Reclaiming Christ's Mission Together

Reclaiming Christ’s Mission Together Campaign Update

As of September 13, 2015

Our parish has pledged $334,673.00 to date.  Thank you very much to all who have made a pledge and/or contribution, and to all who have helped to organize this campaign.  We are just over 38% of our parish 4-year goal of $908,615.00.  We are off to a good start, being only 4 months into this campaign.  We will maintain a weekly report of our progress, which you will find under our Faithful Stewardship column where we report the results of our weekly collection.  In order to give perspective to what may appear to be a daunting goal, please consider the following breakdown:

Our parish has 4058 active registered families.  Our parish goal is $908,615.00

$5.00 per month per family for 4 years = $973,920.00 (surpassing our goal by over $65,000.00)

To date, 136 families have made a pledge/contribution bringing us to $353,132.00

1 family pledged $50,000, 1 family pledged $36,000, 2 families pledged $24,000, 5 families pledged $6000-12,000, 32 families pledged $2,500-5,000, 18 families pledged $1,000-2,400, 20 families pledged $500-900, 57 families pledged $100-400.  These 136 families (3% of our registered families) have pledged/contributed over 38% of our goal.

25% of all donations to this campaign, up to our parish goal, will come back to our parish for improvements, such as handicap accessible doors to the main entrances of our church building, as well as handicap accessible ramps and bathrooms, new furnaces and air conditioning; an adoration chapel, additional parking, a larger parish hall, etc.  50% of all donations exceeding our parish goal will go to our parish.

No contribution/pledge is too small.  The pledge envelopes offer suggested contributions from $3000 to $50,000, but a pledge of $5 per month for four years or a one-time contribution of $240 from each family will put us well over our goal, allowing us to do our part for the diocese of Oakland and many good things for ourselves.  To those who are able to donate more, please remember that our campaign is based on every family making an equal sacrifice, not an equal gift.  St. Paul writes in his second letter to the Corinthians: “For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.  Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality.  As it is written: ‘Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less’” (2 Cor. 8:9,13-15).

Thank you for your prayerful consideration, and thank you to the 136 families who are so generously leading us in this campaign.  May God reward you.

Fr John Direen

To participate in this campaign please click on the following link and remember to list St. Joseph Church in Pinole as your Parish:

http://www.reclaimtogether.org/home