As of January 8, $4,152,574 has been received by the from Age to Age capital campaign. Recently, checks totaling $208,693 were issued to 54 parishes and missions. These funds represent the latest distribution to parishes from the from Age to Age campaign.

Distributions are made twice a year, at fiscal year end and calendar year end. During the active phases of the capital campaign, the parishes and mission chose specific projects on which these funds were to be spent.

Distributions began once parishes had fulfilled their financial goal for the Annual Catholic Appeal, which was formerly known as the Diocesan Offertory Program, or DOP. The Foundation for the Diocese of Helena provided the following quick facts:

  • Of the checks recently issued, the smallest amount was $32 to St. William Parish, Dutton, and the largest check was $15,511 to the Cathedral of St. Helena Parish.

  • Five parishes received their first payout. They are Anaconda Catholic Community; Madison County Catholic Community; Our Lady of Swan Valley; St. Margaret, Cut Bank; and St. William, Dutton.

  • Three parishes have achieved the flip-flop of 80 percent parish/20 percent Roman Catholic Bishop. They are St. Thomas, Helmville; St. Jude, Lincoln; St. Anne, Heart Butte. This means that of the capital campaign funds redeemed, 80 percent now stays in the parish and 20 percent is sent to the Diocese of Helena.

  • Only one parish has not yet met its DOP 2008 goal – Immaculate Conception Parish in Deer Lodge.

Since July 2009, distributions to the other case elements of from Age to Age have totaled $440,942 to Youth and Young Adult Ministry; $203,512 to Support of Senior Status Priests; $101,756 to the Priestly Formation and Development Endowment; and $101,756 to the Guatemala Mission Endowment.

The diocese has been repaid $121,138 for costs incurred during the campaign.

Foundation Ser-vices Director Beth Yeakel said the redemption rate for the capital campaign pledges remains strong. “The commitment to fulfilling these pledges provides an income stream for youth and young adult ministry and care of senior status priests, plusadditions to permanent endowments for Priestly Formation and the Guatemala Mission which will provide a reliable source of income for the future,” she said. “And the high redemption rate also helps our parishes to meet their own needs.”

Questions about the from Age to Age campaign may be directed to Yeakel or Glenda Seipp, Stewardship Services director, at 406-442-5820. For capital campaign progress reports, visit www.diocesehelena.org/capcam.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 1, January 22, 2010.