Early capital campaign support shows appreciation

By Susan Bailey  CFP Correspondent

Early signs are pointing to a successful beginning of the four-year Legacy of Hope capital campaign, launched by Bishop McManus in January.
Separate from Partners in Charity, Legacy of Hope supports six initiatives (parish support, priests’ retirement and custodial care, Catholic education, parish-based charitable outreach and evangelization, and St. Paul Catherdral) while also sending a portion of the funds back to the individual churches. Parishes in the diocese are assigned to different six-month period “blocks” to actively participate in Legacy of Hope by educating parishioners about the needs of the campaign and to seek their support. In January, nine parishes comprising “block one” began their efforts, culminating with a commitment weekend where parishioners made their pledges.
Early gifts from the African Ministry and individual priests (both active and retired) indicate the level of support for the campaign.
“We’ve seen so much support at this early stage of the campaign,” said Michael Messano, executive director of Legacy of Hope. He cited the large number of priests who wished to show their appreciation to the Church and their desire to continue her good work through their pledges.
The nine parishes in block one have embraced the campaign with enthusiasm.
“We had one of our parishes in the first block say, ‘You know what? We’re doing really well, we want to make a parish gift to the campaign,’” said Mr. Messano. “All of these things make you feel so good to see that people understand the importance of the campaign and they want to see it succeed.”
The parishes in block one include: St. Richard of Chichester in Sterling (Father James M. Steuterman, pastor), Christ the King Worcester (Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan, pastor), St. Gabriel the Archangel in Upton (Father Laurence V. Brault, pastor), St. Cecilia in Leominster (Father Robert D. Bruso, pastor), North American Martyrs in Auburn (Father John F. Gee, pastor), Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Loreto in Worcester (Msgr. F. Stephen Pedone, pastor), Immaculate Conception in Worcester (Father Walter J. Riley, pastor), St. John in Worcester (Father John F. Madden, pastor), and St. Mark in Sutton (Father Michael A. DiGeronimo, pastor).
Msgr. Sullivan is excited about the results of the campaign at Christ in the King so far. Recognizing the fact that they, like the other block one parishes have had to conduct the Annual Partners in Charity Appeal and the Legacy of Hope campaign back-to-back, he felt they were off to a good start.
“Approximately one-third of those who annually give to the diocesan appeal have already made a pledge to Legacy of Hope,” he said. “The campaign will continue here in the next weeks.”
He credited the co-chairs, Bob Hennigan and Janet Rauktis for their hard work.
“In speaking at the Masses this past weekend they made a good case for what Christ the King will do with our parish share of the funds that are raised,” said Msgr. Sullivan.
According to Mr. Messano, 40 percent of the funds raised are returned to the parishes; if the parish goal is exceeded, then 60 percent is returned. In the case of Christ the King, Msgr. Sullivan noted that funds would be applied to the school they support in Les Anglais, Haiti, Notre Dame du Lourdes. In addition, a staff person would be added for personal outreach to families with whom the parish has little contact. Finally, capital needs such as repairing and renewing their organ would be addressed.
Father Steuterman was pleased to announce that St. Richard’s reached its goal this past Tuesday, May 21.
“The current goal of $467,314 was surpassed and gifts continue to arrive,” he said. “I thought it would be a very hard sell, to ask for money at this time in the Church. But, in fact, people rallied around this idea of legacy and supported it more than I could have imagined.”
St. Richard’s co-chairs, John Potter and Ellen Zanino, proved to be persuasive and eloquent speakers.
“When they each shared their life stories at the first reception, people melted,” he said. “Within a few days the parish had 50 percent of the money needed.”
St. Richard’s, like other block one parishes hosted several receptions where parishioners could view the campaign video and learn more about the Legacy of Hope.
Father Steuterman brought home the crux of the message on commitment weekend.
“I decided to aim directly at their hearts,” he said. “The homily was about idealism and being part of the mission of Jesus Christ, to bring every person to him. In this way, we were not focusing on giving to a program, a diocese or a parish, but to ‘people.’ Part of Martin Luther King’s famous speech was proclaimed and then the congregation knelt to pray over their pledge and through the church came a magnificent rendition of ‘The Impossible Dream.’”
As the campaign in block one parishes winds down, parishes in block two will begin their preparations for Legacy of Hope over the summer, with receptions beginning in September. Each block lasts about six months. Originally designed around three such periods, the campaign has been extended into a fourth block.
“The rationale for the fourth block is that some of the parishes may need a little more time to prepare for a campaign,” said Mr. Messano. Parishes in block three (as in block one) face the challenge of Partners in Charity happening in close proximity to the Legacy of Hope campaign. A fourth block allows those parishes who wish first to focus on Partners in Charity to do so before turning their focus to Legacy of Hope.
“The bishop as well as the executive leadership of the diocese and our priest advisory council (our PAC which is a group of 17 pastors who have helped us from the beginning in sharing the message of this campaign with the parishes), have all agreed that this would be the best route to take.”
Wrapping things up at Christ the King, Msgr. Sullivan expressed the aspirations of all involved with the campaign: “It is our hope that every single parishioner will understand the importance of the Legacy of Hope for the diocese and our parishes and will get on board with their support.”
As of May 23, Mr. Messano reported gifts and pledges totaling $4,172,613 toward the target of $32 million.

– For more information about Legacy of Hope, or to make a secure online donation, go to legacyofhope.worcesterdiocese.org.