During our assessment, parishioners and leaders throughout the diocese shared many insightful questions. Thank you!
In the spirit of transparency and communication, we want to respond to questions we heard during the assessment, and those that come up frequently during a campaign.
For information about our diocese, visit the rockforddiocese.org website.
You Will Be My Witnesses is a capital campaign that seeks to raise a minimum of $60 million in gifts and pledges to strengthen local parishes and bring specific support to evangelization to grow our Catholic Church.
Campaign preparations are ongoing, and the active campaign will take place in four “waves,” beginning with a pilot wave in August 2025. The parish waves will conclude in mid-2027, with a pledge redemption period to follow.
All parishes within the Diocese of Rockford will participate in the campaign during specific “waves” of activity from 2025-2027. Every parishioner in the diocese will be asked to make a sacrificial gift.
It has been almost 25 years since our last campaign, and much has changed within our diocese. We conducted an assessment to better understand current needs and priorities, gathering valuable feedback from parishes, schools, and the broader diocesan community. After listening to parishioners and engaging in thoughtful reflection and prayer, we identified evangelization and parish vitality as our most pressing priorities. This campaign is a vital step in addressing today’s challenges while laying a strong foundation for a thriving, growing Church that will continue to share Christ’s message with future generations throughout our diocese.
The Diocesan Appeal funds day-to-day diocesan operations, while the campaign is a three-year effort to address specific long-term needs. By investing in the people, programs, and resources that enable us to share the Gospel more effectively, we will strengthen our ministries and expand their capacity to serve.
Our parishes are the heart of our diocese, and we must ensure their strength and viability. If the $60 million goal is reached, parishes will receive $24 million to address defined local projects and needs. Additionally, a pool of $3 million will provide extra support to opportunity parishes.
The diocese will support parishes by
Offertory is expected to remain constant during the You Will Be My Witnesses three-year pledge period. On many occasions, parishes have experienced noticeable increases in offertory giving in the years following the conclusion of a campaign.
Strengthening the health and vitality of our parishes and local communities is a core goal of the You Will Be My Witnesses campaign. There are no plans to close parishes or schools within the diocese at this time.
$23.4 million was raised during the United in Faith (UIF) Campaign in 2001 for a restricted fund for long-term use for schools, seminarian/priest education, religious education/youth ministry, support for the needy and poor, and priest retirement. As of June 30, 2024, $27.8 million has been distributed from this fund’s earnings, which currently holds $34.8 million for these specific uses. Additional information can be found on The Catholic Foundation website: https://www.foundationrockford.org/uif.
The Diocese of Rockford is in a healthy financial condition. This capital campaign will allow us to fund new ideas, new possibilities, and new growth in our diocese and in our parishes. As a result, our hope is that this campaign will help increase Mass attendance, foster healthier and stronger Catholic families, give rise to greater Catholic witness in our communities and grow ministry participation for years to come.
Funds paid on pledges will be held with the Diocese of Rockford – You Will Be My Witnesses Trust. The Trust will ensure funds are used to advance the goals outlined in the Case Statement, including: maintaining healthy, vibrant parishes; developing the parish opportunity fund; supporting various evangelization efforts within the Diocese of Rockford; and to address any needs for diocesan facilities within the Catholic Diocese of Rockford.
The specific projects and employment positions delineated within the Evangelization section of the You Will Be My Witnesses Campaign will be pursued as the campaign progresses. However, projects and employment positions may be adjusted as future circumstances and organizational needs evolve.
