Parish projects bring Fully Alive! Campaign to life across diocese

Across the diocese, something powerful is happening. In small towns and growing suburbs, in aging parishes and vibrant schools, families are coming together to invest in the future of our faith community. Through the Individual Parish Needs priority of our ongoing diocesan campaign, One Family, Fully Alive in Christ!, parishes are not only supporting each other through the broader diocesan priorities – they’re also seeing an impact in their own backyards. 

 Thanks to the generosity of Fully Alive! Campaign donors, a growing mark that has now eclipsed more than 7,500 households, parishes are seeing real and lasting change. At St. Francis in St. Paul, home to the diocese’s oldest church building, parishioners plan to use their campaign funds on much-needed repairs – ensuring their church remains a safe, beautiful space. Their spirit of generosity has extended beyond their own needs. As one volunteer reflected, “It brings me to thinking, as the bishop said, ‘We are a family, and family supports one another.’” 

 In rural areas, the campaign has sparked a wave of positive energy and pride. “We are thrilled our little aging parish is ‘Fully Alive’ and showing them how it’s done.” said Rusty and Cindy Lero, campaign volunteers at St. Ambrose in Erie. Their community has not only surpassed its goal – unlocking 80% of additional gifts for local use – but is putting those funds toward a more accessible and prayerful space for the sacrament of reconciliation. 

That same spirit is inspiring many across the diocese: 

• Holy Family (Marion) will replace deteriorating church steps, offering safer access for parishioners and pilgrims visiting the home parish of Venerable Emil Kapaun. 

• Holy Name (Coffeyville) and Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Wichita) will transform existing buildings into new adoration chapels. 

• St. Patrick (Chanute) will move forward with plans for a parish center and chapel – dreams that were previously out of reach. 

• St. Joseph (Andale) and Mother of God (Oswego) will invest in expanding youth programs. 

• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Wichita) and the Church of the Holy Spirit (Goddard) will use their share of funds to further bolster their newly established school teacher salary enhancement endowments. St. Margaret Mary (Wichita) will use funds to boost teacher pay until its new endowment matures. 

• Sacred Heart (Halstead), St. Patrick (Wichita), and St. Joseph (McPherson) will address needs like roof repairs, campus security, new windows, and chapel updates. 

“The bold response we have seen so far in support of this campaign shows that the Church is alive in every parish throughout our entire diocese,” said Fr. Bernie Gorges, pastor at St. Joseph, Ost. “We’re going to start seeing visible signs of life – improved campuses, more active ministries, and joyful communities coming together. People will notice. They’ll drive past these churches and see repairs being made, chapels being added, youth programs growing. In a culture that often suggests the Church is fading, these improvements are a clear sign that our parishes are alive and thriving.” 

Momentum that lasts
The first round of Individual Parish Needs funding has been sent to Wave One parishes. But the campaign’s  impact is extending further. One of the more promising signs? Increased stewardship of treasure. 

Some may have feared a capital campaign might reduce ongoing parish support. Instead, the opposite is happening. Among parishes that completed their campaign wave in 2024, annual ordinary giving has increased by an average of 5% compared with previous years. 

From the beginning, Bishop Kemme has been clear that this campaign mustn’t subtract vital support on which parishes rely. He understands that this is a call for extraordinary giving and personally asked campaign volunteers to help communicate that this invitation is not about replacing or redirecting existing support, but about building on it. The result? A beautiful testament to the generosity and faith of families throughout the diocese. 

This campaign is not only about buildings or budgets. It’s about bringing our faith to life and answering the call to live as missionary disciples – in worship, service, and community. Every repaired step, new chapel or ministry signals that we truly are One Family, Fully Alive in Christ! 

To learn more or make a gift, visit OneFamilyFullyAlive.org.