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.
It is with immense joy and heartfelt gratitude that I announce the launch of Called to Renew at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. This campaign will provide much-needed funding for parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, including ours, as well as strengthen important ministries and programs that affect us all.
Each parish has been given a goal for the campaign. Our goal is $450,00 of which 50% will remain at our parish. We will also retain 100% of the funds we collect over our goal. If our campaign is successful, we will receive a minimum of $225,000 to address our own needs.
St. Thomas Aquinas has a rich history in our beautiful Ojai Valley. Called to Renew will ensure we can continue to be a vital presence in our community. Details about how we plan to use our share of campaign funds are on the following page.
Please take a moment to prayerfully discern how you can most generously support this campaign. I also encourage you to consider making a five-year pledge, which will allow us the best opportunity to reach our goal. This is a wonderful parish, and I am amazed at how our community has always worked together to meet needs that arise. I know you will do whatever you can to make this campaign a success.
We entrust our Called to Renew campaign to the intercessions of our Blessed Mother and our parish patron St. Thomas Aquinas.
Pledged over 5 years for the Called to Renew Campaign.
Our Parish Receives
$225,000
To renew our parish and strengthen ministries.
Parish Needs
Beautify Exterior Space
Our parish community desires a beautiful, eco-friendly, drought-tolerant exterior space campus-wide. We will use a portion of Called to Renew funds to add a gathering space for parish festivals, outdoor liturgies, and para-liturgies hospitality after masses, etc. We plan to make our landscaping flush with walkways to address possible hazards, increase exterior lighting, and designate an outdoor play area for our children.
Renovate Parish Offices
Our parish offices located in the rectory have not been renovated since constructed in the early 1960s. Due to the limited budget at the time, the quality of the construction suffered. One major issue has been the lack of soundproofing between offices. We will renovate offices and meeting spaces in the rectory to ensure a private, aesthetically pleasing environment in which to meet and work.
Refresh Church Interior
Beauty is an integral and essential part of our Catholic liturgy and when a church’s beauty is allowed to wither, the liturgy experience suffers. It is time for us to restore some of the beauty and luster to our church therefore we will paint, replace carpeting and upholstery, remodel restrooms, and update the sound system and lighting.
Restore Church Bell
The call to prayer by church bells is a time-honored tradition. By either replacing the existing mechanism and/or installing a carillon system, our long silent church bell will ring again, giving audible witness to our presence in the community and reminding people that they are welcome.
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.