CYNTHIA LALLO

The Road Map and the capital campaign

With Grateful Hearts moves to redemption, disbursement phase

Jan. 31 marked the last day of the active solicitation phase of the wildly successful With Grateful Hearts capital campaign. The campaign has now transitioned into the redemption and disbursement phases. The Diocesan Office of Development and Stewardship has collected generous contributions totaling over $8.6 million. Pilot parishes have received a total of three parish share disbursements. Bloc I parishes received their initial disbursement at the end of January 2010. Bloc II parishes will receive their initial disbursement at the end of July 2010.

In accordance with campaign policy, parish money shares are distributed as follows. Parishes receive 25 percent of collections up to 100 percent of a parish’s original goal. Parishes then receive 50 percent of collections that exceed 100 percent of a parish’s original goal. When collections reach 150 percent of the original goal, the parish share becomes 80 percent for all additional monies collected.

Parish share disbursements take place on a quarterly basis. The next disbursement for the Pilot and Bloc I parishes is scheduled to be paid at the end of April 2010. In the current quarter the Hawaii Catholic Community Foundation (HCCF) will disburse over $238,660, bringing the overall total disbursed to $970,722 for the Pilot and Bloc I parishes. Each parish has allocated its share toward various prioritized projects. Building and renovation, youth ministry, parish schools, and debt reduction are just some of the projects parishes have listed.

The remaining collected monies will be allocated proportionally to the intentions outlined in the campaign case plan: clergy retirement; vocations; leadership development; new parishes and land management; social services; faith formation; tuition assistance; youth and young adult ministry; and cathedral renovation

Money going to the areas listed above must be requested through the Hawaii Catholic Community Foundation grant process. Diocesan department heads will be required to justify the request against the diocesan strategic plan, “Road Map for Pastoral, Program, and Facility Needs 2008-2013.” Bishop Larry Silva or vicar general Father Marc Alexander must approve requests prior to their submission to HCCF.

The responsibility for the redemption of this historically successful $57 million dollar campaign was bestowed on the Diocesan Office of Development and Stewardship. One of the goals of this office is to make the redemption process as easy as possible. The development team is busy auditing each individual parish to ensure the accuracy of pledge amounts, as well as names, addresses, phone numbers and payment schedules. Many donors have already called to clarify their original intent, change their payment method to credit card or electronic funds transfer, or change payment schedules to better meet their individual needs. The Office of Development and Stewardship is happy to receive calls, make changes, or answer any questions that donors may have.

The largest task facing the Office of Development and Stewardship is educating and communicating with 66 parishes, several ethnic communities, and over 14,000 donors about the campaign redemption and disbursement particulars.

The dollars raised through this campaign have enormous impact throughout the Diocese of Honolulu. It is overwhelming to think of all the good work that is and will be done over the next several years as a result of the campaign. The blessing of the campaign is the many generous and faithful donors that will enable the diocese as a whole to respond to the critical needs of our island ohana.

The With Grateful Hearts communication plan includes vicariate meetings, individual face-to-face parish meetings, newsletters, e-news updates, bulletin and pulpit announcements, and a mahalo video and tour, as well as disbursement packages and materials for each parish. The Office of Development and Stewardship has an important and big job; it will take the coordination and collaboration of the diocese and the parishes to meet our goals.

The Office of Development has received and entered into its systems over 50,000 individual gifts from over 14,000 donors. The office is very busy and getting more efficient daily. The original structure had not anticipated such a successful campaign. We have had to increase our capacity through infrastructure expansion in order to meet the need. Our development team is very excited about the overall success of the campaign and the creation of systems that accommodate the campaign and individual parish needs throughout the diocese.

Please feel free to call the development team at (808) 203-6742 or email Gloria Romuar at gromuar@rcchawaii.org, with questions regarding the campaign. We are in the office Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and are closed on major federal, state, and religious holidays.

We can do simple things alone, but great things if we join together our hands and our hearts.