Heart of a Shepherd Campaign

The Heart of a Shepherd initiative is an extraordinary endeavor designed specifically to strengthen and better meet the needs of the Saint Mary and Borromeo Seminaries, its seminarians and our newly-ordained and retired clergy. In addition, this effort will aid our parishes in recovery from the economic impact of the pandemic. 

There are four focus areas included in this campaign:

PART I: RENOVATE OUR SEMINARIES $20 MILLION

The interior renovation of Borromeo Seminary and Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology is long overdue; the building is over 70 years old.

Renovations will include renovated student rooms for all students with individual bathrooms for graduate students, individually controlled heating and cooling, ADA accessible rooms, faculty and guest suite renovations, new furniture, an upgraded elevator and new elevator connecting all floors, common lounge area and study space, laundry rooms, and an updated Reconciliation Chapel.

Resurrection Chapel, a prayerful space where seminarians gather five times a day for prayer and discern their vocation, will also be renovated with a new double door entryway, installation of a Baptismal font, refurbished pews and kneelers, pipe organ restoration, new lighting, and new liturgical furnishings.

PART II: CARE FOR RETIRED PRIESTS
$7 MILLION

In our Diocese, we are fortunate to have 258 active priests and 97 retired priests who have dedicated their lives to serving us. Many priests continue to serve our community of faith after retirement, and we are called to do what is necessary to provide them with adequate care. However, the Retired Clergy Pension Fund is not yet fully funded, placing more of the burden on parishes to ensure that priests receive adequate pensions. To secure proper care for our clergy, while reducing annual premiums for parishes, this initiative will allocate $7 million to meet this important obligation.

PART III: SUPPORT FOR NEWLY-ORDAINED CLERGY $3 MILLION

When seminarians are ordained, many are burdened with financial hardship. A seminarian graduating today may have accumulated between $8,000 and $112,000 in education debt, for an average of $38,000. Support is needed to ensure that these priests can dedicate their lives to the Lord and serve our communities without the weight of financial hardship. Our goal is to invest $3 million in an endowment dedicated to loan repayment assistance for newly-ordained priests

PART IV: SUPPORT TO OUR PARISH

The many vibrant parishes that comprise our Diocese of Cleveland serve as a pillar of faith, hope, and charity in our communities. In direct response to the challenges set forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, this campaign will provide an opportunity for our parishes across the Diocese to raise funds for pressing local needs. Please contact your parish for more information about your own parish’s vision for the future.

Obviously, these are trying times for many.  Thus, we know that not everyone will be able to participate in this experience.  But the diocese would like us to think about it over the coming weeks and years.  Thanks for keeping an open mind and heart!  It’s a great tradition of northeast Ohio and especially of St. Angela Merici Parish! 

To learn more about this endeavor, visit the diocesan website.

Or, to learn how to give visit catholiccommunity.org/heart-of-a-shepherd/ways-to-give.