St. Bartholomew

Del Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

 “Put out into deep water…and lower your nets for a catch…” 

Luke 5:4 

Each of you are an important part of the fabric that comes to be knit together through the power of the Holy Spirit into the faith community we call Saint Bartholomew Catholic Church. For generations, your families have benefited from celebrating your faith moments through the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation; or, biding farewell to a loved one in their journey home to God through illness and death. In these deeply spiritual moments, we witness love, joy, sadness, and struggle. At these times, your parish plays a vital role from beginning to end. 

But have you ever stopped to reflect on who is responsible for all we enjoy and use today? 

Just as we now benefit from the generosity of those who came before us, we too are “called to renew” our church to ensure future generations have a place to worship and encounter Christ and to be a welcoming beacon by our willingness to be renewed as individuals and as a community. 

I am pleased to announce the launch of our parish’s Called to Renew campaign and invite you to consider God’s many blessings in your life, our parish, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. 

Each parish has been given a goal for the campaign. Our goal is $1,060,000, of which 50 percent will remain at our parish. We will also retain 100 percent of the funds we collect over our goal. 

Please take a moment to read on the following page how Called to Renew will benefit St. Bartholomew, and how we propose to use our share of campaign funds. I then ask you to prayerfully consider a five-year pledge to the campaign, which will allow us the best opportunity to reach our goal and preserve our presence and facilities into the future. 

I realize this request is significant but trusting our Catholic faith will guide you to make a sacrificial gift. Called to Renew is essential to ensuring our church is vibrant and healthy, and our parish remains a presence in the lives of parishioners and the community for years to come. I hope you will join me and our previous pastors, in supporting this historic campaign through sacrificial pledging toward our future. 

St. Bartholomew has a rich history in Long Beach. Called to Renew will ensure we can continue as missionary disciples on the journey carrying to others the Good News of God’s love. 

I am 

Respectfully yours in Christ, 

Peace in Christ,

Rev. Mark Strader