Diocesan Conference and Retreat Center | $2,500,000
The Diocese of Charleston is spread over 31,000 square miles throughout the entire state of South Carolina. This presents challenges for diocesan and parish
leadership to meet and gather in a centrally located place. This campaign
will provide funding for a Diocesan Conference and Retreat Center in the Columbia area that will serve as a central meeting and gathering place for parishes, diocesan
ministries, meetings, and retreats. This center will help bridge the physical gap between our parish leaders and diocesan ministries.

EDUCATION
Catholic Education $3,000,000
Tuition Assistance Endowment | $2,000,000
A primary objective of this campaign will be to establish the South Carolina Catholic Scholarship Fund which will enable more students to attend our Catholic Schools if they so desire. We must be sure our schools are open to lower income families so they too can have a Christ-centered educational experience in the developmental years. Our plan is to have this endowment benefit active families with children in Parochial Elementary and Catholic High Schools throughout the diocese. The diocese currently has NO means of direct financial aid to students attending Catholic
Schools. Through other development efforts we will continue to grow this endowment for generations to come.

Land Purchase for Catholic High Schools | $1,000,000
An additional 1 million dollars will be used for land that will serve three High Schools in the diocese. Two parcels of land in the Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach area have been purchased for potential Catholic High Schools in the future. No timeline or plans have been achieved for these two High Schools. The third property serves Cardinal
Newman High School in Columbia for future athletic and extra curricular activities.

BSA
2006 Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal $2,000,000
Each year, the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Charleston provides the funding for a variety of ministries, programs and services to thousands in our diocese
through the annual Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal. Since we will embark on this capital campaign in 2005 and 2006, the 2006 Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal will
be incorporated into our campaign, with its return slated for 2007.
Ministries and programs receiving funding from the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal
• Catholic Charities
• Youth & Education
• Priest Assistance, Seminarians
• Ministry & Outreach
• Vocations, Permanent Deaconate

OUTREACH
Catholic Charities Endowment | $1,500,000
Catholic Charities serves the entire state of South Carolina through four regional offices located in the Coastal, Midlands, Pee Dee, and Piedmont Deaneries as well as two Offices of Immigration Services located in Columbia and Mt. Pleasant. Counseling and pastoral services are offered throughout the state. These services include an assisted living facility for the laity and the St. Joseph Residence for retired priests located in Charleston. Catholic Charities serves over 34,000 people per year through its various programs. These clients were served through the efforts of 15 full-time and 18 part-time employees and 1,269 volunteers. This campaign will provide Catholic Charities with a $1,500,000 endowment fund. This fund will be created to ensure that the social service agencies of Catholic Charities can continue serving those with pressing needs. Income from this endowment will be used for additional staffing and also to provide emergency financial assistance to the current needs of the poor within our diocese.

Hispanic Ministry Endowment | $2,000,000
Recent reports show that South Carolina has one of the top five highest Hispanic populations in the United States. A majority of Hispanics (est. 70%) living in the United States are Catholic. This presents the diocese and our parishes with the responsibility of providing continued ministry and evangelization to our growing Hispanic Population. Through the Our Heritage, Our Hope Campaign a $2,000,000 endowment will be established to help fund improvements to the current Hispanic Ministry programs throughout the diocese. This will largely be initiated through the diocesan Pastoral Plan on Hispanic Ministry.

MINISTRY
Seminarian Education Endowment | $1,000,000
For seminarians in Pre-Theology and Major Seminary, our diocese funds the entire cost. There are currently 19 men studying for the priesthood with an average of 3.6 ordinations per year over the past three years. For those in Pre-Theology, or Major Seminary, the annual cost to the diocese is approximately $25,000 per seminarian.
Currently, these costs are paid from the annual Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal, the annual diocesan collection for seminarian support along with interest from the Diocesan Seminarian Endowment. The Diocesan Seminarian Endowment is currently
producing approximately $125,000 in income per year. Last year alone the diocese spent over $570,000 to educate our seminarians and run the vocations office. Through the Our Heritage, Our Hope Campaign the people of our diocese will contribute $1,000,000 to the Diocesan Seminarian Endowment. 

Priest Retirement Endowment | $1,000,000
As the primary spiritual leaders of parish communities, our priests deserve support in retirement. The diocese would like to increase the current Priest Retirement Endowment that benefits our retired priests by $1,000,000. Currently, the funding for
pensions is insufficient and must be increased if we are to fulfill our obligation to them. The diocese is currently providing monthly pensions to 30 retired priests at approximately $1,750 per month. To prepare for the number of our priests who will be
drawing on their pension in the near future, we must make sure we have the funds available so that they can receive proper benefits upon retirement. 

Religious Ministry | $500,000 
Since the inception of our diocese, we have been blessed to have numerous religious men and women carrying out their ministry in our state. There are currently 41 religious priests working in South Carolina along with 20 religious brothers and 131 religious sisters. We owe a great debt of gratitude to these religious men and women for their lifetime of service and dedication to the faithful. From the Our Heritage, Our Hope Campaign, $500,000 will be set aside to contribute to the special needs of
the orders in our diocese.