Our community is excited to participate alongside all parishes, missions and Catholic centers in the Archdiocese to strengthen and renew our Church for the future. Please continue reading to learn how this campaign will benefit us.
In 1920, when a handful of families sacrificed to establish St. Matthew, they also blessed us with a legacy to build upon and celebrate.
Through God’s grace, we have grown from a small faith community into a welcoming parish of 1,600 families. We have created a vibrant, active, and dynamic place to grow in our faith to serve others and share the Good News as we connect with Christ, one another, and those in need.
We are now launching the Called to Renew campaign alongside every parish in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and ask God to bless this ambitious effort. Our campaign will allow us to address the needs of St. Matthew and ensuring future generations of parishioners so they may continue to gather, worship, and create lasting friendships as we do now.
The goal of our campaign is $435,000, of which fifty percent will remain at our parish to address the needs detailed on the following page. We will also retain a hundred percent of the funds we collect over our goal. If our campaign is successful, we will receive a minimum of $217,500 to address our own needs.
I am asking you, and every member of our parish, to make a gift from the heart. As your pastor and fellow parishioner, I will also make a sacrificial pledge. Before you determine your pledge, please prayerfully consider the generosity God has shown you, and the importance of the mission we have given at St. Matthew.
Pledged over 5 years for the Called to Renew Campaign.
Our Parish Receives
$217,500
To renew our parish and strengthen ministries.
Parish Needs
Church Interior and Exterior Renovations
Beauty is an integral and essential part of our Catholic liturgy and is indeed a gift from God. Our church was built in 1968 and it is time for us to restore some of the beauty and luster to our church by installing new colored glass windows on the west and east sides, replacing the baptismal font with a new font at the entrance of the church, and repairing back wall due to falling stones.
Property Improvements
*HVAC– With the exception of the parish rectory, there is currently no air conditioning in our church, classrooms, or hall and the existing air conditioning units for the rectory are over 30 years old. We will install an HVAC system in the church, classrooms and hall and replace the unit in the rectory.
*Fencing– The existing chain link fence on Theresa Street will be replaced with a motorized sensing gate designed to increase security for the parking lot and parish.
*Windows– The existing windows in the classrooms, parish hall and rectory are dated. With Called to Renew funds we will replace the windows with energy efficient and low maintenance windows.
*Parking Lot– Parking is key to providing a safe environment for our church community. With Called to Renew funds, we will enhance our church parking lot by repaving and striping its surface and perform routine maintenance.
A Bold Plan of Renewal
We — the Catholic faithful — are the agents of renewal for Church and society. I am grateful for this opportunity to walk alongside clergy and parishioners in strengthening our parishes and ministries, the heart of our Archdiocese.