From our Parochial Administrator…

After a short time as Parochial Administrator of Saint Charles Borromeo, I know one thing very clearly: this small parish has a huge heart. At its beginning it was the heart of the diocese, the home of the bishops and the first cathedral, the site of three schools and the starting point for the ministry of countless Sisters of Saint Joseph and of newly arrived priests. Our community survived the fire which destroyed the cathedral in 1976 and went on to build a new church which was imaginatively remodeled in 1997 to create the beautiful worship space we now enjoy. In a heroic effort in 2004 we celebrated 50 years of life by paying off the parish debt; and in 2007 there was further cause for rejoicing when Saint Charles was named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The same generous heart is seen in our many volunteers who serve at Florida Hospital South and through the Brothers Keeper Resale Store and Food Pantry, which distributes over a thousand bags of food to needy families every month.

Now the Lord challenges us again with the words “See, I am doing something new” (Isaiah 43:18), inviting us to look to the future and beyond the boundaries of our own parish. You will remember that one of the first things which Bishop Thomas Wenski did when he became Bishop of Orlando was to convoke a Synod to discuss the needs of the Church in Central Florida and to make concrete proposals to continue our mission. As a result the diocese has started the Alive in Christ Campaign to fund the most pressing of those needs, although the unique thing about the Bishop’s vision is that as well as strengthening the diocese at the center, he wants this to be an occasion to improve each individual parish.

Here at Saint Charles we have a beautiful church, but other areas, most notably the school, have been neglected in the course of fifty years. That’s why Alive in Christ is both a challenge and a blessing, stimulating us to tackle existing needs and to plan for the next generation.

Please reflect on the information in this brochure and pray that God will touch our entire community, inspiring great gifts at every level. Thank you for the encouragement you have given me as I begin what I hope will be many years at Saint Charles, to serve you in the Lord and lead the parish from strength to strength.

Our Need…

Christ calls us to Grow, Lead and Share our living faith. Through Alive in Christ we have the opportunity to answer His call by raising funds to advance our parish mission.

One of the advantages of a small parish is that it is easier to get to know people, and we all want to GROW in our living and loving relationship with Christ and with one another. Our parish campus has served us well throughout the years, but many of our facilities are outdated and no longer adequate to meet our needs. Restoration of our parish facilities will enhance the faith life of our community and create new opportunities for fellowship.

Catholic education is central to our identity at Saint Charles and to the mission of the Church. Through our school and religious education programs, we form our young people as disciples of Jesus Christ and prepare them to LEAD the Church into the future. Like many older schools, our buildings are showing their age and are costly to maintain. By upgrading our school facilities we will continue our tradition of excellence in Catholic education.

Many of our families struggle to send their children to Saint Charles School although it is such a vital part of our parish life. We want to SHARE the experience of God’s abiding love and ensure that our school is accessible to those who might otherwise be unable to afford it. In the end, the Kingdom of God is not about buildings but about the formation of new Christians. A permanent endowment will provide parish families with access to a high-quality Catholic education regardless

Our Plan…

Through Alive in Christ we will:

Renovate Our Parish Facilities: $280,000

This may include:

• Expanded and modernized kitchen and improved restrooms in Bishop Grady Hall
• Upgraded electrical supply system for parish and school
• New energy-efficient, hurricane-resistant windows in our parish offices and rectory

Upgrade our School Facilities: $320,000

We plan to add:

• New energy-efficient, hurricane-resistant windows
• State-of-the-art technology
• Improved early learning playground

Establish a Tuition Endowment for St. Charles School: $300,000

• Seed money of $300,000 will be the first step in growing our school endowment

We plan to spend the money as it comes in, not before; and if we are able to raise more, we already know that the electrical system requires more work to make it eco-friendly.

Our parish goal for the campaign is $1.4 million over a five-year period. That may seem daunting in the present economic climate; yet it is in theses dark times that we need to invest in the values of the Gospel, trusting God to lead us into the light. I know your generosity, self-sacrifice and dedication to the things of God,and I am confident that together we can reach our goal.

Our Goal…

Our Alive in Christ Campaign Goal is $1.4 Million.

If we are blessed to reach our goal, $900,000, or 65%, will be used to fund our parish priorities. As members of the Universal Church, we will contribute the remaining $500,000 to our larger Church family to help fund the exciting new projects that emerged from our Diocesan Synod.

For over fifty years, countless parishioners have given sacrificially to create the Saint Charles Borromeo complex of buildings and facilities we see today. When the people were faced by the unexpected need to rebuild after the fire of 1976, the Pastor of the time wrote: “What we build will be our gift to God, to each other and to our community. It is to be a light shining in the darkness, a sign of our faith, our hope and our love. It is our bequest to our children.”

With humble gratitude let us follow in their footsteps, keeping in our hearts the knowledge that God is never outdone in generosity.

Ways to Give…

Making a Pledge

Pledge payments can be scheduled at the discretion of the donor, to be paid on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis beginning at any time, throughout a 3-5 year period. All pledges, outright gifts of capital, Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Lead Trusts and other irrevocable planned gifts made to Alive in Christ, from the Fall of 2007 through the end of the Campaign, will be counted in the final Campaign total.

Gifts of Securities

It is the policy of the Diocese of Orlando to sell all securities upon receipt to minimize the chances of having adverse market fluctuations affect the beneficial interest of your gift. Gifts in kind—real estate, insurance, closely held stock, art, and other tangibles—may be counted if they are sold and the proceeds revert to the diocese.

Bequests, Charitable Remainder Trusts, and Revocable Planned Gifts

While we will commemorate and record bequests, Charitable Remainder Trusts and other revocable planned gifts made to the diocese, they cannot be included in the campaign total precisely because of their revocable nature. Unrestricted bequests received during the course of the campaign may be counted towards the campaign at the diocese’s discretion.

For more information on Alive in Christ and/or to download our parish brochure, please visit our Diocesan Alive in Christ Page.