The Diocese of Brooklyn, in conjunction with the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens, has announced Generations of Faith, an $80 million capital campaign “to strengthen the heart of our Diocese, fulfill the promise to those who have faithfully served us, and foster the formation of future generations of Catholics.”
$40 million – half of the goal – will go directly back into parishes; $30 million will support senior priests; and $10 million will enrich Youth Evangelization programs.
The Campaign was scheduled to be announced in parishes in Brooklyn and Queens this weekend.
Generations of Faith began with 23 pilot parishes in January and has brought in $25 million from over 2,800 gifts in just four months.
“The early success we have experienced in the Generations of Faith pilot parishes is a true sign of our parishioners’ commitment to their communities, their faith and the continued mission of the Church in Brooklyn and Queens,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio.
“The pastors of these parishes have my immense admiration and gratitude. Their spirited response and leadership have allowed us to surpass our goals, while setting an incredible example for the remaining parishes. The heart of our Diocese is our people.
“From our youth, to our life-long parishioners and our new parishioners, to our religious and to our clergy, we are deeply blessed to have you as part of this campaign. Each of you ensures the vital presence of our communities of faith for generations to come.”
The campaign is under the direction of Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, the Diocesan Vicar for Development.
“We have been blessed with an extraordinary outpouring of love and support from the people of Brooklyn and Queens coming together both in and out of the pews to celebrate and further the work of our Church,” Msgr. Gigantiello said. “The mission of this campaign, in supporting our youth, our priests and our parishes, is what has elicited such an incredible response from our pastors and our lay people.”
Father Michael Gelfant, pastor at St. Finbar, Bath Beach, was proud to announce that his parish also has surpassed its goal of $455,000. He credited his parishioners with St. Finbar’s success.
“The driver of this campaign is our people,” said Father Gelfant. “Five years ago, St. Finbar was at risk of closing; today, we’re thriving. We’ve been able to rebuild the community, making it a parish community once again.”
In Queens, Our Lady of Light parish in St. Albans surpassed its goal by 129 percent, and Father William Smith, pastor, is pressing forward with a significantly higher goal to handle aesthetic issues and create a garden in memory of a recently deceased pastor. Father Smith attributes the Youth Evangelization component and emerging lay leadership at his parish to parishioners’ motivation to give, realizing that most of the money raised will come directly back to Our Lady of Light.
“We found some real strength in the parish that I didn’t know was there,” said Father Smith. “We found leaders just by asking, and a real energy that will last long after the campaign is over. The churches themselves will be absolutely watertight because of this, and the people of the parishes can build for years to come.”
For more information about Generations of Faith, please call 718-965-7375 ext. 2210 or email campaign@cfbq.org.