Bishop Boyea has identified $1,815,000 as the Stewardship for Saints & Scholars (S3) contribution that St. Thomas parishioners will make to the diocesan campaign so that Catholic schools across our ten counties can be ever more on mission, affordable, and accessible. Of this target, twenty cents out of every dollar that we collect will be sent directly to St. Thomas to address our needs. At goal, that 20% represents an additional $363,000 that St. Thomas will use to support our existing goals.

Once our diocesan campaign goal is surpassed, every additional dollar pledged and received will remain with our parish. These funds will be directed toward our campaign priorities, with 70% supporting our endowments and 30% dedicated to essential facility repairs.

Since 1868, our parish has been dedicated to offering Catholic education, sustained by the generosity of our community. Alongside the vital Sunday offertory, we support students and families through our dedicated funds.

Endowment for Educators: $700,000

St. Thomas recently created an Endowment for Educators with
an anonymous donation intended to fund teacher salaries,
recruitment, and retention bonuses. Our teachers make
remarkable sacrifices, guided by faith and dedication to our
children. Through this campaign, we intend to match that
incredibly generous donation!

St. Thomas School Trust:$300,000

Through the St. Thomas School Trust Fund, we provide vital tuition assistance and address essential needs such as new textbooks and updated technology. By strengthening this fund, we can ensure that more children have the opportunity to attend our school and be shaped for a lifetime of discipleship.

Homeschool Initiative: $39,500

Recognizing that parents are the primary educators of their children, our parish is called to accompany and assist them in fulfilling this sacred vocation. Through the generosity and engagement of our community, we hope this campaign will make possible the creation of a fund that provides essential resources such as homeschool curricula, materials, and textbooks. Over time, this foundation would also allow us to develop and offer upper school classes in subjects like Latin, Math, Science, and Applied Arts—empowering parents and enriching the educational journey of our homeschool students.

Significantly expanding these endowments is fundamental to our long-term stability, enabling us to better attract and retain high-quality educators while reducing the financial burden on families. Through this growth, we help secure the future of Catholic education in our community, ensuring the school remains a foundation of faith and learning for generations to come.

Caring for our church and school buildings is vital to our mission at St. Thomas. These spaces are more than just structures; they are the foundation for community, education, worship, and growth. Essential repairs are needed not only to enhance the appearance of our facilities but more importantly, to ensure their safety, stability, and readiness to serve future generations.

After a thorough professional inspection, five priority areas requiring replacement or repair have been identified:

• Several deteriorating walls around the school grounds
• The flat roof over the preschool playground
• The basement wall of the rectory
• The flat roof of the rectory
• The tile roof on the rectory

By addressing these critical needs now, we fulfill our responsibility as good stewards, prevent more costly issues in the future, and protect the long-term well-being of our parish and school. Investing in these improvements is not just an investment in our buildings—it is an investment in the enduring strength and future of our ministry.

At the diocesan level, the Stewardship for Saints & Scholars campaign is focused on four key pillars:

• On Mission (35%): Attract, train, and retain faithful teachers and administrators at Catholic schools
• Affordable (30%): Build financial aid and tuition assistance to reduce cost barriers to Catholic education
• Accessible (15%): Expand services to children with special needs within the Catholic school system
• Local Initiatives (20%): This 20% is returned to St. Thomas to be invested in local parish-sponsored initiatives and other urgent, local needs

The Stewardship for Saints & Scholars (S3) target was set based on a calculation from the average of the parish’s most recent three fiscal years of annual giving. Here is how it breaks down:

• Total S3 goal for St. Thomas: $1,815,000
• Amount returned to St. Thomas for local initiatives (20%): $363,000
• Once St. Thomas reaches the total S3 goal, 100% of donations will stay with St. Thomas

Our combined campaign has a total goal of $3.3 million. This amount will allow us to fully support the Stewardship for Saints & Scholars (S3) initiative while also funding important needs here at St. Thomas the Apostle. Here’s how the $3.3 million will be reached:

• $1,815,000 will go toward the S3 campaign, which supports Catholic education across the Diocese of Lansing.
• $1,039,500 will be invested in strengthening our school’s endowment funds.
• $445,500 will be used for building maintenance and repair projects at St. Thomas church and school.

By making these repairs now, we’re helping to save money and protect our parish and school for the next generation.

Based on the high percentage of those reporting that they would support the campaign (89% of respondents indicated that they would make a personal gift to the campaign), the Steier Group and parish leadership are confident that St. Thomas will achieve its fundraising goal. In addition, all parishes will run the S3 campaign and that is our only opportunity to tackle these local projects until the five-year pledge period ends in 2029. We simply cannot wait any longer.

Pledge payments will be made to Stewardship for Saints & Scholars over a five-year pledge period. Funds will be received, held, and distributed by the Catholic Foundation in Lansing. The Catholic Foundation will manage pledge redemption, including acknowledgment letters. No campaign funds will be used to support diocesan offices or programs.

As soon as pledge payments start to be received by the Catholic Foundation, St. Thomas will receive quarterly payments. During the period in which the S3 target is raised ($1.815 million), the parish will receive quarterly payments of 20% of any funds collected during the previous quarter. Once the initial $1.815 million has been received for the campaign, 100% of all subsequent pledge payments will be distributed to St. Thomas via quarterly payments.

The combined campaign will be a major effort, asking for gifts beyond regular weekly, monthly or yearly offertory contributions. Since the church and school will still need support for everyday expenses, parishioners are not being asked to reduce their usual giving. Instead, they are encouraged to consider making a special gift in addition to their regular offertory. Over time, campaigns like this have often led to increased offertory giving, as they inspire parishioners to deepen their commitment to the church.