a letter from Bishop Stika

Transcription

1 A C A M P A I G N F O R T H E C A T H O L I C C H U R C H I N E A S T T E N N E S S E E

2 home

3 a letter from Bishop Stika DEAR FRIENDS IN CHRIST, I recently celebrated my fifth year as your Bishop, and it is a blessing to be a part of such a vibrant and growing Catholic Church in East Tennessee. As witnessed at our recent Eucharistic Congress, we are a community united in our faith, whether we live in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Kingsport, or anywhere in between. Over the last 25 years since Saint John Paul II established the Diocese of Knoxville, the number of faithful has more than doubled from 32,000 to over 66,000 Catholics; from 40 parishes and missions to 51. Our schools, adult formation programs, and ministries have followed suit. The dramatic growth in our diocese presents us with a wonderful challenge. This is a historic time in the life of our Church in East Tennessee; a moment that comes once in a lifetime. Our work begins at home, strengthening our local parishes, increasing our commitment to charity, providing a dignified retirement for our priests, bolstering our commitment to Catholic education, and building a new cathedral. In order to meet these needs today, tomorrow and for generations to come, we are launching the Home campaign. HOME IS A PLACE WHERE WE FEEL WELCOME, ACCEPTED, AND COMFORTED. AS CATHOLICS, WHETHER IT IS OUR OWN PERSONAL HOME, OUR PARISH HOME, OR OUR DIOCESAN HOME, IT IS WHERE WE COME TOGETHER TO WORSHIP, TEACH, AND SERVE. I am confident that by working together we can reflect these values by addressing the priorities of this campaign. The success of the Home campaign will depend on your prayer, time, and generous hearts. I invite you to join me and your brothers and sisters in making this a transformational moment in the history of our Catholic Church in East Tennessee. Sincerely yours in Christ, Most Reverend Richard F. Stika Bishop of Knoxville 1

4 THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE IS Founded in 1988, the Diocese of Knoxville is one of the youngest in the United States. The need for the Home campaign is a result of the dynamic growth of the Catholic Church in East Tennessee. growth Number of Catholics has more than doubled in the last 25 years and is expected to double again in the next 25 parishes and missions Increased from 40 to 51 priests More than doubled from 40 to 86 vocations 1 seminarian for every 5 active priests 5 times the national average conversions Diocese ranks in the Top 10 in U.S. in conversions to the faith new initiatives WORSHIP 3 new mission churches for a growing Catholic population TEACH New ministries to foster the faith such as FOCUS Campus Ministries, the Frasatti Fellowship for young adults, and Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center 2 SERVE The new St. Mary s Legacy Foundation and free Mobile Medical Clinic to benefit the poor

5 our vision As a result of our growth as a faith community, we are presented with urgent needs that will be addressed through the Home campaign. Our response to these challenges will demonstrate our commitment to worship, teach and serve. The focus of the campaign will be on the following priorities: First and foremost, support the needs of our PARISHES Respond to the call of our Holy Father by creating the POPE FRANCIS CHARITABLE TRUST FUND Bolster funding for CATHOLIC EDUCATION Fully fund PRIEST RETIREMENT Create our new diocesan home by building a new CATHEDRAL Detailed information on these priorities is available on the following pages. 3

6 support our PARISHES $12.5 million Our parishes are at the center of our faith lives the foundation upon which our greater faith community is built. St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend Addressing individual parish needs is a paramount goal of the Home campaign. At least 50% of the dollars raised at each parish will fund parish priorities such as capital improvements, debt retirement, maintenance, etc. The pastor and parish leadership teams will work together to identify these needs. The specifics of your parish goal and need(s) to be addressed through the Home campaign are enclosed in the folder at the front of this packet. Here s how your campaign would work at different levels of fundraising success: UP TO 100% OF PARISH GOAL Parish Priorities 50% Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund 10% Catholic Education Trust Fund 6% Priests Retirement 8% Cathedral 18% *Remainder is set aside for campaign expenses and unrealized fulfillment of pledges After reaching 100% of goal, your parish receives 75% of all dollars raised. After reaching 150% of goal, your parish receives 100% of all dollars raised. 4

7 establish the POPE FRANCIS CHARITABLE TRUST FUND 10% all dollars given Our commitment in service to the poor has been constant throughout the history of our Diocese, remains constant today and will be constant in the future. Each year, the Diocese of Knoxville provides over $6 million in service to the poor. We continue to hear the call of Pope Francis as he implores us to love the Lord through our service to others. Through the Home campaign, 10% of all dollars raised* in parish campaigns will create the Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund. The fund will provide matching grants to parishes to foster and accelerate their own charitable efforts. As an example, a parish may want to establish a food bank, setting aside $10,000 to fund it. The Pope Francis fund would double that amount with a matching grant. *Up to 100% of parish goal. Pope - 29 Apr 2013 How marvelous it would be if, at the end of the day, each of us could say: today I have performed an act of charity towards others! 5

8 fund CATHOLIC EDUCATION $1.5 million The Catholic Education Trust Fund provides needed funding for parish religious education and tuition support for Catholic families. Established through the GiFT campaign in 2004, the Catholic Education Trust Fund has had a profound impact in providing support for Catholic education across East Tennessee. More children have been able to attend Catholic schools, and parishes have invested in resources to teach our faith. Despite our best efforts, there are still many families in need of tuition assistance, and religious education efforts at our parishes continue to grow. Through the Home campaign, we will provide an additional $1.5 million to the Catholic Education Trust Fund. did you know? The fund has provided $2,750,000 in tuition support to Catholic school children of families most in need. The fund has provided $850,000 for parish-based religious education and faith formation resources across the Diocese. fully fund PRIEST RETIREMENT $2 million The priests of our Diocese selflessly dedicate their lives in service to the Lord. We are blessed by their celebration of the sacraments and their ministry to us in times of joy as well as times of great need and sorrow. It is our responsibility to ensure our priests a dignified retirement. To continue providing the benefits that our beloved retired priests deserve after a lifetime of service, the Home campaign will invest $2 million to fully fund the Priest Retirement Fund. did you know? 6 The Diocese currently provides health care and benefi ts for 16 retired priests. The average age of our priests is 54. Because of the recent economic downturn and the increased number of priests in our Diocese, the Priest Retirement Fund is currently underfunded by approximately $2,000,000.

9 build our new CATHEDRAL $4.5 million* As Catholic Christians, everything we do begins in worship. Worship leads us to action as we are sent out into the world. If worship is placed at the center of our lives, physically and spiritually, our lives are ordered in such a way that everything else falls into place. Through the Home campaign, we will build a sacred space that all Catholics in East Tennessee can call home. A new cathedral will also act as a means for evangelization as others are called toward this strong statement of our Catholic faith and our centering on worship. With the continued growth of our Church in East Tennessee, the current cathedral limits our ability to gather and worship as faith community. Originally built in 1956 as a modest parish church, Sacred Heart was cast into the role of a cathedral with the founding of our Diocese in As the Mother Church of the Diocese, it belongs to every Catholic in East Tennessee. However, functional disadvantages such as limited space and seating and insufficient gathering areas have never been more evident than today. *Building our new cathedral is a shared responsibility and everyone will have the opportunity to participate. Parishes of the diocese will help by raising an estimated $4.5 million toward this initiative. Separate campaigns at the cathedral parish as well as major gifts campaigns inside and outside of the diocese will fund the majority of the cathedral project. Our new cathedral includes: Increased worship space from 7,500 to 20,000 square feet Increased seating capacity from just over 500 to approximately 1,000 Large sanctuary and 15,000 square feet of new social space to accommodate diocesan celebrations Traditional cruciform style using the materials and craftsmanship of East Tennessee Current cathedral to be renovated for new meeting center did you know? The Diocese of Knoxville provides over $6 million in ongoing services to the poor and marginalized every year. Over the next 5 years, we will spend more on charitable initiatives than is budgeted for building the new cathedral, which will serve the faithful for the next 100 years or more. 7

10 you can make a difference Every Catholic in East Tennessee is encouraged to participate in the Home campaign. Your support will have a tremendous impact at your home, your parish home, and your diocesan home enhancing the mission of our faith community to worship, teach, and serve. Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa how you can help 1. Pray for the success of our campaign 2. Share the goals of our campaign with others 3. Volunteer for your parish s campaign 4. Make a pledge to the Home campaign 8

11 why you should help Your support of the Home campaign will: Strengthen your parish 50% or more of the funds raised at your parish will go directly toward your parish s needs. Care for others Through helping establish the Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund and providing a dignified retirement for our beloved priests. Grow the faith By supporting Catholic education and elevating our worship with the building of a new cathedral; an evangelizing symbol to all of East Tennessee ways to give Please consider a pledge over a 3-year period Payments can be made on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis Gifts can be made in cash, check, credit card or securities payable to the Home Campaign If you are able, please consider paying 10% of your gift up front Other planned giving options, such as bequests, charitable gift annuities, etc. may also be considered Please note that contributions to the campaign are tax-deductible as provided by law Visit to make a gift online 9

12 prayer for the home campaign Father, God of Love, by the power of your Holy Spirit You sent your Son into the world to reveal to us Your Kingdom in our midst: as He taught from mountainside and seashore; as He fed the hungry and cured the sick; as He empowered his Apostles to spread the Good News; as He often spent nights in prayer. Give us, your daughters and sons, the wisdom, courage and energy to continue to spread that Kingdom As we share your gifts: ministering to those in need, instructing those hungry for Truth; and providing spaces to gather as your Kingdom here on earth to worship you in Truth and Beauty. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen Campaign prayer authored by Msgr. Bob Hofstetter 805 South Northshore Drive Knoxville, TN