The financial goal for our parish in this archdiocesan-wide Forward with Faith campaign is $590,000 over five years.  Our spiritual, programmatic and structural goals are:

Spiritual Goals: we must increase both the numbers and participation levels of our parishioners. Relatively speaking, St. Catherine of Siena parish is known as a vibrant and growing Catholic community. We need to do more to broaden our reach so that we can stem the tide of people, particularly the 20 and 30 year olds and younger, who are giving up on Church. We must prove to them, in both our language and activities which they understand, the absolute relevance of the Christian faith in our modern world. In order to do this we must meet them where they are—and without judgment and criticism—and then illustrate the love, compassion and truth of Jesus Christ’s life. In order to accomplish that we need to become more prayerful and faithful ourselves—and to make that contagious as well as relevant in their lives. Recent statistics illustrate the urgency of this concern: Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, notes that 50% of Catholics 30 and younger have left the Church; one out of 6 millennials in the US is a former Catholic; and for every one joining, 6.45 are leaving; When are they leaving? Seventynine (79%) percent leave before the age of 23. And the median age of those who leave is 13—and that shows they are leaving with their families. Yet the
Christian Faith, and in particular the Catholic Church, in reality offers the most compelling story of love and inclusion as well as of concern for others that has ever been told to the world—in any time or place. We must, in our time and place, not retreat from this story but tell itwith equal power and hope as it has been told before over the centuries;

Programmatic Goals (How to reach these brothers and sisters?): Kathi Bonner, director of Faith Formation, our parish council and I are developing new programs and methodologies to reach out to these non-practicing Catholics. Reaching the “Nones,” those who profess no religious affiliation as well as the growing numbers of so-called “atheists,” is vital. Recently, Pope Francis noted that consumerism, materialism and the transformation of our modern culture have only strengthened their numbers. What are the concerns of these former Catholics? Some topical discussion areas under consideration include but are not limited
to:

the Church being too overprotective and not connecting with the real world; that faith is considered fearbased, risk-adverse and stifling; the Church seems too shallow, too confident that she has all the answers but does not always practice what it preaches; the Church is antagonistic to science (the relationship between Faith & Reason); the Church’s views on sexuality are too simplistic and judgmental; the Church is exclusive and does not seek common ground; and that the Church is unfriendly to those who doubt. In addition there are areas of concern ranging from family planning and premarital relationships, to rules and regulations of “the law,” forced repentance to receive forgiveness; and that the Church does not listen to me so why should I come to Mass, why should I believe, why should I care.

These questions and concerns are a starting point for open dialogue and for communal action. We must invite them to conversation and learn beyond the myths of Catholicism; then join us in building up the common good. On new methodologies, we cannot just depend on the old practice of opening the church doors and inviting them to come in.

That old version of “grassroots activism” doesn’t work anymore. We need to go where they gather, meet them on their turf and have an open dialogue. While some meetings will take place here at St. Catherine of Siena, others will be off site at “friendlier” locations. We will employ programs such as Theology on Tap, Recklessly Alive and others as we use social media including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more to reach out and “go to them” engaging them in conversation. It has to be a new beginning—far too much is at stake; and,

Structural Goals: Once they join us we need space. This phase of our overall Forward with Faith Campaign is to repurpose the unused/wasted space in our current facilities. With all that is taking place in the pastoral planning of our archdiocese (linking and closing of parishes)  it seems only wise to retain our current footprint—and all its known expenses—and repurpose current space that now sits unused or poorly used. We are in need of more and better  coordinated office and meeting space to meet the needs of a vibrant parish with many ministries and opportunities in which to live-out our Catholic faith based on the Beatitudes (corporal and spiritual works of mercy). We are working with professionals to improve the use of the vestibule and sacristy, meditation room, the library and Faith Formation, Youth Ministry and Music offices and even Russell Hall. Once this review is complete and a decision is made, we can make better use of the room we have to best meet the needs of our growing parish.

Much thought and prayer has gone into our capital campaign and the Forward with Faith
outreach—to raise the appropriate amount of money and dove-tail it with the best outcome for spiritual grow, outreach to those who are disenfranchised from the practice of their faith, complete with the best use of the facilities. It is my prayerful hope that you too, members of this Catholic faith community, will join us in making St. Catherine of Siena Parish a place that speaks the Truth of Jesus Christ to everyone, inviting all into dialogue about our salvation, and then offering the necessary and appropriate outlets to make our faith applicable in both our lives and in the lives of many others. Onward for the greater glory of God. Peace!