The Diocese of Hamilton is conducting the One Heart,One Soul Campaign to raise money for every parish int the Diocese and for shared ministries. Answers to a set of Frequently Asked Questions appear in parish bulletins regularly. A compilation of all questions that have been published are available throughout the campaign at www.oneheartonesoul.ca
Are Parishes in a position to take on needed projects? This, of course, varies from Parish to Parish, but in general most Parishes are not in a strong position to take on major projects (those of $250,000 or more), and many projects have been delayed because of a lack of funding. One of the main reasons for the diocesan capital campaign is to assist Parishes big and small to gain more solid footing for the future – whether that’s by completing an overdue project, retiring debt, building a contingency fund or looking ahead with a new ministry or new staff. What about Parish debt and Parish reserves – in general, where do things stand? The majority of the Diocese’s Parishes can meet their operating budget and can take on small capital projects. Only a few, however, have substantial savings. Some have incurred debt, and the Diocese assists where it can with donations and loans, some of which are interest-free, to Parishes. Will the Parishes or the Diocese take on debt because of this campaign? It’s possible for the right project and the right reasons, but that is to be determined by the Diocese and Parishes as the campaign planning moves forward. What is the Ex Corde Foundation and how does it work? The Ex Corde Foundation was established in 2011 with a gift of $21.5 million from the Diocese of Hamilton and provides financial assistance to Parishes and other Catholic charities within the Diocese and across Canada. Ex Corde, which means “From the Heart,” is operated by a board of directors and provides grants to repair or renovate buildings; to provide and maintain religious artifacts and works of art; and to support religious education and catechesis. As of September 2018, the foundation had donated $5.1 million, 90 percent of which has gone to parishes or other Catholic organizations within the Diocese. The grant amounts vary widely but commonly have been in the range of $15,000 to $25,000. The remaining 10 percent has gone to Catholic Parishes, dioceses or other organizations from outside the Diocese of Hamilton. The foundation board selects recipients twice a year from grant applications. For a list of all the grants awarded, see the link on the Ex Corde website, www.excordefoundation.com.
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Father's Blog
Rev. Fr. Christopher Tracey
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