**UPDATE**

January 5, 2012

Last January the Mabee Foundation issued a challenge to the faithful of the Diocese of Wichita. And on Dec. 19 our diocesan family officially met that challenge.

The Tulsa-based foundation had offered a half-million-dollar grant if the diocese could raise the balance needed to renovate St. Joseph Pastoral Center by Dec. 31, and the deadline was met with room to spare.

“So many individuals and groups rose to this challenge,” said Mike Wescott, director of development for the diocese. “The Mabee grant enabled donors to make an even greater impact with their contributions while also helping us provide critical repairs and renovations to the former Cathedral school building that houses many of Catholic Charities’ outreach programs.”

The St. Joseph Pastoral Center renovation was budgeted to cost $3.8 million of the $16 million Cathedral campus renovation, which is part of the diocesan TOGETHER Vision.
The TOGETHER Vision has raised more than $25 million so far toward the renovation of our Cathedral Campus, seminarian education and Catholic formation programs. But the goals of the diocese-wide effort were bigger than any fundraising effort.

“There is no end to the TOGETHER Vision because it is about much more than fundraising,” said Bishop Michael O. Jackels.

The bishop personally challenged our diocesan family to strengthen the unity between parish and diocese and to deepen our practice of stewardship as a way of life in addition to funding true needs in our diocese.

In the coming weeks and months we will continue to find the messages of the TOGETHER Vision in our parishes, in the Catholic Advance and in our diocesan community. And we will continue to find opportunities to embrace the TOGETHER Vision as we gather for worship, learn and teach our faith, and serve others for the glory of God and the benefit of others.

May 11, 2011

One Tulsa-based foundation has issued a challenge to the faithful of the Diocese of Wichita.

The Mabee Foundation has offered a half-million-dollar grant if the diocese can raise the balance needed to renovate St. Joseph Pastoral Center by the end of this year.

St. Joseph Pastoral Center is the former Cathedral school building that serves thousands through the ministries of Catholic Charities, the diocesan office of Hispanic Ministry and the Cathedral Parish.

A renovation of this 90-year-old building is expected to cost $3.8 million of the $16 million Cathedral campus renovation, which is part of the diocesan TOGETHER vision.

And the diocese is already well on its way to meeting the challenge.

“We have received more than $20 million in pledges toward seminarian education, Catholic formation programs and our Cathedral campus renovation. And some of that money was earmarked specifically for St. Joseph Pastoral Center by donors,” said Mike Wescott, director of development for the diocese. “I trust in God that the faithful of the diocese will meet this challenge.”

In order to receive the $500,000 Mabee grant, the diocese will have to show documentation of new pledges supporting St. Joseph Pastoral Center.

If you would like to help meet the Mabee challenge, you can designate all or a portion of your TOGETHER pledge to the Mabee Challenge.

“This challenge grant enables donors to make a greater impact with their gifts,” Wescott said. “Your gift of five dollars or $5,000 could nearly double when it is applied to St. Joseph Pastoral Center because of this Mabee grant.”

A renovation of the former Cathedral High School will repair crumbling infrastructure, address outdated plumbing and wiring, increase energy efficiency and allow universal access to the three-story building for the first time since it was built in 1920.

“If we do not do something now, we risk losing the use of parts of the buildings on the Cathedral campus,” Bishop Jackels has said. “This is our time, our turn to act for the glory of God and the benefit of others in the next 100 years.”