Dear Friend of St. Benilde,
“As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in him, Rooted and Built Up in Him and established in the faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving!” -Colossians 2:6-7
These words of St. Paul to the Colossians written nearly 2,000 years ago have served as the focus and drive to those who have served our faith community over the past 14 months in strategically planning for our parish’s future. St. Benilde Church and School are both rooted in Christ and have served the People of God in our Metairie community for nearly 60 years; now is the time to plan for the future, ensuring that our community continues to be Built Up in Christ for decades to come.
Currently, our church and school are at pivotal points to be able to continue our mission. Many aspects of our facilities have not been updated in decades, and some features of our buildings are original to when our campus was founded in the 1960's. Without completing these necessary upgrades to our facilities, the viability and future of our parish would be uncertain.
On Sunday, August 13, 2023, the Feast Day of St. Benilde, we launched a three year-$3.5 million dollar Capital Campaign to address the needs of our aging campus. New roofs are needed for both the church and main building of the school; the original windows for the 55-year-old school main building must be replaced; updating AC and heating systems is imperative, and several bathroom renovations are also currently necessary. We are blessed and excited to announce that we have already received 40 campaign pledges totaling $1.6 million!
We ask you to partner with us today in helping sustain the mission of both St. Benilde Church and School by investing in our Capital Campaign, Rooted and Built Up in Christ.
Our parish and school are strong and thriving. The welcoming and family friendly environment of our church has always been the heart of our community and continues to draw families to our beautiful parish. Our school which serves the academic needs of a unique student body with a vast style of learning differences is currently at capacity and has an extensive waiting list. As proclaimed by St. Paul, St. Benilde Church and School are “living in him” and “abounding in thanksgiving” to spread the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
Prayer, patience, and perseverance are the guiding principles
of our Rooted and Built Up in Christ Capital Campaign.
Please pray for the success of our campaign, please pray for those leading our campaign that they may have the patience and perseverance to see our campaign to its conclusion. Lastly, please consider making a one-time gift, or a monthly pledge for the next 3 years, to help us remain Rooted & Built Up in Christ for decades to come!
We are currently planning to celebrate the conclusion of our Capital Campaign on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at our annual St. Benilde Feastival celebrating the feast day of our patron saint. Save the date and prayerfully consider your pledge today!
At service to you and your family, we remain Rooted and Built up In Christ,
Sincerely,
Fr. Matthew Johnston, Pastor, and Mr. Thomas Huck, Principal