Fifty years a priest and still going strong, Rev. Bernard “Mike” Harcarik figures that number sounds about right. So, in gratitude to God and the Church of Pittsburgh, the pastor of Prince of Peace Parish on Pittsburgh’s Southside is donating fifty percent of his salary for the next five years to Our Campaign for The Church Alive!
Clergy across our diocese are responding to the campaign with great enthusiasm, already committing about $1.8 million on an original goal of $500,000.
“Bishop Zubik had to make a grand decision in undertaking this campaign,” Fr. Harcarik said. “As Catholics, we’re part of a larger community, united in our vision and values and resources. We must keep alive our values and always remember the Eucharist.”
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.
As of April 15, the Campaign has now received pledges totaling more than $44 million, including $31.4 million in leadership commitments raised by Bishop Zubik personally.
The eleven parishes taking part in the Initial Parish Phase of the Campaign, from January through April 2013, have raised more than $10.2 million.
The initiative will meet the extraordinary needs of parishes and the 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 surpasses its target it will receive sixty cents of every dollar raised over its target, and forty percent will be invested across our diocese.
The next stage of the Campaign begins in 44 parishes in May, then 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, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, seminarian formation, and support for retired priests and other senior citizens.
Our Campaign for The Church Alive! also supports the work of Catholic Charities, providing special funding for programs such as emergency financial aid, support for single mothers in need, and the Catholic Charities Free Health Care Center.
Fr. Harcarik is grateful to Bishop Zubik for allowing him to continue to serve past his retirement date, as well as to the Serra Club for its support of his expenses during seminary studies.
“A grateful heart is never sad,” Fr. Harcarik said, “it will give you peace and joy.”
