Living Faith — a major gifts campaign
Until recently, good stewardship of resources has made it possible for the Marist Fathers and Brothers of Boston to refrain from reaching out for financial assistance in a major way. In fact, their last (and only) capital campaign took place in 1962.
Few people have known that a common Marist practice has been to invest the surplus from their salaries back into their ministries. So the Marists have not only been serving in ministries, they have been significant financial donors to those ministries. But the time has now come for the Province to ask for help.
The older priests and brothers of the Marist Boston Province have labored for decades in the Lord’s vineyard and are now living quiet lives of prayer, sacrifice and reflection. These men account for the majority of members of the Province. The highest costs for health care are typically associated with the last five to ten years of life. As such, medical expenses for the senior religious of the Province are higher than ever before and continue to grow.
In 2005, the Province was required for the first time to effectively reduce the principal of the funds they had set aside in trust in order to meet the escalating costs of health care and retirement.
The Marists of the Boston Province need help with escalating health care costs.
A commitment to the future requires new seminarians
The Marist priests and brothers of the Boston Province are committed to a very active recruitment and formation of priests and brothers. This will ensure strong ministries and a vibrant Church.
Strengthening and expanding the recruitment and formation program for Marist priests and brothers is very expensive, up to $40,000 a year per person. And there are other costs. For example, when a candidate enters the Marist formation program the Society assumes payment for the interest on his outstanding college loans until he makes final profession. At that time, the Society retires the debt entirely. The process of becoming a Marist priest takes eight years following college graduation.
The Marists of the Boston Province need help ihn financing vocations and formation of new priests.
