English Brochure - St. Ignatius Church

Saint Ignatius Parish,
Chicago, Illinois
Celebrating our Faith
Saint Ignatius Parish
Building our Future
A Message from the Pastor
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Ignatius,
I have the pleasure of announcing the Celebrating our Faith,
Building Our Future campaign. This decision flows from
your thoughtful input and prayerful consideration. Through
this parish-wide campaign that seeks to raise $500,000, our
parish will have the opportunity to address some of the most
important concerns facing our future.
The focus of the Celebrating Our Faith… campaign is twofold: address the needs of our beautiful and historic church
and enhance the ministerial presence of St. Ignatius Parish.
First, we will undertake the first major tuck-pointing project
in the church’s 95-year history. Next, we will address the
chipping walls in the church’s interior. Lastly, but perhaps most
importantly, this campaign will provide the financial resources
necessary to reinvigorate and expand upon our parish’s existing
ministerial outreach.
In recent years, we the current members of the St. Ignatius
community have renewed the efforts of earlier generations in
making sacrifices in order to fulfill the promise of our parish.
We have built upon this generosity. This campaign is an
opportunity to enhance our stewardship of our parish ministries
and facilities.
The following pages outline the details of the campaign plan.
I’d ask that you read through this brochure and prayerfully
consider making a pledge to the best of your ability. I am
confident that, together as a parish community, we can meet
this challenge and complete the good work that God has
entrusted to us.
Gratefully in Christ,
Reverend Joseph M. Jackson, Ph.D.
The Challenge
Celebrating our Faith, Building our Future is a challenge to
each of us to participate actively in continuing St. Ignatius’s
tradition – honoring our past, celebrating the present, and
preparing our parish’s most important assets for future
generations.
The “heart” and “soul” of St. Ignatius are, respectively, our
shared Sunday celebration of the Eucharist and the ministerial
work that we undertake in response to our Gospel mission
to serve Christ through serving others. In this sense, the
Celebrating our Faith… campaign is concerned directly with
our parish’s highest priorities.
Tuck-pointing and refurbishment of the church’s interior
walls will guarantee that our church, one of the most beautiful
and historic in the Archdiocese, is a source of parish pride
for years to come. By investing in our ministries, we can
build upon the foundation that has been established by the
great work of Ignatian Services and the Religious Education
program, among others, to ensure that we are able to meet
the ever-changing needs of those who rely on St. Ignatius for
emotional, spiritual, and physical support.
How Can You Help
Over the course of its long and storied tradition, St. Ignatius has
been characterized by the faith, commitment, and generosity of
its parishioners. Without the sacrifices of those that have come
before us, St. Ignatius could not be the Rogers Park institution
that it is today, serving the spiritual and physical needs of
parishioners and non-parishioners alike. Now, it is our turn. If
each of us does our share, with consideration for the blessings
God has bestowed upon us, we will raise the funds necessary
to complete the renovations of our beloved church and invest
meaningfully in advancing and improving our parish ministries.
Celebrating our Faith
Ministerial Enhancement
St. Ignatius enjoys the fruits of many wonderful parish
ministries that serve a diverse collection of parishioners and
non-parishioners alike. A successful campaign will mean
increased budgets for some of our current ministries and the
promise of additional ministries with increased opportunities
for parishioner participation.
Welcoming Minister/Volunteer Coordinator – Oneyear stipend and budget for a part-time Welcoming Minister
who will be asked to engage and help acclimate newly arriving
parish families and promote greater active participation
amongst current parishioners in the life of St. Ignatius Parish.
Religious Education and Young Adult Ministries –
Partial funding for the salary of Fr. Kinoti Kithuri, whose
responsibilities have recently expanded to include coordination
of the Religious Education, young adult, and YIAM ministries.
Ignatian Services – Provide an annual budget lift for the
next three years, allowing Ignatian Services to institute a
nutrition education program for families who frequent the
food pantry.
Music Ministry – Provide a new piano for the church, as
well as additional funds for such activities as sponsoring guest
musicians and choirs, promoting parish concerts, and updating
parish missals.
Ministerial Allocation: $50,000
Church Tuck-pointing
“Tuck-pointing” is the process of repairing or replacing
the mortar that is used as an adhesive and sealant in brick
and stone structures. Periodic tuck-pointing is essential to
maintaining the structural viability of any stone or brick
building. While the average lifespan of most tuck-pointing
procedures ranges from 30-50 years, this undertaking will
be the first of its kind in the 95-year history of St. Ignatius
If We Exceed Our Goal, We Can Do Even More…
New Priests’ and Deacons’ Vestments ($5,000) – Many
current vestments are worn and outdated.
Railing for Rectory Steps ($1,500) – This installation will
provide greater accessibility and safety to rectory facilities.
“St. Ignatius is our home away
from home. It’s where we feel
comfortable. Our children have
grown up here both physically
and spiritually, from baptism to
marriage. This parish means the
world to our family.”
- Jim and Sue Pazik
Parishioners since 1977
New Sign for Rectory Lawn ($3,000) – Current sign is
badly outdated. A new sign could help significantly with our
outreach efforts.
Update of Meeting Space Restrooms ($10,000) – Current
facilities are inadequate and not handicap accessible.
Building our Future
Church. This project will ensure that wind, moisture, and
other elements cannot penetrate the church’s stone walls, which
could otherwise lead to more serious and costly future damages.
Tuck-pointing Allocation: $225,000
Repair of Church’s Interior
Walls/Areas around Stained
Glass Windows
As most parishioners and visitors to our church can visibly
recognize, sections of the church’s interior walls are chipping,
exposing segments of white plaster. This “chipping” is caused
by an error at the time of the church’s construction that
resulted in too much sand being mixed into the plaster used to
construct the walls. Fresco Art, the same group that assisted us
in the successful refurbishment of the chapel in 2001 and the
church’s ceiling in 2003, will be contracted to help re-beautify
the walls and correct the plaster imbalance that led to the
Restore Historic Paintings (grant dependent) – Charles
Bosseron Chambers is the renowned artist of the two beautiful,
historically significant paintings at each side of the altar. Both
the Jesus, Light of the World and Our Lady of the Cloth paintings
are in need of regularly scheduled restoration.
problem in the first place. This will ensure that the church’s
interior remains one of the most beautiful and sought after
sacred spaces in Chicago.
Church Interior Allocation: $150,000
Patriotic Window
The Patriotic Window is one of our church’s most beautiful
and valuable treasures. This past summer, the condition of
the window became dire and required immediate attention.
While it would have been preferable to postpone refurbishment
until capital campaign funds became available, our savings
allowed us to complete work on the Patriotic Window without
assuming any parish debt. Now, in order to ensure that the
parish is properly positioned to absorb any future challenges,
we must look to replace a significant portion of the parish
savings that was depleted to cover the Window’s repair costs.
Window Allocation: $75,000
Continue Organ Restoration Effort – Significant
work has already been completed, leading to a significant
improvement in the organ’s quality, however some work
remains.
St. Ignatius enjoys the fruits of
many wonderful parish ministries
that serve a diverse collection of
parishioners and non-parishioners
alike. A successful campaign will
mean increased budgets for some
of our current ministries and the
promise of additional ministries
with increased opportunities for
parishioner participation.
Celebrating our Faith
Please Keep in Mind
This capital campaign is based on equal sacrifice, not equal giving. Our Parish needs every family to participate with this sentiment
in mind. Since everyone’s financial obligations are different, only you and your family can decide an appropriate contribution.
Whatever you give will be held in the strictest confidence. All contributions, from the smallest to the largest, will be greatly
appreciated. All we ask is that you make your decision in a spirit of committed Christian stewardship.
An Appeal for Special Generosity
Whatever you decide to contribute should be related to how you live and to the blessings God has bestowed upon you. If you
are financially able to pledge $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 or more, we ask you to be a leader in our campaign with these more
substantial gifts.
Tax Advantages of Thoughtful Giving
Federal and state laws on income and inheritance taxes encourage charitable giving. All annual contributions to our campaign are
tax deductible for those who itemize their deductions. You may wish to consider:
• Transfer of appreciated stocks, real property or other valuables. This allows you to take as a deduction the fair market value of
the securities while avoiding capital gains taxes.
• Transfer a portion of your IRA, especially if you are over 70-1/2 years of age and are required to make a minimum
withdrawal. Taxes are not applied to your gifts.
• Discuss your contribution with your financial advisor to discover other ways to maximize your giving.
“Everyone must give according to
what he has inwardly decided; not
grudgingly, for God loves a cheerful
giver. God can multiply his favors
among you so that you will always
have enough of everything and
even a surplus for good works.”
- St. Paul (2 Cor 9:7-8)
Building our Future
What You Are Being Asked to Do:
1
Read over the information contained in this brochure
and prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift to the best of
your ability. We are asking you to consider a pledge
of $3,000 to the Celebrating our Faith, Building Our
Future campaign. This pledge could be paid with a 10%
down payment and monthly installments of $75 over
three years. If your situation permits a more substantial
pledge, your extra generosity will be most appreciated.
If your situation warrants a lesser amount, we ask that
you respond as generously as possible. Remember, not
everyone can give at the same level. However, everyone
can make the same sacrifice.
2
Complete the enclosed pledge card. State the total
amount of your pledge, enclose your down payment
check, and select the payment plan you prefer for the
remainder of your pledge.
Payment reminders will be mailed to you, based on
the schedule you select on your pledge card: monthly,
quarterly, annually or however you stipulate.
3
Please mail your completed pledge envelope to the
parish or drop it in the Sunday collection. We are asking
all parishioners to make their pledge within two weeks
of receiving this brochure. This will give our campaign
the needed momentum for success.
Total Pledge
10%
Down Payment
36 Monthly
Payments
Daily Sacrifice
(3 years)
$75,000
$7,500
$1,875
$68.49
$50,000
$5,000
$1,250
$45.66
$25,000
$2,500
$625
$22.83
$15,000
$1,500
$375
$13.70
$10,000
$1,000
$250
$9.13
$7,500
$750
$188
$6.85
$5,000
$500
$125
$4.57
$4,000
$400
$100
$3.65
$3,000
$300
$75
$2.74
$2,000
$200
$50
$1.83
$1,000
$100
$25
$.91
As you make your pledge, please remember…
• Payments would best be made over a period of 36 months (3 years).
• Pledge payments are in addition to your regular offertory contribution. The Sunday offertory collection pays for the dayto-day operations of the Parish, while your pledge in this campaign will be used specifically for the designated campaign
projects.
• Payment reminders and a special payment envelope will be mailed to you in accordance with the payment plan you’ve
specified. Pledges are not legally binding, but rather are an indication of your intention.
• Payments toward your pledge are deductible for tax purposes.
• Please make your checks payable to “St. Ignatius Parish,” notating that it is for the Capital Campaign.
How You Can Give
Gifts and Pledge Payments can be made via:
• Check
• Credit card or Direct Deposit (visit www.stignatiuschurch.org for more details)
• Stock donations, IRA distributions, real property, or other valuables (contact the parish at 773-764-5936 for more details)
Dear God, we give thanks for the
many blessings you have granted us
throughout the years and the many
people, both past and present, whose
lives have enriched St. Ignatius Parish.
Lord, we ask that You give us generous
hearts and a willing spirit to energize
our ministries and continue the repair
and restoration of our church in the
spirit of those who have gone before us.
May we never forget that You, our
Lord Jesus, remain the foundation of
all that we have and all that we are!
We make this prayer in Your name,
Jesus Christ yesterday, today and
forever our Lord and Savior.
6559 N. Glenwood Avenue
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 764-5936
www.stignatiuschurch.org