Capital Campaign

As a parishioner at Saint Mark, you are part of a thriving and rapidly growing faith community. Together,  we have an opportunity to ensure our facilities can meet the needs of more than 5,762 households within our Parish – almost 4,000 of whom are under the age of 18. We want to ensure there is ample space for our Catholic families to grow together in faith.

Our intention is to construct two buildings which would include a parish hall accommodating at least 500 people, an activities center including classrooms for our youngest parishioners, meeting space for youth and young adults, and a gymnasium. Construction will take place on parish-owned land surrounding Holy Sepulcher Church.

During this “Jubilee Year of Hope,” the Diocese has provided us with an incredible opportunity.   Bishop Eckman has released us from one-half of our debt, provided we raise funds to eliminate the other half during an 18-month period beginning September 1, 2025.  This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to eliminate our parish debt by raising $1,865,185. We must retire our debt before any new construction can begin.

We wanted to bring this exciting project to your attention at its early stage.   As our plans take shape, we will share more information on our parish website.

Conducting a fundraising campaign is a major undertaking. Success will require not only financial support, but also significant gifts of time and talent over the next year. For now, please keep the parish and its ministries in your prayers as we begin this journey filled with hope. You can also express interest in becoming a volunteer or making a financial contribution by filling out the form on our campaign website.

​

The goals of this capital campaign are these: to erase the existing parish debt of 1.8 million dollars and to support the construction of a parish hall, large enough to support events for the whole parish, and a gymnasium for use of parishioners of all ages, as well as reloacting our existing pre-school program into a new home with proximity to the school building with its enhanced security features. 

Our parish is located in one of the fastest-growing areas in the region. The number of Catholic families moving into our parish grows each month. This is occurring almost everywhere, but particularly in the eastern part of Adams Township and throughout Middlesex Township. We need to meet the needs of all our parishioners. We are building for now and the future. 

Most of us are solicited by, and donate to, several worthy charities. These charities have been around for a long time and will be requesting our generosity annually for years to come. Saint Mark is asking to be your "charity" for the next five years (the length of this Capital Campaign). 

We are asking for your generous financial support for a campaign for the present and future needs of our parish. We have begun a five year campaign that began on September 1, 2025. This period encompasses six tax years. Donors should feel free to both make a pledge and make payments on that pledge in a way that is most convenient for them. Initial payments are most appreciated to "jump start" the campaign. 

The guidelines of the Diocese for a parish to begin construction require 63.5% cash in hand, and the remainder in documented pledges.

The pledge is NOT a legal agreement. It is a commitment made in faith between you, our parish, and God. We understand that circumstances can change, and unforeseen events may prevent you from completing your pledge. We accept gifts and pledges in good faith and trust that you will fulfill them as far as you are able. 

Yes, ordinary offertory donations are the backbone of our financial wellbeing.

We are grateful for the leadership of Fr. Bober, who is guiding our parish through the Capital Campaign. He is joined by our dedicated co-chairs, Deacon Fred Lukachinsky and Sandy Matson. Together, they are working to help our parish grow in faith and ensure a strong future for our community. Please keep them, and the success of the campaign, in your prayers. 

Solicitations for our Forward in Faith and Hope campaign will take place through June 2026. Donations and pledges will continue up to five years. The campaign is designed to allow ample time to formalize our building plans, communicate those plans to the parish, and personally invite each registered household to prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift that is right for them.

The campaign will be conducted in phases, allowing us to build momentum, recruit a sufficient number of campaign volunteers, and make our request to each parishioner as personal as possible. This means that some families will be contacted by our campaign leadership team before the end of 2025, and that process will continue in 2026. 

The short answer is yes, you can! However, it's important to share the greater details about our construction plans and campaign goal before asking each of you to prayerfully consider your support. If you feel too excited to wait, please visit our website and click "Contact Me About a Future Donation and/or Pledge" or call the parish office. 

Depending on your situation, making a gift or initial payment before December 31 may be advantageous from a tax perspective. For example, those 70.5 years or older may wish to make a Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD) for 2025 - for those 73 or older, this may qualify as part of their Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). Others may find themselves exceeding the standard deduction and wish to bundle or bunch charitable giving this year. If you believe this may apply to you, we encourage you to contact your financial or tax professional to seek their guidance regarding tax-efficient giving. You can also contact the parish office to speak with a member of the campaign leadership team.