We are asking all parishioners to support three important stewardship initiatives:
When [Jesus] looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
— Luke 21:1-4
2023 Stewardship (10-22-23)
Stewardship: Remain faithful (10-16-22)
Money (1-31-21) / Dinero (31 de enero de 2021)
LISTEN
Render to God What Is God's (10-18-20)
Stewardship: A Christian Imperative (8-4-19)
LISTEN
Please help us reach 100% participation!
To make your stewardship commitment, please complete the form below (fill it out electronically or on a hardcopy) and place it in the offertory basket or turn it in to the parish office. You may also email your completed form to [email protected].
Thank you for your generous gift, which helps to sustain our parish and our priests!
October 16, 2023
Dear Basilica Parishioner,
This year I will be celebrating my 10th anniversary of coming to the parish. Who would have thought that after ten years we would have done so much together? If you have been here the whole time, now is an opportunity to stop and contemplate the great journey we have been on in the vision of renewal this parish is living out. If you’ve joined along the way, you have taken up your part in realizing the vision of our parish, and you are part of what makes it what it is today. In this past decade, Saints Peter and Paul has seen a 75% increase in Mass attendance. One major factor is the lively response of parishioners who share the good news they are experiencing here and invite others to experience the joy and beauty of our parish. So, I want to say thank you to all who have journeyed this past decade with me as your pastor, and I want to celebrate the success of our many renovation projects and renewal programs that have brought life to our downtown parish. After numerous capital improvements to our campus, we can celebrate that we have avoided going into debt and have a little left over for our rainy day needs. This is possible because of your generosity and your commitment to the parish.
I’m very happy to announce we have increased to 88% participation of registered households in our offertory. Looking at the growth in attendance, there is still a potential to increase that percentage closer to 100%. Giving in a recordable way through use of the envelopes, a check, or our online giving option, helps us to budget every year and it also helps us know who we are serving, so that we can serve you better. Every year, we have a new opportunity to make our stewardship pledge to the parish. We will conduct the in-pew pledge on Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 4-5. Enclosed is our Annual Stewardship Appeal pledge card. Please take a moment and pray how the Lord is directing you to make a return to Him from the goodness He has shown to you. Thank you for your continued generosity!
Sincerely in Christ,
Very Rev. J. David Carter, JCL, JV, Pastor and Rector
Financial Summary for
Fiscal Year ending 6-30-2023
As an alternative to the paper pledge form, you may download and fill out the above form, save the document, and email it to [email protected].
You may also set up Online Giving here to make your pledge payments easier.
Your gift not only funds many of the operations of the Diocese of Knoxville, it funds services that are of great help to the ministries here in our parish, including: Religious Education programs, Campus Ministry, Youth Ministry, Hispanic Ministry, Tribunal, and Catholic Charities. Each Appeal gift enables the diocese to build up the kingdom of God throughout East Tennessee. Please answer Bishop Stika’s request and make a commitment to the annual appeal.
Our Under One Roof projects are about to begin, and we are asking for your help with additional pledges. Due to the sharp price increases since the projects were originally quoted, we now need an additional $500,000 to meet expenses. We are asking everyone during this season of Lent to consider helping us raise this amount by making a new pledge or increasing your pledge.
To give you a basic breakdown of our additional costs:
If you would like to help us, you can pick up a pledge card in the vestibule or contact the parish office at [email protected] or 423-266-1618.
We are grateful for those who support our parish offertory and our Under One Roof campaign, and we need your continued support to preserve our beautiful Basilica. We invite you to set up regular payments through our Online Giving to make your regular donations easier.
Question: How did you come up with my request amount?
Your request amount is based on giving history and answers shared in the planning study. Our goal is to challenge everyone to support the Basilica in a meaningful and sacrificial way that works for each family.
Question: Why should I support the campaign?
For 130 years, Sts. Peter and Paul has served as the mother church of the Chattanooga area. Catholics gather under her roof today just as they did 130 years ago to worship and grow in their Catholic faith. We are the current stewards of this magnificent Basilica, and it is our duty and privilege to care for it. The needs of the Basilica are real. The leaky roof needs immediate attention. We need to bring the heating and air conditioning up to current standards. We need additional meeting space. Let us pray for guidance on our pledges to ensure this effort is a success.
Question: Does the Diocese of Knoxville get any share of the funds that are raised in the Under One Roof campaign?
The answer to that question is no. The previous HOME campaign was conducted by the Diocese of Knoxville primarily for the goal of building the new Cathedral in Knoxville. 50% of the funds we raised in the HOME campaign remained at our parish and funded, among other initiatives, our recent sanctuary renovation. In contrast, our current Under One Roof campaign is a Basilica campaign. 95% of the funds raised will stay here in our parish to replace our roof, repair and upgrade our heating and air conditioning, and renovate areas in the parish to provide more meeting space for our ministries. 5% of the funds raised will be donated to our sister parish in Haiti, who recently lost their church to fire.
Question: What are the various ways of giving?
There are a number of different ways to give to the campaign: check, credit cards, or gifts of stock and other appreciated assets. Another giving option, if you are at least 70½ years old and own a traditional IRA is a Charitable Rollover, also called a “qualified charitable distribution.” This is a direct transfer of up to $100,000 from your Traditional IRA to a qualified charity like the Basilica’s Under One Roof campaign. Because the donation is made directly to the campaign, you benefit by not being required to count the donated amount as income for tax purposes. This can be particularly helpful in excluding all or part of your required minimum distribution. We suggest you contact your financial advisor for more information and to see if it makes sense for you. If you choose to do it, instruct your IRA trustee or administrator to make the contribution from your IRA directly to the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. They will have forms for you to complete.
See our Frequently Asked Questions flyer for more information.