Generation to Generation: Answer the Call

November 14, 2026

Dear parishioners, you may have heard some of our Generation-to-Generation campaign co-chairs speaking about reasons to give.  I would like to share some additional reasons for your consideration, for making a sacrificial gift to the campaign. 

Reasons To Give 

• Thanks to the generosity of those who have already pledged, we have reached our Archdiocesan goal of $810,000, with 50% of that amount remaining at St. John Neumann Parish.  Now, every gift made beyond our goal has an even greater impact, as 80% of every dollar contributed beyond that goal will remain here in our parish to support additional phases of our local parish case.  

• Because, this is a call to action for all members of our Church family. So far, 56 families (8% of 700) have pledged.  Our goal is participation (at any level you can over five years), by at least 20% (that’s 84 more families) or better yet 40% (224 more families).  Please help make this a success supported by our whole church. Join us in this effort. 

• Because your contribution can reduce your taxable income by making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) and fulfill any Required Minimum Distributions (RMD’s) you may need to take.  We recommend talking to your financial advisor. 
• Because your contributions will help to sustain your faith community and enable outreach programs that benefit others.
• Because your contribution resonates with your personal values or experiences.
• Because your contribution fosters a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
• Because in many communities giving to the church is a longstanding tradition passed down through generations reinforcing the practice among members.
  
  

October 4, 2026

Dear parishioners,

You may have already heard of the Generation to Generation: Answer the Call campaign, but today, I want you to hear about it from me personally as I invite you to join me in this campaign.  Generation to Generation: Answer the Call is a $300 million, five-year capital campaign designed to address the needs of the archdiocese and strengthen local parishes.  All parishes will participate, and every parishioner will be invited to help make a positive impact on the future of our church.  St. John Neumann is pleased to participate in Wave 4 of this important effort.  The archdiocesan case focuses on four priorities: strengthening local parishes, assisting parish communities, supporting our priests, and spiritually renewing our parishes.

The campaign team, including me; Christina Rios (operations director) and campaign chairs Don Pelka, Susan Gates, and Tom Brabec, has done much of the groundwork to ensure our parish is set up for success.

Parish goal

Our parish goal is $810,000.  The parish will retain 50% of funds raised up to the goal and 80% of funds raised above the goal.  After the campaign surpasses 200% of the goal, the parish will retain 100% of additional funds raised.

Current Fundraising Status

I am pleased to share that St. John Neumann has raised $644,000, or 80% of our $810,000 parish goal. To date, we have received 20 pledges, with $166,000 remaining to reach our goal. I am truly grateful for the generosity and commitment already shown by so many in our parish community. Thank you to everyone who has made a pledge and helped bring us this far.

Our Share of the Funds

Through the Generation to Generation: Answer the Call campaign, we will not only play a significant role in this historic moment in the church’s history, but we will also support new and exciting projects at our parish. Through much prayer, planning, and conversation, we have identified our greatest needs and initiatives to strengthen our mission and vision for years to come. Our share of the funds raised will address the following.

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• Invest in youth, family, and faith formation: Campaign support will help create welcoming spaces for youth and family ministry, provide furnishings and technology that support modern catechesis, and enhance the  parish’s ability to gather, learn, and grow in faith.

• Enhance our parish gathering space: We plan to replace the chairs in Fr. Sayers Hall by more comfortable ones.  This will provide greater hospitality and comfort for meetings, events, and community gatherings.

Facilities Improvements

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•  Provide accessible, ground-level storage for Arts & Environment seasonal materials in the former school building.

• Improve meeting rooms and storage space for parish ministries.

•  Upgrade the former school building's infrastructure, including plumbing, asbestos abatement, and interior renovations, so Religious Education classes can utilize updated classrooms.

•  Relocate the parish office to the front of the former school building so it can be accessible to everyone.

Planned Phased Approach to Facilities Improvements

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•   Complete infrastructure improvements to the former school building.

• Relocate Religious Education classes from their current classrooms.

• Prepare ground-level spaces for Arts & Environment storage and ministry meeting rooms.

• Work will be completed in phases following careful planning, design, and cost estimates.

• The current campaign goal is expected to fund a portion of these improvements. Pledges and contributions exceeding the goal may allow additional phases to be completed.

Why Your Support Matters

 Every generation of parishioners has been called to meet the needs of its time. Today, that call comes to us. Your participation through prayer, involvement, and financial support ensures that:

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•  Children will grow up in a parish alive with faith.

• Families will find a spiritual home where they are welcomed and supported.

• Seniors will continue to experience community and care.

• The poor and marginalized will encounter Christ through our service.

• Future generations will inherit a parish strengthened by our commitment.

Your gift is not simply a contribution; it is an act of faith that echoes forward.

A Community Effort

This campaign is built on unity. No single person can meet the needs before us, but together, guided by the Holy Spirit, we can accomplish what God is calling us to do. Every gift, large or small, makes a meaningful difference.

I invite you to prayerfully consider making a sacrificial gift to this campaign.  With full participation from everyone, I believe we can continue to make meaningful progress toward our goal and even surpass it.   Let your generosity be a reflection of gratitude for what this parish has meant in your life and a sign of hope for those who will come after us.  Our parish has always been a place where God’s call is heard and answered. 

Now, we are called to ensure that this sacred mission continues from generation to generation. With faith in God and trust in one another, let us step forward together.  Let us honor the past, strengthen the present, and build a future filled with promise.  Together, we shape the legacy. Together, we build the future.

Campaign Prayer

 God of abundant and generous mercy,

we gratefully acknowledge the many gifts

you have given us across the years

from the sacrifice of generations before us.

And so, we confidently trust that you will walk

with us into the future.

We echo the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

truly, your mercy is from generation to generation.

Help us now to respond generously to your gifts,

as we support our Church in the Archdiocese of Chicago

and work to bring faith forward

for the generations that follow us.

By your grace and help, let our gifts be a blessing

for our children, our grandchildren,

and those who follow them.

Through Christ our Lord.

Fr. Edmond Aristil

If you have not received your campaign packet, have questions, would like to volunteer, or are ready to make a pledge, please contact Christina Rios, Operations Director, at 708-798-0622, ext. 5 or [email protected].