I love this, Claire. It's hard to imagine a more important ministry in today's world! Love love what you said about how giving our money connects our hearts to the work - for where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also, no? :)
Thanks for this, Claire. My campus missionaries completely changed my life and brought me into a relationship with Christ, but I also experienced a lot of hurt that I'm still processing. I actually just had a phone call with a former missionary about it, and I sincerely wish their ministry the best even if it's something I don't feel called to interact with much these days. There's no question in my mind that it's important and necessary work, and that the folks doing it deserve a living wage.
It also might just be the labor activist in me speaking here, but I find the "I only make X, why should they make y?" remarks tend to corrode a lot of conversations about wage stagnation and get in the way of both solidarity and charity. I'd love to see less scarcity mindset in this discussion generally.
“It’s wild to me that we claim we want a living wage for all people, except for church workers.” Same, same, same. See also: parental leave policies, benefits, reasonable work/life expectations.
I don’t understand how you can write so many things that make me say “YES! And once more for those in the back!” But you do on so many topics. (And when we disagree you always get me thinking.)
My cousin was mentored by a FOCUS missionary and felt called to sign up himself. I was delighted when he asked me to sponsor him and it’s been an honor and a privilege to participate in his important work of the last four years.
Fr Mike Schmitz says that God isn’t waiting for you to answer the question he hasn’t yet asked (ie. give away everything and follow Him) but he needs your quick and heartfelt yes when the question comes. For me the question was, “Will you support your cousin’s ministry?” It felt so good and still does to say yes. I didn’t even know him before this due to age and distance, but now I do and it’s a meaningful relationship with prayer and good advice.
Being a donor is a gift to me, and it allows me to participate in God’s work in a way that I can’t from my time-consuming military work overseas.
All your points about living wages and the definition of valid work and valid souls are so spot on. I can’t fathom these constricted, hard hearts that claim to be Christian but can’t see that. May they find a Biblical world view and shake off the American secularism that reduces human lives to utility and outputs.
It wasn't until my children hit college that I became aware of the importance of campus ministries especially in Catholic universities. As a cradle Catholic who attended Catholic schools through college, I always knew there was a door open to God. It was also a very different time. Now, it seems that the doors are permanently ajarred and leading young people away from God. I learned some things through this newsletter today and am grateful for the information. Thank you!
This reflection on fundraising is timely because we need to do some fundraising for our CGS training we want to host and after fundraising my way through catholic education I don’t love asking for money. However my 8 year old nephew sells raffle tickets like it’s his job...
As a millennial, I went to a small state school with no catholic campus anything. I was able to stay in the pews because of the grace of God. But my adult life trajectory was shaped by a conference spearheaded by a past college campus minister who was on fire for evangelization. Servant of God Michelle Duppong pray for us.
I would also say the local church is also often shaped by people who encountered campus ministers and are now grown ups in the pews. In my current town there is a dearth of campus ministers and it shows compared to the next diocese.
CGS as in Catechesis of the Good Shepard?! My kids are doing that at our parish and it is PHENOMENAL. So glad you are training in it! I truly think it's the most meaningful, Catholic youth program I've ever seen! And yes, I pray for Michelle's intercession often!
Yep catechesis of the good shepherd. We are the first atrium in the diocese and want to see the program grow for our own kids but all the kids in the area. It’s a beautiful work but takes time and there is also a financial cost as well.
I also worked for a college ministry that required me to fundraise my salary. It was hard work but overall a good experience and I felt that it connected me with people I would not have otherwise known, who were excited about the mission and happy to support it. I fundraised to the cap, which in 2014 was around $36,000.
I think there are just wage questions around the fundraising caps for single people versus those with children, but these also need to be balanced with a call to simplicity and to live in a spirit of Gospel poverty. If missionaries aren't doing that in some measure, I do think it compromises he witness. I mean, $36,000 is not exactly living high on the hog (even if it was a much more livable salary ten years ago than today), but I do think that I would have benefitted from more direct encouragement to live simply off of what I did make.
I think the question I have, which you definitely alluded to, is the idea of what "Gospel poverty" practically *looks* like. 36K means wildly different things in California and Alabama. I had a friend do salary fundraising for a super small missionary organization, and she was given 2 hours of training and a shrug, basically. She struggled all year with her fundraising and it stressed her out so much, draining her energy when she could have been meeting with more students or having a deeper spiritual impact. But like, she could literally barely afford groceries--of course she was super stressed! Living in poverty isn't a good thing for campus missionaries in particular to just be fine with, IMHO. It impacts the mission.
Totally agree. I don't think destitution is the goal. And missionaries should be well trained in how to fundraise and have lots of support in the process.
My comment was more getting at how to steward those resources. You have $X that you just fundraised, and you can pay your bills and buy gas and groceries etc. What principles should guide the way you use the rest of that income? I'm definitely not suggesting there should be "rules" around how to spend money, just principles for witnessing to a simple lifestyle in the midst of the mission.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was a campus missionary for 3 years and now I work in fundraising, even though I hated support raising for myself (the Lord has a sense of humor).
Those doing the Lord’s work deserve a just wage and the only way they will get it is if we, the Church, provide it by supporting a missionary directly, donating to ministries and organizations we care about, and giving to our parishes and dioceses. Then, we need to not balk at how much their administrative costs are (within reason). If you are concerned that they are not being good financial stewards, ask to see a breakdown of administrative costs. Most is likely going to staff costs. It takes talent to run good ministries and organizations and it takes money to attract and keep good, talented people. It’s unjust to think that those who work in ministry and in nonprofit work deserve to make peanuts or rely on government aid because they are living in poverty to do the Lord’s work.
Oh I’ll have to watch that! At the NPO I worked for we would frequently vent about how we couldn’t use most grant awards for staffing costs yet we were having to spend more to train and onboard new staff because of high turnover because folks can’t afford to stay, even though they love the work. It’s so frustrating.
This is so timely and I appreciate it! I was approached by a campus missionary a month or so about about supporting her mission. She was a former student of a friend of mine and we went to the same college and were engaged in Greek life. Our college did not have campus missionaries so I didn't have any experience or knowledge of them. Truthfully, I've always had a bit of a bee in my bonnet about modern day missionaries (but that's another rant for another time.)
When I was approached by this young woman, you actually came to mind and made me feel more confident in her work and what it could do.
I also loved this! I think it’s even easy to forget how much I’ve been affected by a mission (despite its flaws) and become a cynic. But this reminded me of all the missionaries who I loved SO much and whose presence in my life truly and deeply changed it. I was a missionary (not on campus) for a couple years where I had to fundraise and read Henri Nouwen’s book about fundraising and it’s really beautiful.
The Spirituality of Fundraising completely rocked my world when I read it when I was a missionary. It absolutely transformed how I viewed money in general.
Love all of this. It sounds like our experiences were very similar in many regards on campus, and I have often thought of the many wives/moms still working as affiliates WITH SMALL CHILDREN wondering how the heck they can possibly have the bandwidth?!
Like you, it was a missionary that completely changed the way I related not only to the person of Jesus, but to the Church as a whole as well. I am so grateful to have had those years serving on a college campus, and also give myself facepalms wishing I could get a do-over with certain experiences, too.
Thank you for sharing all of this on the importance of fundraising and what it means to truly be a mission partner. It's so important for the rest of us 10 percenters to hear!
When I see people commenting on how missionaries don't "do" that much, I really want to ask them if they understand it's the opposite that I would have identified as the problem in our day. Maybe things are radically different. But I would be much more concerned with burnout leading to lack of a personal spiritual life than I would have missionaries just sitting around praying for hours.
You always make me laugh first thing in the morning with your great snark about things that matter. I support the salary of one of the staff members at Eden Invitation, who did salary fundraising last year similar to what you describe. I don't have an LGBT story in my own life, but I know just how much a personal connection with someone who listens and can empathize deeply matters--just like you describe in campus ministry. And it's been really cool to be connected financially and in prayer in such a personal way to an organization I'd otherwise just be supporting another impersonal donor.
The founders of EI are dear, dear friends of mine--believe me when I say there is NO ONE I trust more than Anna/Shannon to minister to LGBTQ Catholics! Thank you for your support, from a fellow monthly EI donor! :)
I love this, Claire. It's hard to imagine a more important ministry in today's world! Love love what you said about how giving our money connects our hearts to the work - for where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also, no? :)
Thanks for this, Claire. My campus missionaries completely changed my life and brought me into a relationship with Christ, but I also experienced a lot of hurt that I'm still processing. I actually just had a phone call with a former missionary about it, and I sincerely wish their ministry the best even if it's something I don't feel called to interact with much these days. There's no question in my mind that it's important and necessary work, and that the folks doing it deserve a living wage.
It also might just be the labor activist in me speaking here, but I find the "I only make X, why should they make y?" remarks tend to corrode a lot of conversations about wage stagnation and get in the way of both solidarity and charity. I'd love to see less scarcity mindset in this discussion generally.
Thanks so much for this. I support campus missionaries for all the reasons you noted. Being Jesus to our college kids is worthy of our support.
“It’s wild to me that we claim we want a living wage for all people, except for church workers.” Same, same, same. See also: parental leave policies, benefits, reasonable work/life expectations.
Really enjoyed this piece, Claire!
I don’t understand how you can write so many things that make me say “YES! And once more for those in the back!” But you do on so many topics. (And when we disagree you always get me thinking.)
My cousin was mentored by a FOCUS missionary and felt called to sign up himself. I was delighted when he asked me to sponsor him and it’s been an honor and a privilege to participate in his important work of the last four years.
Fr Mike Schmitz says that God isn’t waiting for you to answer the question he hasn’t yet asked (ie. give away everything and follow Him) but he needs your quick and heartfelt yes when the question comes. For me the question was, “Will you support your cousin’s ministry?” It felt so good and still does to say yes. I didn’t even know him before this due to age and distance, but now I do and it’s a meaningful relationship with prayer and good advice.
Being a donor is a gift to me, and it allows me to participate in God’s work in a way that I can’t from my time-consuming military work overseas.
All your points about living wages and the definition of valid work and valid souls are so spot on. I can’t fathom these constricted, hard hearts that claim to be Christian but can’t see that. May they find a Biblical world view and shake off the American secularism that reduces human lives to utility and outputs.
It wasn't until my children hit college that I became aware of the importance of campus ministries especially in Catholic universities. As a cradle Catholic who attended Catholic schools through college, I always knew there was a door open to God. It was also a very different time. Now, it seems that the doors are permanently ajarred and leading young people away from God. I learned some things through this newsletter today and am grateful for the information. Thank you!
This reflection on fundraising is timely because we need to do some fundraising for our CGS training we want to host and after fundraising my way through catholic education I don’t love asking for money. However my 8 year old nephew sells raffle tickets like it’s his job...
As a millennial, I went to a small state school with no catholic campus anything. I was able to stay in the pews because of the grace of God. But my adult life trajectory was shaped by a conference spearheaded by a past college campus minister who was on fire for evangelization. Servant of God Michelle Duppong pray for us.
I would also say the local church is also often shaped by people who encountered campus ministers and are now grown ups in the pews. In my current town there is a dearth of campus ministers and it shows compared to the next diocese.
CGS as in Catechesis of the Good Shepard?! My kids are doing that at our parish and it is PHENOMENAL. So glad you are training in it! I truly think it's the most meaningful, Catholic youth program I've ever seen! And yes, I pray for Michelle's intercession often!
Yep catechesis of the good shepherd. We are the first atrium in the diocese and want to see the program grow for our own kids but all the kids in the area. It’s a beautiful work but takes time and there is also a financial cost as well.
I also worked for a college ministry that required me to fundraise my salary. It was hard work but overall a good experience and I felt that it connected me with people I would not have otherwise known, who were excited about the mission and happy to support it. I fundraised to the cap, which in 2014 was around $36,000.
I think there are just wage questions around the fundraising caps for single people versus those with children, but these also need to be balanced with a call to simplicity and to live in a spirit of Gospel poverty. If missionaries aren't doing that in some measure, I do think it compromises he witness. I mean, $36,000 is not exactly living high on the hog (even if it was a much more livable salary ten years ago than today), but I do think that I would have benefitted from more direct encouragement to live simply off of what I did make.
I think the question I have, which you definitely alluded to, is the idea of what "Gospel poverty" practically *looks* like. 36K means wildly different things in California and Alabama. I had a friend do salary fundraising for a super small missionary organization, and she was given 2 hours of training and a shrug, basically. She struggled all year with her fundraising and it stressed her out so much, draining her energy when she could have been meeting with more students or having a deeper spiritual impact. But like, she could literally barely afford groceries--of course she was super stressed! Living in poverty isn't a good thing for campus missionaries in particular to just be fine with, IMHO. It impacts the mission.
Totally agree. I don't think destitution is the goal. And missionaries should be well trained in how to fundraise and have lots of support in the process.
My comment was more getting at how to steward those resources. You have $X that you just fundraised, and you can pay your bills and buy gas and groceries etc. What principles should guide the way you use the rest of that income? I'm definitely not suggesting there should be "rules" around how to spend money, just principles for witnessing to a simple lifestyle in the midst of the mission.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was a campus missionary for 3 years and now I work in fundraising, even though I hated support raising for myself (the Lord has a sense of humor).
Those doing the Lord’s work deserve a just wage and the only way they will get it is if we, the Church, provide it by supporting a missionary directly, donating to ministries and organizations we care about, and giving to our parishes and dioceses. Then, we need to not balk at how much their administrative costs are (within reason). If you are concerned that they are not being good financial stewards, ask to see a breakdown of administrative costs. Most is likely going to staff costs. It takes talent to run good ministries and organizations and it takes money to attract and keep good, talented people. It’s unjust to think that those who work in ministry and in nonprofit work deserve to make peanuts or rely on government aid because they are living in poverty to do the Lord’s work.
YES! Have you ever seen this ted talk? It has to do with the administrative costs issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfAzi6D5FpM&t=218s
Oh I’ll have to watch that! At the NPO I worked for we would frequently vent about how we couldn’t use most grant awards for staffing costs yet we were having to spend more to train and onboard new staff because of high turnover because folks can’t afford to stay, even though they love the work. It’s so frustrating.
I totally believe it!!!
This is so timely and I appreciate it! I was approached by a campus missionary a month or so about about supporting her mission. She was a former student of a friend of mine and we went to the same college and were engaged in Greek life. Our college did not have campus missionaries so I didn't have any experience or knowledge of them. Truthfully, I've always had a bit of a bee in my bonnet about modern day missionaries (but that's another rant for another time.)
When I was approached by this young woman, you actually came to mind and made me feel more confident in her work and what it could do.
I also loved this! I think it’s even easy to forget how much I’ve been affected by a mission (despite its flaws) and become a cynic. But this reminded me of all the missionaries who I loved SO much and whose presence in my life truly and deeply changed it. I was a missionary (not on campus) for a couple years where I had to fundraise and read Henri Nouwen’s book about fundraising and it’s really beautiful.
The Spirituality of Fundraising completely rocked my world when I read it when I was a missionary. It absolutely transformed how I viewed money in general.
Love all of this. It sounds like our experiences were very similar in many regards on campus, and I have often thought of the many wives/moms still working as affiliates WITH SMALL CHILDREN wondering how the heck they can possibly have the bandwidth?!
Like you, it was a missionary that completely changed the way I related not only to the person of Jesus, but to the Church as a whole as well. I am so grateful to have had those years serving on a college campus, and also give myself facepalms wishing I could get a do-over with certain experiences, too.
Thank you for sharing all of this on the importance of fundraising and what it means to truly be a mission partner. It's so important for the rest of us 10 percenters to hear!
When I see people commenting on how missionaries don't "do" that much, I really want to ask them if they understand it's the opposite that I would have identified as the problem in our day. Maybe things are radically different. But I would be much more concerned with burnout leading to lack of a personal spiritual life than I would have missionaries just sitting around praying for hours.
You always make me laugh first thing in the morning with your great snark about things that matter. I support the salary of one of the staff members at Eden Invitation, who did salary fundraising last year similar to what you describe. I don't have an LGBT story in my own life, but I know just how much a personal connection with someone who listens and can empathize deeply matters--just like you describe in campus ministry. And it's been really cool to be connected financially and in prayer in such a personal way to an organization I'd otherwise just be supporting another impersonal donor.
The founders of EI are dear, dear friends of mine--believe me when I say there is NO ONE I trust more than Anna/Shannon to minister to LGBTQ Catholics! Thank you for your support, from a fellow monthly EI donor! :)