Happy Twenty-Fourth Sunday!
We’re continuing our deep dive into the details of this capital campaign, and as you have seen there is a lot to share, so thank you for letting me spread out this information over several bulletin articles. For the past few weeks I’ve written about major campaign objectives and the three main areas of Catholic educational need they aim to support for the long-term. Today we will look at the final portion of this diocesan endeavor, the 20% which parishes will retain for their own needs.
Each parish in the diocese has been set a base campaign goal of about 1.25x its annual offertory. For Good Shepherd, that number comes out to $220,000. 80% of that goal, $176,000, will flow to the various campaign endowments. The remainder, $44,000, will stay at Good Shepherd for our capital needs. 100% of anything raised above our base goal would also stay with the parish. For example, $50k stays with us for $226k raised, $55k for $231k etc. There is no practical penalty if we do not meet our parish goal, except that it would change with 20% remainder we receive (42K for $210k, $40k for $200, etc.)
Something that I decided in my first year as your pastor was to frontload some time-sensitive major project costs in view of this upcoming diocesan campaign. Thus we spent ~ $10k of parish bingo savings last summer on reinforced concrete for the east parking lot entrance, and we finished the asphalt top coat for our parking lot in July. 46 of our parish households contributed $18k to get us across the finish line, and I am so humbled and grateful to you all for that. I directed it this way so as to avoid the requirement of tying these project to this diocesan campaign, which is designed to receive pledges over the next five years. We could not afford to let these paving projects wait, and we rose to the occasion. So thank you, thank you, it made all the difference.
As for our campus, we’re generally in a good position for now, excepting any emergency. Our next major infrastructure need – about five years out we thing – would appear to be the replacement of our roof shingles. It is the plan for us to use the 20% parish portion of this diocesan campaign to save up for that project so that when it arrives, we will be in the best position to minimize any additional fundraising. Next week I’ll be writing about the timing and mechanics of individual household participation so you know what to expect moving forward.
Our parish families, you all, and your faithfulness to this community, both spiritually and materially, are the only reason we can continue to build the kingdom of God and bless Montrose with the witness and gift of our Catholic faith. I am always praying for our future, our health, our protection, and our growth. I’m grateful to be a part of the journey with you.
Fr. Brian