“In a way, Encountering Christ forever connects us to Bishop Vásquez’ legacy, too,” said Scott Whitaker, diocesan director of Stewardship and Development. “I couldn’t be more grateful to every person who joined him and embraced this opportunity to transform Central Texas for generations to come.”

Seven years after it began, the Diocese of Austin is now wrapping up Encountering Christ. In total, $106,271,675 was raised — exceeding the $85 million goal — to meet the most pressing needs of the diocese in four areas: Supporting Our Clergy, Strengthening Parishes, Emerging Disciples and Embracing Discipleship.

Following is a final update on how campaign gifts have been applied in these areas, and the impact they are already having across the diocese.

Supporting Our Clergy

Supporting the men who dedicate their lives to serving in parishes and ministries was a top priority of Encountering Christ.

Of the $12 million directed to clergy, $5 million was used to create an endowment for seminarian education. With rising costs and a record number of seminarians in formation for the Diocese of Austin, these funds will help balance distributions from the Catholic Services Appeal and annual Seminarian Appeal.

Two million dollars were used for the construction of four new duplexes at the St. John Paul II Residence for Priests, bringing the capacity of the Georgetown community for retired priests to 23. In addition, $5 million was added to the priests’ pension plan and trust, which was underfunded for the number of men who will access it in the future.

Strengthening Parishes

Every parish in the diocese participated in Encountering Christ, with 30% of the funds they raised eligible to be returned to meet local needs, and 70% over their goals. Parishes received the funds as their parishioners fulfilled pledge commitments, with many immediately tackling projects, updates and repairs.

But to help three parishes with needs beyond what they could meet with their share of campaign funds, the diocese set aside $10 million. The parishes of St. Joseph in Manor and Santa Barbara and San Francisco Javier in Austin, situated in the booming Interstate 35 and Toll 130 corridor, had a combined 1,400 seats available and were struggling to provide enough Masses for their rapidly growing communities.

The parishes raised funds for their new sanctuaries through their Encountering Christ campaigns, and the diocesan funds helped with rest. To steward gifts wisely, their new sanctuaries all have identical floor plans but unique front elevations, interior color schemes and artwork.

In addition, $1 million in gifts created the Rural Parish Endowment, which will provide grants for operational and emergency support to the approximately 50 parishes and missions in rural areas in the diocese.

Emerging Disciples

To ensure future generations of disciples are well-formed, prepared and excited to embrace and share their faith, the diocese earmarked $20 million for the spiritual development of children and young adults.

Encountering Christ gifts will train catechists and youth ministers charged with teaching the faith in parishes through three endowments created in the Catholic Foundation — Diocese of Austin:

• Catholic School Endowment ($5 million) to provide tuition assistance to families seeking a Catholic education for their children though the Beacon of Hope Scholarship program.
• Advancing Our Mission Endowment ($1 million) to allow the Catholic Schools Office to award an estimated $40,000 in grants each year in perpetuity for projects that impact student learning.
• Catechist Endowment ($1 million) for a sustainable source of funding for future catechetical training.

To best serve the tens of thousands of students across 14 colleges and universities served by campus ministry, missions and six university Catholic centers, $7 million in campaign gifts were shared:

• $1.2 million to St. Peter Catholic Student Center in Waco, which serves students at Baylor University.
• $2.5 million to Our Lady of Wisdom University Parish, which serves students at Texas State University in San Marcos.
• $1.5 million to University Catholic Center, which serves students at the University of Texas in Austin.
• $1.5 million to St. Mary Catholic Center in College Station, which serves students at Texas A&M University.
• $300,000 to launch ACC Catholic, in partnership with St. Paul’s Outreach, at Austin Community College.

Embracing Discipleship

Encountering Christ also directed $14 million to respond to Pope Francis’ call to create “missionary disciples”  and transformational encounters with Christ.

One space already accomplishing this task is Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Temple, which welcomes 8,000 retreatants each year. Gifts to Encountering Christ built a new chapel to accommodate 100 people — twice as many as the former chapel. Named for Our Lady of Good Counsel, the $1.4 million cost was part of the $3 million in campaign gifts reserved for Cedarbrake. The remaining funds were used to create the 2-acre Blessed Carlo Acutis Park and make major upgrades to the lodge used for youth retreats.

In addition, Encountering Christ will provide up to $2 million for the diocese and parishes to connect with young adults already gathering independently and organically across Central Texas. And to further develop leadership in parishes and Catholic schools, the campaign created a $1 million Leadership Development Endowment to ensure a sustainable source of funding for future leaders.

Through Catholic Charities of Central Texas, the Diocese of Austin also serves as missionary disciples to those most in need. Encountering Christ provided $2.2 million to renovate two buildings at the ministry’s Austin campus to more efficiently serve clients seeking social services and to create new space at St. Joseph Parish in Killeen. An additional $1 million is being reserved for Catholic Charities in Waco.

Ready for the future

Equally important to how much was raised during Encountering Christ is how the campaign was embraced throughout the diocese, Whitaker said.

“Nearly 25,000 people made sacrificial gifts to ensure that not only their parishes’ needs were achieved but also the many priorities outlined in the diocesan case statement,” he said. “We are so grateful.”

Now, as the Diocese of Austin awaits the appointment of Bishop Vásquez’ successor, “we do so knowing that a strengthened church in Central Texas will greet him,” Whitaker added.

Key takeaways for Encountering Christ

24,156 gifts received

$106,271,675 pledged

81% of pledges fulfilled

110 parishes over goal

$25,254,441 returned to parishes for local projects and ministries