1. SHOULD WE BE HAVING A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AT THIS TIME?

   • For many of life’s most important steps, the right time hardly ever presents itself. It’s no different with a capital campaign. On the one hand, we need to be mindful of the financial hardships affecting families that stem from the pandemic and our winter weather hardships. On the other hand, God calls us to be stewards of the spiritual and physical Church.
      

2. HOW WAS THE ORDER IN WHICH PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED DETERMINED?

   • Critical repairs are high priority, and all of these are in goals 2 and 3. The first two projects, renovation of the rectory and repairing cracks in the church wall, are set. Priorities of other projects may change. The final decisions lie with the Finance Council, which will aggregate all inputs to make decisions moving forward.

      

3. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO GATHER FUTURE INPUT FROM PARISHIONERS?

   • A formal survey may be sent out at times. Father Martin, St. Thomas Aquinas staff, and members of the Finance Council, Pastoral Council, Building Committee, and Capital Campaign Committee are always available to listen to your ideas. Get involved and let us hear your suggestions.

      

4. CAN I SEE THE COST OF EACH PROJECT?

   • Yes. Any parishioner can see the estimated costs by contacting a member of the Campaign Committee. All projects will be bid and approved by the Diocese of Fort Worth prior to starting the work. Final bids and actual expenses will be communicated to parishioners on a regular basis.

      

5. ARE WE GOING TO GO INTO DEBT FOR THIS CAMPAIGN? 

   • No. Our plan is to retire debt first, then to have the money in the campaign account before beginning any project.

      

6. CAN I ASSIST IN OTHER WAYS THAN MONETARILY WITH THE CAMPAIGN? 

   • Yes. You can get involved in the campaign. This will be an active campaign for three years and will be managed by volunteer parishioners. In the future, we may have need for your physical labor. And of course, we ask that all parishioners pray for the success of the campaign.

      

7. WOULD IT BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO BUILD A NEW RECTORY NOW INSTEAD OF RENOVATING?

   • With only one priest in residence, our current rectory is large enough. Until such time that we have additional priests or seminarians assigned or the need for additional residential space arises, the need for a larger/newer facility does not exists. We would like to create a master plan to determine where to best place a new rectory on our campus. As we complete other needed projects and collect donations, there will be a time, design, and location for a new rectory that makes the most makes sense for future operations.

   • When a new rectory is built, the existing structure will not be razed but repurposed so the costs of renovations will not be wasted.

      

8. WHY DO WE HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH ON REPAIRS IN THIS CAMPAIGN?

   • Our buildings are old and require constant attention. We have not been as vigilant on this as we could have been due in part to financial constraints. As we renovate, we can complete these non-critical repairs. One of the commitments of this campaign is to keep our facilities in excellent condition. A Building Committee has been formed to assist with this. If you see items in need of attention, please let the office staff know. In the future, we hope that offertory will be able to cover ongoing repair and maintenance costs.
      

9. WILL THERE BE ANY NAMING OPPORTUNITIES AS PART OF THIS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN?

   • There probably will be in the future. Watch for details.

1. WHY ARE WE BEING ASKED TO MAKE A PLEDGE?

   • A pledge is a promise made in good faith. Making a pledge allows donors to maximize their support by fulfilling their commitment over a period of years. With a pledge, you can make it part of your family’s budget as you plan expenses moving forward.
      

2. IS MY PLEDGE LEGALLY BINDING?

   • A pledge is a significant commitment; however, it is not legally binding. We ask that you do your best and advise us of changes that will impact the financing of your pledge.
      

3. DO ALL PARISHIONERS HAVE TO PLEDGE?

   • We encourage every family to prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift to this campaign and we will ask that all parishioners return a pledge form or pledge on-line, whether or not they are able to financially support this campaign. We will be contacting parishioners who do not pledge to make sure they are aware of the campaign and to answer any questions.
      

4. MAY I DONATE TO THE CAMPAIGN IF I DO NOT MAKE A PLEDGE?

   • Although three-year pledges paid in installments usually allow a family to make a larger total gift, one-time donations are gratefully accepted. You may make multiple one-time gifts throughout the campaign.
      

5. MAY I MAKE A PLEDGE LATER?

   • Yes. Pledges (initial or modifications) to the Capital Campaign can be made at any time.
      

6. WHAT IF I PLEDGE AND MY FINANCIAL SITUATION CHANGES?

   • We understand that your personal financial situation may change over the next few years. You are pledging to make your best effort and that is all. Let the Advancement Foundation know if you cannot meet your pledge or if you would like to reduce or increase your contributions.
      

7. WILL PLEDGES AND DONATIONS BE CONFIDENTIAL?

   • Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can do so by indicating this when they pledge or donate. Campaign contributors will be officially recognized but the exact size of a donor’s gift will not be publicized.
      

8. MAY I MAKE MY DONATIONS IN HONOR OR MEMORY OF SOMEONE?

   • Memorial and honorarium gifts are appreciated and will be appropriately acknowledged. Please indicate on the pledge form if your gift is in honor or memory of a loved one.
      

9. IF I WAS DONATING TOWARD DEBT REDUCTION ON-LINE BEFORE THIS CAMPAIGN STARTED, WILL I NEED TO SET UP A NEW RECURRING PAYMENT AS PART OF THIS CAMPAIGN?

   • Yes. You will need to reset your giving options for this campaign. The new capital campaign will use a new bank account and, as such, all contributions need to be deposited appropriately.
      

10. WHAT HAPPENS WITH ANY DONATIONS I MAKE TOWARD THE DEBT BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME I MAKE MY PLEDGE?

    • All donations will be credited toward the new campaign. Donations received before your pledge is received will count as payments toward fulfilling your pledge.
       

11. CAN I DONATE OR PLEDGE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN ONLINE?

    • Yes. There will be a button on the parish website on the Capital Campaign page to direct you to a payment page. You may set up a pledge with recurring payments or make a one-time gift or pledge payment.
       

12. WHO IS THE ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION AND WHY ARE MY PAYMENTS GOING TO THEM?

    • The Advancement Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) Texas non-profit corporation, organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational purposes. As a separate corporation, it is an integrated auxiliary supporting the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, charged with receiving contributions intended to benefit supported activities and managing and distributing such contributions for the benefit of those supported activities. The Foundation is legally required to use your donations only for the campaign benefitting St. Thomas Aquinas Parish.
       

13. SHOULD I JUST REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM MY GENERAL GIVING TO THIS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN? 

    • No. We still need your general giving contributions, meaning the regular Sunday offertory, to provide for all the operating expenses of the parish, including salaries, utilities, program materials, and upkeep.
       

14. ARE MY DONATIONS RESTRICTED FOR THIS CAMPAIGN?

    • All donations are restricted for the purposes outlined in the Renew, Connect, Grow campaign materials. They cannot be used for any other purpose.
       

15. CAN I GIVE MY MONEY TOWARD SPECIFIC PROJECTS I WANT COMPLETED INSTEAD OF TO THE WHOLE CAMPAIGN? 

    • No, but all donations are gratefully accepted.
       

16. I AM LICENSED AND INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES. CAN I PROVIDE IN-KIND SERVICES AS OPPOSED TO MAKING A MONETARY PLEDGE?

    • Please contact a campaign or building committee member for this answer as we must abide by Diocese of Fort Worth policies and approved contractors for any construction project.
       

17. DO I HAVE TO DONATE CASH, OR CAN I DONATE STOCKS, BONDS, LAND, ETC.?

    • You can donate any asset. If you are interested in making a gift that is not cash, check, or credit card, please contact Dianna Rhoads with the Advancement Foundation at [email protected] or (817) 533-3174.
       

18. Why do I see this statement on pledge card, “All donations are billed by the Advancement Foundation and are subject to any applicable bank or credit card fees, as well as a 2% gift processing fee.”?

    • In an effort to be transparent, we want donors to know that they will be credited for the full amount of their donation for tax purposes, but applicable credit card, bank fees and gift processing fees will be deducted from the total amount that is available for the parish to use for debt retirement and capital projects. The Advancement Foundation provides campaign consulting services to the parish and handles the processing of pledges and payments. They print and mail reminders and annual tax statements. They have the expertise to work with planned gifts, donations of appreciated securities, IRA distributions, employer matching gifts, real estate and other types of giving. Their fee to provide these services is 2% of every donation. The Foundation also provides an account for the parish that is free from Cathedraticum tax by the diocese, which is far greater than 2%.

CONTACT INFO:

Nancy Dechaud, Campaign Chair 214-537-2490 [email protected]