Parishioners and pastors working together
The diocese is seeing a steady stream of pledges each day for its $25 million capital campaign, and each pledge moves the diocese a little closer to fulfilling its promise to the next generation – to keep the Church vibrant in Southeast Texas. The Together for God’s Good Work campaign edged toward the $22 million mark during the third week of June with $21.7 in pledges.
The entire campaign is a legacy for future generations, but $8 million will directly impact young people – one of the priorities for Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD.
“Our young people are not only a priority for me but for all of our faithful. That is the message I have heard hundreds of times since becoming Bishop.”
One million dollars of the goal is set to benefit Campus Ministry at Lamar University, Beaumont, and $7 million of the goal is earmarked for endowments for Catholic school scholarships, parish religious education and parish youth programs.
Of the $7 million, funds generated from a proposed $2.3 million youth ministry endowment will provide diocesangrants to parishes and missions for hiring and training youth ministers.
Several parishes in the diocese are already seeing the benefit of grants from foundations outside the diocese. Our Lady of Light in Anahuac has seen a 50 percent increase in one year in the number of young people involved in the parish’s youth program after hiring a paid youth minister through a grant from the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation.
Two other rural parishes have seen a 200 percent increase in the number of teenagers involved in their programs since 2006 when several foundations began providing funds for a combined parish rural youth minister. It was because of successes like these that the diocese wanted to create its own endowment to provide for paid youth ministers.
Laura Williams, CFO for the diocese, not only understands the diocese’s needs for funding but also the need for youth ministers who can give their full attention to parish youth programs.
“I’m the volunteer youth minster for Holy Spirit in Kountze. But my job at the diocese often requires weekend and evening work. Those are times when our kids need me, but I can’t be available,” Williams said.
Williams believes that a trained youth minister would also benefit her. “I would love to have someone to work with who could help me. I would still volunteer my time, but I’d have that trained, professional person to turn to for guidance.”
Lynda Apodaca, coordinator of development for the diocese, wrote the initial grant that provided for a multi-parish youth minister in 2006 for four rural parishes.
“We can’t keep depending on outside sources. Those outside foundations can’t provide funds for all of our parishes that need them,” Apodaca said.
“For years, I was the volunteer youth minister at Our Lady of Pines in Woodville while holding down a full-time job. You can do it, but you can’t do it forever. And you certainly can’t do the same job that someone can who is only doing youth ministry,” she said.
“We also desperately need the endowment for parish religious education programs. I also taught catechism for nine years and understand the need for paid, trained parish catechetical leaders,” Apodaca said.
Monies from the campaign are also earmarked to help make Catholic schools affordable for moderate and low income families. An endowment for Catholic school scholarships will generate new monies to assist students.
In addition, funds raised in the capital campaign will provide an endowment for Catholic Charities, monies for a development for Holy Family Retreat Center, funds for construction of a new pastoral center and for an endowment for the Infirm Priests’ Fund.
Of the $25 million, $4 million is targeted for support of projects for parishes and missions and $2 million for the 2010 Bishop’s Faith Appeal – the annual appeal that raises money to fund the operational expenses of the diocesan ministries.
You can learn more details about these other needs at the diocesan website www.dioceseofbmt.org or in future issues of the ETC
You can make a gift to the campaign here on the diocesan website or by contacting your local parish.
With thousands across Southeast Texas working together, the Diocese of Beaumont capital campaign has reached $21 million in pledges. Funds raised in the capital campaign go toward a number of projects including endowments for the Infirm Priests’ Fund, youth and Catholic Charities, construction at the Catholic Pastoral Center and the Catholic Student Center at Lamar, and a development fund for Holy Family Retreat Center. Also in the $25 million target is $4 million for support of the local parishes.
Another of the items the campaign will fund is the annual support of the diocesan ministries. Of the $25 million, $2 million of that will go to the 2010 Bishop’s Faith Appeal – the annual appeal that raises money to fund the operational expenses of the diocesan ministries.
All the parishes are currently in their active follow-up stage. The pastors and committees are trying to contact those who may not have had a chance to respond to the Together for God’s Good Work appeal. As of May 28, five of the churches in Southeast Texas had met their capital campaign parish target, with seven edging close.
You can make a gift to the campaign here at the diocese website.
