This weekend, we kick off our Growth in Christ Capital Campaign to strengthen our beloved St. Therese Parish.  All 185 parishes are tasked with coordinating their own capital campaigns through the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Lord, Renew Your Church Capital Campaign.
At St. Therese, we have been blessed with the sacrificial giving and hard work of previous generations that have given us a parish that so many love and call home.  Now, the Lord Jesus invites us, as a parish community, to do our part to strengthen our beloved parish for generations to come.
After almost a year of planning, church and school leadership – through prayer and collaboration – have striven to discern how St. Therese can benefit from a coordinated campaign to grow our parish.  We conducted a planning study in May wherein over 300 parish families offered feedback on proposed projects for the campaign.  Throughout the planning process, parish leadership and the feedback received made it clear that we must remain a debt-free parish as we looked at potential projects.  I wholeheartedly agree!  Our goal is to grow the parish and remain debt free.
We have established three milestones for the campaign: Celebration Goal ($6.5 million), Challenge Goal ($19.5 million), and Victory Goal ($23.5 million).  Here are the details for each milestone goal.
Celebration Goal ($6.5 million): This goal includes a Middle School Expansion and Renovation ($2.5 million) that will create space for learning with three classrooms and a collaborative learning area for students, Spirit Club, and faith formation classes.  Middle School restrooms will be renovated, and our school administrative area will be improved with better safety, visibility, and a more welcoming entrance.  
This goal also includes increasing our maintenance fund ($1.5 million) used to care for our beautiful campus.  Our maintenance fund will be used for repairing roofs and siding, replacing HVAC rooftop units, and improving our parking lot, and updates such as our church bathrooms.  This goal also includes growing our school endowment ($2.5 million) that supports tuition assistance needs, helps us attract and retain teachers, and provides technology upgrades for our school community.  
Challenge Goal ($19.5 million): Very generous donors have offered a $10 million gift toward the Martin Family Center.  This gift will be unlocked for a new community center that will include two athletic courts, an elevated stage for concerts and plays, a catering kitchen, a handicap-accessible second-story walking track, two meeting rooms for ministry meetings, and a new Outdoor Learning Center.  This goal also includes building a rectory on campus for priests and the ability to host smaller gatherings for parishioners.  The new rectory will include three bedrooms and a chapel for celebrating Masses and prayer.  Finally, this goal will include adding a cross on our church steeple, which will be a sign to the broader community of the hope that we have in Christ.
Victory Goal ($23.5 million): This goal includes adding an additional $1.5 million to our maintenance fund and an additional $2.5 million to our school endowment.  By reaching this goal, we will build an even stronger financial foundation for our parish as we ensure that facilities and resources grow with our beloved community.  
If you are a registered parishioner or school family, you have either received or will soon receive a packet with more detailed information about our Growth in Christ campaign, including the proposed projects in the campaign.  I invite you to take some time to read over the case statement, discuss with your family, and prayerfully ask our Lord how you can contribute to the campaign.  Remember that you can never outdo our Lord Jesus Christ in generosity, who is always so very generous to us!
Thankfully, a parish family has agreed to make a generous gift to help cover our parish’s financial obligation to the archdiocese and to cover our campaign expenses.  That said, every dollar that you give will be dedicated solely to the campaign at St. Therese and its priorities.  I encourage you, if possible, to make a larger contribution of your total pledge early to set the stage for an earlier start to our projects.  
As always, please know of my profound gratitude for all the ways that you bless our beloved parish.   Through the intercession of St. Thérèse, may God bless you, and may the Holy Spirit inspire and guide you as we strive to love Jesus and make Him loved in all we do!