How is the Faith to Move Mountains campaign different than the Annual Catholic Appeal?
The
Faith to Move Mountains campaign is a response to
long-term and extraordinary needs, while the Annual Catholic Appeal helps to fund the day-to-day operating expenses of the Diocese. A major objective of the campaign is to establish new or increase existing endowments to offset anticipated increases in expenses over the long-term. For instance,
44% of our current priests will be eligible for retirement over the next 10 years alone! Meeting this increase in retirement needs (e.g. maintaining Villa Vianney) is an expense that our Diocese's ordinary income cannot address.
These endowments, on the other hand, will strengthen our Church to serve future generations of Catholics. This requires an extraordinary campaign which involves a commitment that is in addition to a Catholic's regular parish support and one's gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal.
In the coming months, all parishioners will be invited to be a part of
Faith to Move Mountains. I hope our parish family will be united in its support of this work. It is also a campaign that directly helps our parish (but more about that later!). I encourage those who have already been contacted by a parish volunteer to prayerfully reflect on making a commitment as your means permit and to respond at your earliest convenience.
Above all,
please pray for the success of the campaign.