John Mitchell and Marleen Tucker admit they were a bit nervous when their pastor asked them to help raise money to address extraordinary needs in their parish and for the Church of Pittsburgh.
Saint Charles Lwanga parish, led by Father David Taylor, is located in Pittsburgh’s East End, which is not considered an affluent neighborhood. But like many other lay leaders, John and Marleen stepped forward in faith and made a difference in helping raise 269 percent of their parish target.
“It was astonishing. People really believe in our parish,” John said. “I hope our success will help other parishes realize they can also do it.”
Led by such passionate parishioners and pastors, Our Campaign for The Church Alive! has reached a significant milestone—more than $50 million in commitments toward a goal of $125 million.
All 11 initial parishes have surpassed their standard targets, having raised 110 percent of their collective goals. Now fundraising initiatives are underway in another 41 parishes, concluding in August.
The clergy have led by example, pledging more than $2.4 million over the next five years, on a goal of $500,000.
The Campaign has received nearly $32 million in leadership commitments personally raised by Bishop Zubik.
The goal of Our Campaign for The Church Alive! is to raise a minimum of $125 million over the next five years in more than 200 parishes of the Diocese in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence and Washington counties for strategic endowment of parishes, capital and parish programming initiatives.
The initiative will meet the extraordinary needs of parishes and our diocese by investing in the future of our Catholic family’s spiritual, educational and charitable ministries.
The Campaign will help address the urgent needs in the life of our Church—to sustain and strengthen parishes, invigorate evangelization, revitalize sacramental life, support education and formation in the faith, train pastoral and lay leaders, and serve the poor and marginalized.
Our Campaign for The Church Alive! is focused on the parishes. For every dollar raised in a parish campaign, forty cents will be returned to the parish to fund its locally determined priorities. The remaining sixty percent of funds raised will support ministries and programs benefiting the entire Church of Pittsburgh.
When a parish exceeds its target it will receive sixty cents of every dollar raised over its target, and forty percent will be invested across our diocese.
Two more phases will launch in parishes in September 2013 and January 2014.
As the Campaign begins in each parish, individuals and families will be asked to make five-year pledges. Businesses and charitable foundations also have an opportunity to provide support.
All funds will be overseen and allocated by an independent nonprofit charitable corporation to ensure that donations are spent according to the case for support.
The diocesan-wide ministries and programs receiving support include need-based tuition grants for Catholic schools, religious education, technology for secondary schools, evangelization programs, Catholic communications, Catholic Charities, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, seminarian formation, and support for retired priests and other senior citizens.
“Asking for a five-year commitment to the campaign is important,” Marleen said. “We just have to try. God makes a way.”