The world is in crisis. Is this a time to do a capital campaign?
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, he will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, for I was hungry and you gave me food” (Matthew 25).
Jesus speaks much of crisis arriving before his final coming. How do we prepare? His response is for all of us to do His works of mercy. We are to be light for the world, a city set on a hill, hope for the nations. Through our many ministries, St. Mary Magdalen makes a direct impact on the lives of many in our immediate neighborhood and throughout the city. We are called to proclaim the Gospel in word and action “for such a time as this!” (Esther 4:14).
Why is it called a combined capital Campaign?
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,… and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
We are working in partnership with the archdiocesan, On the Way – ¡Ándale! Campaign. A combined campaign allows us to raise money for our parish needs alongside the needs of the Archdiocese. This is the good news of being Catholic, “universal”: Holy Spirit witnessing to the ends of the earth.
How much do we at St. Mary Magdalen Parish need to contribute to the archdiocesan campaign?
“Now concerning the collection for the saints: you should follow the directions I gave. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, (as a) gift to Jerusalem” (1 Corinthians 16:1-3).
St. Mary Magdalen is being asked to donate $625,300 to that effort. The On the Way – ¡Ándale! Campaign is for the building up of our college campus ministries, for poor parishes and schools, for new land for new parishes, and for the San Antonio Missions. We are grateful for all that we receive from being part of the archdiocese and are proud to do our part in building God’s kingdom in San Antonio.
Which projects are we going to work on first? And why?
“Truly I tell you, for whatever you did to the least of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).
– Our first goal – our Celebration Goal – is to raise enough funds to build a new Works of Mercy Center to provide a meeting room for ministries, to house St. Vincent de Paul and Gabriel Project, and advance our mission to serve God in the hungry, hopeless and needy.
– Our second goal – our Victory Goal – is to build a new school building to form young disciples and provide families a safe place for their children to grow in faith, knowledge, service and virtue.
– Our third goal – our Triumph Goal – is a new adoration chapel. We believe that if we are faithful
and fruitful in reaching our first two goals, then God will bless us triumphantly with a new adoration chapel. Surely, God is with us.
Why contribute to this campaign? How will it benefit me?
“You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11).
Tithing and financial giving is also an expression of faith, hope and love in God. By giving, we allow God to bless others through us. Our sacrificial gift proclaims loudly to the Lord: “Jesus, I trust in you and believe that you will take care of my needs.” “Give and it shall be given to you” with gifts of spiritual growth, freedom from attachments, and satisfaction, knowing we are part of God’s plan to reach others. This is a great opportunity to live the gospel.
What advice can you give me about spending?
“You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart” (Luke 10:27). “All things belong to you and you belong to Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:22).
God gives us 100 percent, and we are called to give the same, ALL in all. All that we have, belongs to Christ. It’s not our money. All is His money, and we belong to His Kingdom. There are four areas Christ wants us to spend His money that He has each blessed us with: 1.Tithing is our contribution to God’s house (at least the first 10 percent); 2. Savings are our preparation for the future or our paying off debts from the past; 3. Needs are our expenses to survive, 4. Wants are our spending on enjoyments. For this campaign, we are not called to surplus giving, but sacrificial giving, sacrificing our wants for the church’s needs. Those who have more, give more. Those who have less, give less. “Jesus watched the crowd putting money into the treasury” (Mark 12:41). He is looking at the percentage of our finances that we give, not the amount.
Will my pledge be legally binding? Will it be confidential?
“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
A pledge is not legally binding, but it is a gift which you consider to be meaningful. We ask that you do your best to fulfill your pledge and let us at the church know of any financial changes that will impact your commitment. All pledges will be kept confidential. May each of our offerings be pleasing to our Lord.
What are all the donations that the church is asking of me?
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing” (Malachi 3:10).
Like our five senses, there are five collections in our one offering to God. 1. The first collection is our weekly Sunday contribution to cover the costs of operating our parish (utility bills, insurance, salaries, religious formation). On average it costs about $900,000 to operate our parish each year. 2. The second collection is for special needs like food for the poor. 3. The third collection is our donation to charities and organizations, to church ministries, or people on the streets. 4. The fourth collection is the Archbishop Appeal, our annual pledge in February to help cover all the costs for the many Archdiocesan ministries. 5. The fifth collection is to support our capital campaign at an exceptional time for growth. Our last campaign at SMM was in the 1980s. The last archdiocesan campaign was in the 1950s. It is important that we all plan ahead: “What amount am I going to give each Sunday to the first and second collection, to charities, to the appeal and campaign?” May God guide each of us.
How did we come up with our request amount for you?
“I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you, and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a voluntary gift and not as an extortion” (2 Corinthians 9:5).
We ask you to consider prayerfully consider the amount listed in the letter you received from Fr. Will. The amount is based on several factors, including your giving history and answers shared in the campaign assessment. Fellow parishioners will visit with many of you about your gift. They do not know nor will inquire about this amount. The letter and visit is to encourage you to live and give generously to the capital campaign.
Can I trust the church? Who else is contributing to our combined capital campaign?
“From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.” “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (Luke 12:48, 1 Corinthians 12:26-27).
Everyone in the end will have to give an account of how they spent Christ’s talents. St. Mary Magdalen Parish has an excellent record of keeping her promises and using her finances responsibly. The pastor and staff also want to be held accountable. Every registered parishioner will be asked to participate in the campaign. Every family with children at our school and alumni will be asked as well. Businesses and local organizations will also be invited to contribute.
How are our pledges and gifts being redeemed? Will we get reminders?
The Archdiocese has graciously agreed to handle all the pledge processing for our United in Spirit & Mission Campaign, which saves the parish the cost of pledge payment processing and notices. Your checks will be made payable to the On the Way – ¡Ándale! Campaign referencing St. Mary Magdalen in the memo to streamline the processing of the pledges. The payment notices will come from the Archdiocese of San Antonio Development Office referencing United in Spirit & Mission Campaign. All funds redeemed belong to St. Mary Magdalen.