Marian Helper • Spring 2024 • Marian.org 13 On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving last year, we invited Marian Helpers to participate in something special — and you responded, setting an all-time fundraising record! The theme for “Giving Tuesday” on Nov. 28 was “The Marian Field of Dreams” (a riff on the 1989 film), which featured Fr. Andy Davy, MIC (right), hearing a voice saying, “If you build it, they will come.” Fr. Andy is the director of postulants, guiding future seminarians in their discernment for religious life. Building the new monastery and chapel supports the current and future growth of the Marian community on Eden Hill and meets a critical need. The goal for “Giving Tuesday” was to raise $2 million more by year-end and push the “Together for Christ and His Churc h” campaign beyond 90 percent completion. Five early donors stepped forward with gifts totaling $1 million, and challenged others to join the effort — and you certainly did! More than 3,300 donors gave an additional $1.4 million, eclipsing prior Giving Tuesday appeals by more than six-fold. Vote of confidence Tom and Ann are among the many Marian Helpers answering the call. “ We are delighted to be able to help the Marians build a proper domicile for the priests and brothers and anxiously anticipate the start of construction ,” says Tom. “It’s truly a vote of confidence from our Marian Helpers on the importance of our capital campaign and how vital this building project is to the future growth of the Marian Fathers and to our Church,” states Ben Davis, director of mission advancement. To date, $31 million has been raised towards a campaign goal of $33 million, or 94 percent. “We have now reached a level of support that allows us to start construction this year,” Davis adds. “There is a lot of work to do to prepare the site, turn architectural drawings into construction documents, and stage materials before we break ground. But we can now confidently move forward with locking in contracts and planning the timeline for the approximately 18-month construction phase.” Additional needs Davis emphasized that the capital campaign remains active. “We continue to have the need to raise additional funds for the last of the construction costs, furnishings, and groundwork to include driveways, parking, and landscaping,” he says. “Almsgiving is one of the pillars of the holy season of Lent, along with prayer and fasting,” said the Very Rev. Chris Alar, MIC, provincial superior. “If you have not already done so, please prayerfully support our campaign and give what you can. God bless you!” A Dream Realized We invite you to participate in the capital campaign to build a new monastery and chapel at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. Visit TogetherForChrist.org. ‘Giving Tuesday’ sets record
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