Over the last several years, one of the largest efforts in the history of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has been underway to listen and give voice to the faithful, said Jean Houghton, director of the Office of Mission Advancement.
In one lane of the two-lane effort, the Archdiocesan Synod has created a space for Church leaders to connect with parishioners about the pastoral needs of the local Church, helping inform a vision for the future. In the other lane, Houghton said, her office began an effort this fall to ensure the Church has the financial resources to grow into that vision.
It has been nearly 20 years since the archdiocese held a major fundraising campaign, but that could change, Houghton said. Her office is studying the feasibility of a $325 million capital campaign to support the archdiocese’s 185 parishes, Catholic education, efforts to bolster multicultural ministries, care for priests, seminarians and to help preserve the landmarks Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.
The Synod — which included preparatory prayer and listening sessions held across the archdiocese, the Synod Assembly in June 2022 and Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s post-synodal letter released in November 2022, “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent from the Upper Room” — was a major influence in deciding a campaign feasibility study was needed, Houghton said.
“Performing a feasibility study does not guarantee a larger scale campaign will begin,” said Houghton, a former president of St. Paul-based Aim Higher Foundation, which grants need-based scholarships to families with students in Catholic elementary schools. “In fact, we have seen feasibility studies both in this archdiocese and across the country where the conclusion was, ‘Not yet, you need to work on these several things.’ So, it’s an opportunity for us to have a conversation with a bird’s-eye view. What could this look like? What should it look like?”
After assembling a selection committee of laity, clergy and internal leadership, a Chicago-based consulting and campaign firm for nonprofits, CCS Fundraising, was chosen to conduct the study. The firm’s familiarity with the archdiocese, combined with its extensive experience and success across the country, was a determining factor in its being selected, Houghton said. She also relied on insight from the archdiocese’s Roadmap for Catholic Education, and from dioceses across the country that have held recent capital campaigns, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin.
In an August letter to priests, Archbishop Hebda said if a campaign is conducted, he hopes it “will significantly reduce the financial challenges that are faced by you in your parishes and ministries, while still providing a significant amount of funding for Archdiocesan needs.”
With that in mind, the feasibility study is gauging stakeholders on an archdiocesan wide campaign that would have 60% of what is raised go directly to parishes. Archdiocesan ministries and initiatives would also receive funding.
“It’s clear the priorities of the Synod need a certain level of investment to be fully realized and bear fruit,” Houghton said. “Those priorities are forming parishes that are in the service of evangelization, forming missionary disciples who know Jesus’ love and respond to his call, and forming youth and young adults for a Church that is always young.
“For example, one of the things we know is we want to encourage more youth to participate in the Church and be exposed to faith, truth and beauty,” she said. “We need resources to do that. How do we create that message? How do we create activities, events and support networks for those who may be experiencing a longing they didn’t know they have?”
People in Catholic ministries, clergy, religious and laity in parishes and schools are being interviewed as part of the study, either in person or via Zoom. A confidential electronic survey is also being issued to over 60,000 people, Houghton said. Findings of the study are expected sometime in the first quarter of 2024.
A capital campaign has importance even beyond fundraising. “It’s raising community, it’s raising volunteers, it’s raising awareness, and it’s helping ensure a vibrant future of the Church,” Houghton said.
Houghton joined the archdiocese in September 2022. Part of listening and learning in her first year on the job has been understanding the Archdiocesan Catholic Center, its ministries and needs, she said. Another has been learning from external constituents and supporters, such as the Catholic Community Foundation, Twin Cities-based GHR Foundation, Catholic Charities, Net Ministries and more.
Looking at ways to coordinate efforts to bring Christ’s teaching and love into people’s lives while finding the resources to keep ministries active is one effort that will remain no matter what a feasibility study might conclude, Houghton said.
“How can we hold hands and tell a larger-scale story?” Houghton said. “One body, one Church, one message. That’s my hope.”
ADVANCING THE MISSION
The Catholic Services Appeal Foundation created in 2013 has been completing its latest campaign while turning the annual appeal over to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis effective Jan. 1.
People won’t see much difference in outreach, said Jean Houghton, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Mission Advancement. The appeal supports 19 key ministries in the archdiocese, including hospital ministry, campus ministry and prison ministry. It supports seminarians, Catholic education, Latino and Native American Catholics and promotes marriage and families.
Houghton also has reconvened a seven-member Archdiocesan Stewardship Committee of experts who are available to assist parishes in encouraging people to devote their time, talent and treasure to the Church. A parish stewardship toolkit is also available, with a set of teaching principles and tools. Learn more at archspm.org/stewardship or email stewardship@archspm.org.
