Venezuela where life is very hard right now. In addition, we will share our blessings with struggling core city parishes and grassroots groups like Humanity Alliance that minister to those in need.
Our goal for the parish is to raise just a little under two million dollars. That’s a hefty chunk of change. Yet, with the help of those we’ve talked with so far we’ve already had $640000 pledge so, we’re already one third of the way to our goal.
Keep in mind as we go about this campaign there will be no strong-armed tactics like Fr. O’Brien would use. One day Fr. O’Brien gets a call from the IRS. “Are you Fr. O’Brien pastor of St. Adlebert’s?” “I am.” “Is John Smith a member of your parish?” “He is.” “Did he donate $100,000.00 to your capital campaign?” “He will.”
We promise we won’t put that kind of pressure on you. Only the invitation to participate in an effort that will be a great service to our Archdiocese and the parish.
In the following weeks you may receive a call from someone from our parish or me inviting you to a gathering for the campaign or a personal visit from someone from the parish or me to discuss your participation. In the meantime, we’ll keep you update with progress made.
In the Gospel last week, we heard “God so loved the world …” And this week we heard about “true wealth”. As God’s own, who have been so loved and blessed in so many ways I thank you for the ways you have blessed this parish. It’s the “true wealth’ that generosity brings to our lives. Let’s close by praying, the campaign prayer found at the ends of the pew. Let’s stand as we pray, this campaign prayer together. “Lord, renew your church by the light of the Gospel …”