By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 6/12/03)

With the diocesan Capital Campaign approaching the end of the active campaign, Bob Mueller, diocesan director of Stewardship and Development, said that for many parishes, "the end is in sight and they are working hard to reach their goal."

Since the "Rooted in Faith — Forward in Hope" Campaign began a year ago, almost $40 million has been pledged for parish needs.

St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Clifton was near to meeting its goal as of June 5. Father Jerome Fasano, pastor, was confident the parish will meet and exceed its goal by the end of the weekend. The parish had raised over $1.6 million by June 5, 95 percent of their goal. Father Fasano said, "They came through here as they have come through for everything else. This parish is just extremely generous."

With the money allotted to the parish from the campaign, Father Fasano hopes the parish will be able to make repairs to the church parking lot, place new carpet in the church and refurbish the church hall.

Similar to the campaign at St. Andrew Parish, Mueller described the campaign at St. Philip Parish in Falls Church as "slow and steady." The parish exceeded its goal in May and the parishioners have continued to give pledges. They have raised over $1 million. Father Kevin Walsh, pastor, said the campaign has been a success at the parish because of "excellent volunteers who’ve been pouring their hearts and souls into it." Father Walsh said the parish will begin looking at plans in the fall for church renovations. Masses at St. Philip are held in what was originally intended to be a gymnasium.

Each parish participating in a standard campaign receives 20 percent of the funds raised toward its goal. The parish will then receive 50 percent of any money raised beyond its goal.

Several parishes are participating in combined campaigns because of an extraordinary need in the parish. These parishes have created their own goals in order to help raise more money for their own needs while still helping the diocese.

St. William of York Parish in Stafford is included in this group, recently having completed an addition to the school. The money the parish raises through the Capital Campaign will help alleviate the debt placed on the parish by the building project.

The added classrooms and gymnasium have been used by many groups in the parish and Father Michael Duesterhaus, administrator, said the entire parish is benefiting from the project. "In general, it’s a generous parish," Father Duesterhaus said. "Everyone is pitching in and that’s why it’s bearing good fruit." The parish has exceeded its goal by over $200,000 and it is still collecting pledges.

Seven parishes and missions in Bloc II have already exceeded their goals. Along with St. Philip and St. William of York parishes, Our Lady of the Shenandoah Mission in Basye, St. Theresa Parish in Ashburn, St. Isidore the Farmer Parish in Orange, Our Lady of Hope in Potomac Falls and St. Peter Mission in Washington have also exceeded their goals.

With only 32 pledges, Our Lady of the Shenandoah has raised almost 250 percent of its goal.

St. Theresa Parish in Ashburn is conducting a combined campaign to build a church. It has received the largest number of gifts among Bloc II parishes, 929, and has raised nearly $5 million in pledges, 185 percent of its goal.

"It is great to see parishes have done so well and have been successful," said Mueller. "It will be exciting to see what will happen in the coming weeks. We are very hopeful that we can surpass the $60 million goal."

As of May 30, the diocese is only $4 million away from raising its minimum goal, $60 million, needed to fund all of its objectives. Pledges paid over the next several years will help fund two new Catholic high schools, a tuition assistance endowment, faculty development endowment, religious education and youth ministry endowment, priests’ retirement home, diocesan spirituality center, Catholic Charities endowment, homeless shelter and Christ House renovations.

The objectives the diocese and parishes are seeking to fund are the results of a study process that began over three years ago.

Although pledges will still be accepted after the end of the campaign, the official parish phase will end June 30.