Fully Alive! Campaign update Sept. 6, 2024: Bishop’s message of gratitude
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am writing to share some good news. We recently concluded the first parish wave of the One Family, Fully Alive in Christ! Campaign, and the response has been extraordinary. To date, the campaign has raised more than $21 million in total gifts and pledges. I am humbled and inspired by the generosity of the pastors, volunteers, and parishioners in our Wave One parishes. Their leadership and support have helped us reach this milestone and will impact the lives of those we serve for many years to come.
On page two of the Sept. 6, 2024, Catholic Advance, you will see a brief Campaign Update highlighting some of the successes from this first wave of parish appeals. In a special way, we would like to recognize the five parishes that exceeded their aspirational financial goals and the five that achieved especially high levels of participation. Also included in this update are brief descriptions of several of the parish projects that will be funded through the Individual Parish Needs portion of the campaign. It’s exciting to think of all the good work that will take place across our diocese because of the generosity of so many in our Catholic community.
While the fundraising progress is remarkable, what is even more inspiring are the many stories of prayer, generosity, and selfless service that have come about because of this campaign. To those of you in our Wave One parishes who have made calls, visited with fellow parishioners, helped with events, or worked behind the scenes to support your pastors, thank you. We could not do it without you!
Our diocesan team is now busy working with pastors, staff, and volunteers in 31 Wave Two parishes to prepare them for campaign kickoff later this fall. We will keep you updated on progress as we move into the second and third waves of parish appeals. In the meantime, please join me in praying for the success of this campaign and the many people whose lives will be impacted by our efforts to build up the Church in our region. You are in my daily prayers. I remain,
Humbly yours in Christ,
The Most Rev. Carl A. Kemme, D.D.
Bishop of Wichita