Page 20 - Catholic Extension Magazine Spring 2020

20 INSPIRE

Cover Story

Father Eddie
D’Almeida, pastor
of St. Luke, reviewed
architectural plans
for the new church
with parishioners,
who were actively
involved at every step
of the way.

ers to pitch in. At one point she
mused, “If I won the lottery, I
would donate all the money to
build this church, because I know
this church will last much lon-
ger than anything else I could ever
hope for.”
For these parishioners, who have
little financial means, it took enor-
mous perseverance to continue
fundraising—month after month—
but they did it.
Their efforts were nothing short
of epic.

A FUNDRAISING LESSON: GOD
WILL PROVIDE
At one point in their fund-
raising, St. Luke’s parishioners
asked Monsignor Scott Friend,
the diocese’s vocation direc-
tor, if he could find deer meat for
their taco sales. “I don’t hunt, so Bishop Anthony Taylor shepherded the parish through the renovation of the co-op building, which
I was at a loss about what to do,” was extremely dusty and rundown inside, and shared their vision to create a beautiful place of worship.