Capital campaign in final stages
By RENEE WEBB
Globe associate editor
Posted June 13, 2002

In celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Diocese of Sioux City used the centennial year as an opportunity to hold a financial campaign.

Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo, in a Jan. 17 Globe article, wrote, "We must allow the activities of education, formation and outreach to be sustained and to thrive. What can permit us to do this is the creation of endowments."

The goal of the Centennial Campaign for Excellence is to raise $20 million over a five-year period for endowments in four specific areas of diocesan life - Catholic schools, adult formation: religious education and youth ministry, Catholic Charities and multicultural ministries.

The major gifts phase of the campaign began last fall and the parish phase kicked off in January.

According to Jim Steier, president of the Steier Group, many of the parishes are in the final stages of the campaign.

"We are attempting to wrap up the active campaign at many of the parishes," he said. "Some of the parishes are still hard at it and will continue their solicitations over the course of the next month or so. They want to ensure that all of their parish families are contacted and given the opportunity to contribute."

The president of the development company pointed out that they have received great support from the pastors and the volunteers. About 2,000 volunteers have participated in the effort, reaching out to their fellow parishioners.

Steier noted that money continues to roll in.

"We are really excited about the current status of the campaign," he said.

In an endowment, money realized is not spent; instead, the principle is invested and the interest that accrues is used to further the specific ministries.

The breakdown as to how the $10.5 million will be used in these four areas: $10.5 million for the Catholic Schools Endowment Fund, $4.5 million for Catholic Charities Endowment Fund, $3 for the Adult Formation: Religious Education and Youth Ministry Endowment Fund, and $2 million for multicultural ministries Endowment Fund.

The bishop kicked off the parish phase of the campaign with a two-day tour of various parishes in the Northeast, Southeast and South Central deaneries. In March, he visited parishes in the remaining three deaneries.