Campaign Letter to the Parishes

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October 12, 2016

GOOD SHEPHERD’S CAMPAIGN 2016

Special Collection In Support of Our Seminarians

CAMPAIGN LOGISTICS

 

Dear Reverend, Parish Life Director, Admin Board Chair and/or Parish Secretary,

The 2016 Good Shepherd Campaign in support of the seminarian education and internship program will be launched on Sunday, October 16, 2016. Initiated by the Archbishop of Saint-Boniface, the goal of the campaign is to provide the funds to fully support our seminarian program. There will be a special collection on November 13th, 2016.

We are fortunate to have 8 men studying in preparation for the priesthood at the present time. Normally we have 1 or 2 but in the last few years we have been blessed with a significant increase in vocations to the priesthood. The annual archdiocesan budget has always included funds for seminarian support. However, our current revenues certainly do not allow us to support 8 seminarians at an average cost of $31,200 per seminarian per year. Also Fr. Kevin Bettens, the Diocesan Vocation Director, has informed us that there is currently a further 13 other young men who are enquiring about this vocation. Our campaign objective is to raise $250,000 to support seminarians.

This annual appeal will help us meet the shortfall and ensure financial stability for the seminarian program in the years to come. As with the Development and Peace collection, please submit with your November remittance the total funds collected for this year’s Good Shepherd Campaign from parishioners to the diocese and include the donor names, addresses and amounts donated so we can thank the donors for supporting this initiative. We will be providing special collection envelopes to all parishes. For donors wishing to donate using a credit card, the donation can be made directly through the diocesan website by clicking on the Good Sheppard icon and clicking on the ‘donate now’ button which will transfer them to Canada Helps for the processing of the transaction for the donation.

To assist us in this endeavour, we are sending you the necessary tools to promote this important campaign in your parish. The following is a list of communication materials for the promotion of the Good Shepherd Campaign in your parish:

  • Parish Bulletin Announcements (a short message to be printed in the parish bulletin on every Sunday of the campaign. This includes Sunday, October 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13, and 20th).
  • Posters: “Meet our Seminarians” to be placed in prominent places in the church (available October 30th).
  • Parish Bulletin Inserts, printed and delivered to parish in time for the weekends of:

    • October 30th   – Meet Our Seminarians

    • November 6th – Good Shepherd campaign brochure 

  • The Good Shepherd Campaign donation envelopes: Envelopes will be printed by the Archdiocese and delivered to the parishes before November 5, 2016.

Information regarding the Good Shepherd Campaign for seminarian support will also be available on our website at www.archsaintboniface.ca.

In summary, the following are important dates and key strategies for the Good Shepherd Campaign:

  • Sundays October 16, 23rd, & 30th, November 6th and 23rd, 2016: Parish bulletin will contain a unique message regarding the campaign. These will be provided electronically during the week prior to each weekend or in a bulk email.

  • Sunday, October 30th 2016: You will receive a printed “Meet Our Seminarians” inserts for your bulletins. If you provide bulletins electronically, you can hand the inserts out or place them in the pews.
  • Sunday November 6th 2016:
    • You will receive a printed Good Shepherd brochure that can to be inserted into your bulletin. Again, if you provide bulletins electronically, you can hand the brochures out or place them in the pews
    • We ask that the message from the Bishop be read out loud by a parishioner before mass in order to promote the campaign.
  • Sunday, November 13th, 2016: The campaign will end with the Good Shepherd Campaign collection. Please place the envelopes in the pews prior to the masses on that Sunday.

If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Munroe by telephone at (204) 256-1843 or by email at suzannemunroe@gmail.com

 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

In Jesus,

Richard Fréchette

NOTE

The 2016 Good Shepherd’s Campaign will be the topic of an agenda item at the Parish Study Days on Wednesday, October 19th. Please be sure to bring any questions with you.