Download - Saint John the Baptist: Case for Support
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PLAN TO BE DEBT FREE BY
INTRODUCED ONLINE GIVING
TOP MINISTRY PRIORITIES:n GROWING DISCIPLESn REACHING THE NEEDYn ENGAGING YOUTH
LIVING SCHOOL ALUMNIPARISH HOUSEHOLDS
YEAR PASTORAL AND FINANCIAL PLAN FOR PARISH SUSTAINABILITY
INCREASE IN CURRENT OFFERTORY
OVER LAST YEAR
1 PARISH STRENGTHENED BY THE SPIRITUAL LEGACY OF
3 PARISHES
185 YEARS OF MINISTRY
6,000
HOST OF THEOLOGY ON TAP
1,950
3 3
2018 2015
OV
ER 2,000
4,100
FACEBOOK FANS
MEMBERS
CELEBRATING
IN 2016
14%
SERVING YOUNG ADULTS IN MANAYUNK
MASS ATTENDANCE
YEAR PASTORAL AND FINANCIAL PLAN FOR PARISH SUSTAINABILITY
Dear Friends,
An anchor is a symbol of hope and dedication; it is a vital element, a resource to
depend on. To so many, Saint John the Baptist is an anchor. For parishioners it is
the cornerstone for worship and prayer. School alumni see their time at the school
as the foundation for their formation, having made possible their way of life today.
Community members see St. John the Baptist as a mainstay for this closely knit
neighborhood. For countless travelers from around the world, the church is an
architectural pillar – an iconic Philadelphia landmark.
The recent inclusion of the parish communities of St. Josaphat and St. Mary of the
Assumption has sought to unify and strengthen our mission for the time to come.
Our future will be built on the legacy of the past, and St. John the Baptist is stronger
for the uniting of these parishes.
The church remains embedded in this community and seeks to do what it has
always done – form the faithful and share the good news. For the wider
neighborhood it continues to stand as a house of faith and a place of hope to all.
Since 1831, Saint John the Baptist Church has graced the city of Philadelphia,
serving all who seek God, community, and renewal. I ask you to join us in preserving
this treasured landmark and community anchor for the next 185 years.
God’s Peace and Blessings,
Monsignor Kevin C. Lawrence
Pastor
Also known as Manayunk’s Cathedral, St. John the Baptist
Church is one of the most widely recognized churches in
Philadelphia, perched dominantly along the Schuylkill River
to the delight of millions of people who travel the Schuylkill
Expressway each year. In the Manayunk, Roxborough, and
Wissahickon neighborhoods, St. John the Baptist has
served as a sacred place for local families to celebrate life’s
joys and to weather life’s sorrows. More than 120 years
old, this architectural jewel and community beacon must
now be restored.
To protect and sustain the vision created by St. John’s
founders, Jerome and Eulalia Keating and Bernard and
Cecilia McCane, the Parish and the Friends of St. John the
Baptist Church seek to preserve not only the structure
of our magnificent historic church but also to unify those
it serves, propelling St. John the Baptist forth as a model
of a vibrant urban parish community.
Help us restore Saint John the Baptist Church
SAINT JOHNTHE BAPTISTCHURCH
OUR PARISH MISSIONSt. John the Baptist – a multiethnic Roman Catholic Parish, founded in 1831, and rooted in the
teachings of Jesus Christ – has a rich history of providing spiritual leadership, education, and
worship in the Manayunk, Roxborough, and Wissahickon areas of Philadelphia. As a Christian
community, united in our commitment to welcome all people – now and in the future – we
share the Good News, celebrate the Sacraments, serve others, and love God and neighbor.
Designed by renowned church architect Patrick Keely and opened on April 1, 1894,
St. John the Baptist is the only operational Keely church in Philadelphia, and one
of 600 remaining Keely churches in the United States. The Gothic church features
brilliant stained glass windows, towering gilded pillars, complex and beautiful
ornamentation, sweeping colorful paintings, elaborate and detailed carvings, a 3.5 ton
clock tower bell, a magnificent, century-old pipe organ, and intricate sculptures
by renowned sculptor Joseph Sibbel. The church is unrivaled in Philadelphia for
its architectural significance.
Along with the Manayunk Bridge, built in 1918, the bell tower of St. John the Baptist
is an icon in Philadelphia that can be seen for miles all over the region. Manayunk,
and Philadelphia at large, would be forever altered by the absence of this church.
The initial repairs to the exterior of the church must begin now.
AN ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE
Jerome and Eulalia Keating started St. John the Baptist Parish in the winter
of 1829 when they opened their home on Cresson Street in Manayunk for a
Catholic Mass. Here, they also hosted a weekly Sunday school for neighborhood
children. As their personal ministry grew, they proposed the formal start of the
parish and made a financial commitment by donating land at the intersection
of Rector Street and Cresson Street for a church and adjoining cemetery. Sixty
years later, the growth of the parish called for the construction of the current
Saint John the Baptist, a grand cathedral built for $250,000 with a $170,000
seed gift from parishioners Bernard and Cecelia McCane.
The tenth oldest parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, St. John’s continued
its reputation as a magnet for the citizenry of Roxborough and Manayunk –
serving as a hallowed place not only to celebrate births, weddings and major
milestones, but also to comfort in death, despair and worry. St. John’s has provided
faith formation for tens of thousands of people, including scores of students
who attended its high school and elementary school. St. John’s has ministered
to Catholics and non-Catholics alike who have needed guidance or help along
life’s path.
Today, it serves as a dynamic and diverse urban parish that attracts not only the
descendants of its original parishioners, but also young professionals who move
into the neighborhood as college students and stay as they begin their careers.
THE BEDROCK OF A COMMUNITY
Now, after well over a hundred years, the church of St. John the Baptist requires major restoration.
Facade inspections confirmed that restoration is essential for the church to maintain its structural
integrity and beauty. This campaign seeks to address the following critical needs:
n To repair the steeple, including the clock, belfry, lantern, spire, and crossn To repair the north transept and facade buttressesn To repair the roof, flashing, and water runoff systems
The restoration of the church is meant to solidify the hold this anchor has in the community,
strengthening it for its current and future ministry.
THE NEED
TOWARDS OUR $1 MILLION GOAL - HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?
TOTAL PLEDGED OVER 3 YEARS
THREE ANNUAL PAYMENTS
SIX SEMI-ANNUAL PAYMENTS
TWELVE QUARTERLY PAYMENTS
THIRTY-SIX MONTHLY PAYMENTS
The Parishioners and the recently formed Friends of St. John the Baptist – comprised of former parishioners,
school alumni, and community members – will restore the church to its original grandeur and ensure that
this parish will continue to operate, sustain itself, and thrive for generations of Philadelphians to come.
In the fall of 2014 the Friends of St. John the Baptist initiated a successful appeal to the alumni of the
school and raised critical monies to make the restoration feasible. Funds raised during this important
pre-campaign appeal made possible initial repairs, continued engineering studies, the maintenance of
temporary safety scaffolding, and laid the foundation for a successful campaign.
While parish finances are improving and there is a pastoral and financial plan in place for long term parish
sustainability, we must embark on a multiphase capital campaign to pay for the restoration.
A CALL TO ACTION
To pay for the repairs, we will embark on a two phase capital campaign:
Phase 1 will be a
$1 million capital
campaign to restore
the exterior of the
building.
A future Phase 2 of the campaign will aim to restore
the interior. This will include repairs to the stained
glass windows, interior painting, and infrastructure
needs. It will also be necessary to fund the creation of
an endowment for the church’s ongoing maintenance.
1 2
$250,000
$150,000
$60,000
$30,000
$15,000
$7,500
$3,000
$1,000
$83,333
$50,000
$20,000
$10,000
$5,000
$2,500
$1,000
$333
$41,667
$25,000
$10,000
$5,000
$2,500
$1,250
$500
$167
$20,833
$12,500
$5,000
$2,500
$1,250
$625
$250
$83
$6,944
$4,167
$1,667
$833
$417
$208
$83
$28
OUR IMMEDIATE GOAL IS
$1 MILLIONWe hope you will join us in the restoration of St. John the Baptist Church, which when complete, will reflect the beauty and resolve of those whose
faith was formed there.
Besides gifts of cash, donors to the Campaign may contribute in many other ways, each offering
potential tax advantages. All gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Pledge Gift – We encourage you to consider a pledge. Giving in this way makes possible a larger gift than one
may be able to do in a one-time gift. A pledged gift may be paid over a period of 3 years, payable monthly,
quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. If possible, please include your first installment when you mail your gift card.
Gift of Cash – Checks should be made payable to Friends of Saint John the Baptist. Please complete and
mail the enclosed gift card in the envelope provided. Please do not send cash through the mail.
Online Giving – Gifts, pledges, and payments may be made through the Parish’s on-line giving portal,
stjohnmanayunk.org.
Gifts of Security – A gift of stock or securities is one way to make a significant contribution to St. John’s
at a reduced cost to you. Federal tax law allows a charitable deduction for the full market value of securities
on the date of your gift.
Legacy Giving – By making the Parish a part of your will or estate plans, you leave a lasting legacy of faith.
We hope you will consider this type of gift as it offers many financial and tax benefits to you and your loved
ones. More importantly, it provides an enduring testament to your values and ensures what you have spent
a lifetime building is allocated according to your wishes.
For further information please e-mail us at [email protected] or call 215-482-4600 ext. 17. Make Your Gift Today!
WAYS TO GIVE