Archdiocese Capital Campaign

Dear Parishioners,

This month, we will be hearing more about the Archbishop’s Capital Campaign. In the coming weeks, we will be showing a video about the campaign during Mass. Hopefully, it will bring to your attention the various needs that are trying to be met and encourage you to participate in whatever way you can.

I would like to highlight one aspect of the campaign and that is the funding of an endowment for seminary education. When I was a seminarian, I was very aware that the Archdiocese paid for my schooling, room, and board. That truly helped me focus on my studies and discernment. Imagine also having to worry about whether or not I could afford it. Today, that cost is $40,000/yr per seminarian.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

The fund that has historically paid for these costs will be completely empty at the end of this year. It is Archbishop Vlazny’s desire to create a way to create a permanent and protected financial source to help pay for our seminarians’ education.

We all want good priests. Mount Angel Seminary, one of the main schools our men attend, is a fantastic institution which offers our men a top notch theological education and formation for priestly vocations. If this was the only part of the campaign, I’d still participate as we most definitely need more priests. Please bring this need to prayer. Ask how you can help participate in this campaign. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me or Alan Crews, our Business Manager, about it.

Archdiocesan Capital Campaign

Dear Parishioners,

Some time ago each registered parish household was sent a letter from Archbishop Vlazny that detailed the upcoming “Sharing our Faith, Shaping our Future” capital campaign. In the coming weeks you will hear of and read about the all-parish, all-parishioner capital effort that is moving forward. Our parish and missions are grouped with about 25 other parishes in the southern portion of the Archdiocese of Portland. Our first phase of the effort will be preparation of materials and recruitment of volunteers. So parishioners may not see visible activity. All the activity at this point is behind the scenes.

There are four major goals which our Archbishop has dis- cerned are in need of such an undertaking: Seminary Education, Priests Retirement, Faith Formation, and particular needs of each church based on needs expressed by each parish. As the weeks go forward, these four areas will be reflected upon more deeply for you and expressed in our bulletin, a video presented at Mass, as well as a reflection during Mass.

At this time, it is very important for us to pray for guidance in what God may be calling each of us to do on behalf of this undertaking. Again, we will be describing the details of the capital campaign in the future weeks, but our need for prayerful discernment as good stewards begins now.

This week’s Gospel challenges us to reflect in our own lives how we are being called to be good stewards with all the things we have been given, and in particular how money plays a role in our lives. We are told by Jesus, we cannot both serve God and mammon (wealth).

Each week, as we move forward, please look to our “Capital Campaign Corner” for the latest and most up-to-date information about this important activity within our parish and archdiocese. Please pray for its success as well as the ministry activities that our Archbishop desires to foster in our Churches.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor