As you know from our recent communications, we have launched our annual Parish Giving Appeal. To be clear, this is not the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal, which pays for the ministries of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. And it is not an appeal for our Preservation & Promise campaign for the preservation of our historic church and the expansion of social ministries in our parish.
Rather, this fundraising appeal is for the day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month operations of St. Ignatius Parish. It supports all our programs, including faith formation and retreats for children and adults and our liturgies with spectacular music that lifts our souls and beautiful environments during Lent and at Christmas and Easter. The Parish Giving Appeal supports our outreach ministries, such as Shelter Meals, and the work of the Solidarity Committee and of the Antiracism Committee, and it provides the opportunities for building community at events such as our Parish Picnic and Pasta and Bingo Night. Also importantly, it pays the salaries and benefits for the highly qualified, professional staff we have, who, with your help, make our parish the exceptional faith community it is.
I think that you agree with me when I say that the voice of St. Ignatius Parish is an important one in the Church today. The results of our parish Synod last year, in which we deeply listened to one another, was largely reflected in the national report that went to Rome. The high caliber series on the Second Vatican Council, which featured nationally and internationally known speakers, offered critical insights into that seismic event in the Church and gave us food for our journey as contemporary Catholics.
We are a parish that speaks the language of God’s mercy quite fluently. We ask ourselves hard questions about race and equity. Different kinds of families and individuals feel they are seen and that they belong and are a part of. We are a faith community where the leadership and responsibility for the mission of our parish is shared between clergy and laity.
All of this and more has come about because of the hard work, generosity, and partnership between you, the parishioners, and the professional parish staff. Actually, it is better said that St. Ignatius Parish is what it is because together we have done our best to respond to God’s love and God’s call to us.
Of course, to be such a parish takes financial resources. Our 2022-2023 annual budget is about $2 million. Two-thirds of the way through the year, we have about $840,000 left to raise, which is about 40%. The primary reason for this is that we delayed the major rollout of the annual Parish Giving Appeal to this winter because of the public phase of the Preservation & Promise campaign last fall. But now we must act. Making our goal by June 30 is absolutely doable with everyone’s participation. I am asking every parish household to make St. Ignatius one of your philanthropic priorities and respond generously to my letter.
In my homily on Ash Wednesday, I said that the journey of Lent is about attending to our relationship with God, remembering that God is close, that God is tender, and that God is merciful. I know that those who come through our church doors leave knowing this truth more deeply because they have experienced it at St. Ignatius Parish. You create that faith community through your prayers, generous participation, and sacrificial giving. Thank you.
For any questions about the Parish Giving Appeal, please contact our Director of Development, Emily McFarland, at [email protected] or 415.422.6503.
On another note, as many of you already know, Fr. Paul began a three-month sabbatical this past week. It is part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of his ordination to priesthood, which you celebrated with him last June. Parishioners generously gave him a train trip, which he will take in Canada sometime before his return. The big adventure will be three weeks in Australia, followed by a 27-day cruise back to California, stopping in Tahiti and Hawaii along the way.
These months are a well-deserved break for Fr. Paul. But he knows that the expectation of both the Provincial of the Jesuits West Province and the Pastor of St. Ignatius Parish is that he will be back to continue his generous and fruitful ministry among us! Buon viaggio, Fr. Paul!
God bless us all as we continue our Lenten journey.