My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
In 1996, the Alive in Hope Campaign was established under the direction of then-Bishop Thomas V. Daily to provide for the needs of the Diocese of Brooklyn. The original goal of the capital and endowment campaign was $50 million. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the people of Brooklyn and Queens, the campaign raised $78 million to assist parishes and create endowments which could help support the needs of the Diocese in the future.
In 1998, $33 million of the money raised was used to create the Alive in Hope Foundation. This initial investment went to establish eight core Endowment Funds. Since their establishment, the eight endowments have been a permanent funding source for the ministries of the Church in our communities in the eight key areas of: Migration, Vocations, Senior Citizens, Education, Evangelization, Continuing Education of Priests, Lay Leadership and the Care of our Elderly Priests. In addition to the eight core endowments, over 80 other endowments have been added by individuals, just like you, who wished to leave a lasting gift to their Church or a particular ministry to continue the work of Christ among us.
For the past year, the Board of Directors of the Alive in Hope Foundation and I believed it was time to re-evaluate the work of the Foundation, in order to provide for the future needs of the Diocese of Brooklyn. As we live in an ever-changing city, we must be conscious of the changes in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. So must the diocese as it stays relevant and prepared for what lays ahead. Going forward, the Foundation’s strategic plan is to significantly increase the resources available to help fund our essential diocesan ministries. We are also placing a renewed emphasis on two of the most pressing needs facing the Diocese today: Youth Evangelization and Migration Services.
In addition to this new strategic plan and focus, we have a new name for the Alive In Hope Foundation. In order to more clearly reflect its Catholic identity and continuing role in helping our diocesan ministries, the Foundation will now be called The Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens.
A recent in-pew survey reported that 78% of Catholics who leave the Church do so between the ages of 15 and 23. The Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens will seek to enhance the present and future mission of the Catholic Church by reaching out to the multi-cultural youth of our Diocese through effective and comprehensive youth ministry. Our goal is to provide each parish with the resources, training and funding to engage our young people and help encourage them to consider becoming active, practicing Catholics who will one day lead and serve our beloved Church in the future. By pledging financial support in favor of youth evangelization, donors can help secure the future of the Catholic Church in Brooklyn and Queens one pew at a time.
Through our funding of Catholic Migration Services, the Catholic Foundation of Brooklyn and Queens is committed to empowering underserved immigrant communities who are writing the next chapter in the history of our communities here in Brooklyn and Queens. The funding provided by the Catholic Foundation for Immigration Services provides comprehensive pastoral, educational, advocacy and legal services to advance equality and social justice in a changing and diverse population. Brooklyn and Queens together account for over two-thirds of our city’s immigrant population. With offices in both Brooklyn and Queens, Catholic Migration Services is strategically located to assist those who need our assistance most, while promoting lay leadership in the Church and sponsoring most of the multilingual Masses in the Diocese.
As in years past, I know that our donors’ giving spirit will continue to provide inspiration and motivation to dozens of desperately needed initiatives that keep parishes ready to encourage our faithful; our schools ready to nurture and prepare students; and our social service programs ready to serve those in need.
The Catholic Foundation of Brooklyn and Queens is committed to doing all this with prudent investment strategies that our trustees believe will lead to the optimal use of your funds in our diocesan community. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity and as such offers maximum tax benefits afforded under IRS regulations. A gift to the Catholic Foundation of Brooklyn and Queens will join with the giving of the generations before you and will serve as a legacy to the next generation of Catholics. In giving, you contribute not only to any number of good works, but also to the building of an essential philanthropic resource for our diocesan community.
With your help, the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens will continue to help the Diocese of Brooklyn put out into the deep by investing in faith, serving her people and providing for the future. I know that I can count on you to help us achieve the success we all desire for the Catholic Church in Brooklyn and Queens. The future of the Catholic Church depends upon the generosity of the parishioners of today.
