A Case for Support

1 Dear Catholic Faithful, I was a 25-year-old seminarian when Pope John Paul II came to Colorado for in 1993. On the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1993, while standing among my fellow seminarians in excited anticipation of the open-air Mass at Cherry Creek State Park, the Pope passed by and uttered to me, “Rocco! You will hold the Gospel for me today!” While I was humbled beyond words to stand in front of the Holy Father and prop open the Gospel, it was the overarching theme of his visit to Colorado that has remained with me: I came that they might have life and have it to the full. (Jn 10:10) As Pastor at Saint John XXIII Church, in conjunction with Father Joe Grady and the church staff, we strive to provide an avenue for God’s grace to be fully present among Catholic college students, in order that they can indeed experience life to the fullest while attending Colorado State University. It is through the Ram Catholic ministry that we reach out to Catholic students in the spirit of Saint John Paul II’s 1993 World Youth Day exhortation: “ This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops. Do not be afraid to break out of comfortable and routine modes of living in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern metropolis.” As you look to the top of this page at the branding image for this capital campaign, I invite you to see the rooftop of the New Evangelization. The beautiful church, that we are going to build together, will be an outpost of the Kingdom of Heaven; a place where, at this critical moment in the history of the Church and the World, God will make Himself undeniably present; a place where the Sacraments will gush forth to feed, forgive, heal, and transform lives; a place that will walk with countless souls in their pilgrim journey to Heaven. Through the formation of a fruitful association between the Archdiocese of Denver and Blackbird Investments (which you will learn more about in the following pages), God will use Saint John XXIII Church to establish a healthy community for Catholic students attending Colorado State University. A holy space to grow in faith, grow in friendship, experience legitimate fellowship, and live in a faith-filled environment— all in one Campus West location. Thank you for enthusiastically joining me in this endeavor of the New Evangelization. With Saint Michael the Archangel as our guide and protector, let us recognize that God has formed us as the church militant and let us move forward courageously to finish what we have begun with this campaign. Then, in the fullness of time, may we hear our Lord say, well done my good and faithful servant, now enter into your eternal joy.

Grace and Peace,

If all we did was what we thought was possible, we would take the credit for ourselves. So let us set out to do what only God can accomplish. Then, when the beautiful church is complete, we will praise Him for making the impossible, possible.

Very Rev. Rocco Porter, V.F. “ Pastor, St. John XXIII

2 3 2 OUR VISION

Beginning in the 1960’s, the Fort Collins Catholic community recognized the necessity for campus ministry to serve the spiritual needs of Catholic students at Colorado State University. By the gracious gift of Tom and Ginnie Gleason and other church founders, the community acquired a significant plot of highly valuable and desirable land on the west side of the campus, and the Saint John XXIII University Center came to fruition in 1969. Since then, due to the vision of dedicated pastors and parishioners, the University Center has expanded its facilities with an enlarged narthex, additional meeting space, expanded offices, the acquisition of an auxiliary (event center) building, and the acquirement and remodeling of an unattached rectory. Each of these spaces have supported the growth of Campus Ministry, to a point that today, Saint John XXIII is once again short of space. By building a beautiful new church where the gas station once existed, Saint John XXIII Church possesses the ability to create an undeniable presence on the campus of Colorado State University. The substantial redevelopment of St. John XXIII campus facilities is envisioned to be centered on the construction of a new beautiful connected to a soaring bell tower. The church will be constructed in traditional Romanesque-style, built on a cruciform plan with a proper narthex, nave, apse and transepts. The interior will include a main altar dedicated to the Roman Rite, with side chapels designed for the Byzantine Rite, and the Tridentine Mass. The exterior of the church will open into a broad piazza with a bronze statue of Saint Michael the Archangel magnificently placed in a central water fountain. The western edge of the piazza will spill into a welcoming and active and parish offices which will be wrapped into a multi-level parking structure. West of the parking structure to the end of the church’s property line at City Park Drive, a 600 bed Catholic student housing complex is envisioned to be built by Blackbird Investments. When I first came to CSU, faith was not a priority in my life. I was struggling to belong, and that resulted in me tying my identity Combining all these projects together on our church property, we endeavor to develop a to things that I thought could do that for me, such as the cheer team or joining a sorority. After an encounter with someone from the campus ministry, I was introduced to the parish community and began to meet people who would quickly become some of my flourishing Catholic community for future students attending Colorado State University. best friends. I felt that I was being lead closer to Jesus and was learning more about His Church through these authentic friendships. These students will be gifted with a sacred location containing God’s undeniable Shortly thereafter, I signed up for RCIA and entered the Church at the Easter vigil Mass this past spring. After encouraging a group presence and will hopefully become for them a location of encounter between the of women in my sorority to come to St. John XXIII with me for the candlelight Mass each week, they have each also had powerful Lord and His people, where they will also find their place within the Body of Christ. ““ encounters with Christ.

4 5 TAYLOR ZENNO OUR CURRENT CAMPUS MINISTRY SITUATION

Since 2012, Saint John XXIII has experienced a significant increase in Campus Ministry, growing from 150 involved students to over 1,400 today. Student participation is expected to grow exponentially as there are an estimated 6,000 Catholic students currently on campus. In the spirit of our founders, it is the objective of the Catholic community at St. John XXIII to embrace them in some form of Campus Ministry. The increase of student participation has created a situation in which Saint John XXIII currently lacks the physical space to evangelize Colorado State University students in programs such as Bible studies, prayer groups, and large group gatherings.

I was baptized and confirmed Catholic, but only attended Mass with family on Christmas and Easter. I thought God’s plan for me involved a boring life with strict rules that nobody wanted to follow. During the first week of school, I met the campus ministry team, who invited me to Mass on the grass, and then into a freshman bible study. By the grace of God, I attended both mass and bible study, which turned into a weekly commitment. This was a very pivotal time in my life because I was joining a fraternity and discovering my faith. The St. John XXIII community is alive and welcoming, a place that makes you want to come back. The availability of sacraments made it possible for me to surrender my life to Jesus Christ. “

6 7 JOSH FRENETTE OUR CURRENT OPPORTUNITY

Saint John XXIII Church and its additional property is uniquely positioned across Shields Avenue on the western edge of the Colorado State University Campus. However, until recently, its visibility had been obstructed by a retail convenience store and full-service gas station. On May 11, 2018, after the gas station owner removed the buildings and cleaned the site of any remnant contamination, Saint John the XXIII Church took advantage of the very rare opportunity to purchase the gas station property for $1.6 million dollars. To pay for the property, the church obtained a loan through the Archdiocese of Denver. The church intends to enter into a 99-year lease of the property (at year 100, the church re-acquires it for $1 dollar) that includes the current church, the rectory, and the open space between them (approximately 2.8 acres), for $10 million dollars. Blackbird Investments, the devoutly Catholic developer leasing the property, plans to raze the current church and rectory to construct the Lombardy Catholic Student Housing consisting of 600 beds. At Blackbird’s expense, a $4.6 million dollar, 450-stall parking structure, designed to service the church and the occupants of the Catholic student housing will be constructed. Included in the architecture of the parking structure, the developer will offer space for staff offices, a Newman Center, and parish offices. For the first time in the history of the Denver Archdiocese, Blackbird Investments is offering Catholic investors an opportunity to buy in to the student housing project as a means of generating a financial return on their investment. In accordance with this plan, investors will agree that a percentage of their financial return will be dedicated to the church project in a manner that provides $22.4 million toward the development of the church project. This plan allows for investors to take a reduced return on their investment dollars in order to make a tax-deductible donation to the capital campaign for the new church. Blackbird’s goal is for these donations to pay for the lion share of the new, beautiful church. To pay for the remaining balance of the new church development, Saint John XXIII will enter into a five-year capital campaign.

8 9 THE PARISH BENEFIT 5 YEAR CAMPAIGN NUMBERS AT-A-GLANCE

Although the total cost of the project, including the new church, Newman Center, parish hall, and parking structure is estimated to be $31,000,000, the total financial obligation of Saint John XXIII will be $8.6 million dollars. The project will be paid for from the following sources: $8.6 M $8.6 million from the five-year Saint John + $10 million from leasing a portion of the current church property. Needed XXIII capital campaign. $8.6 million + $3 million from a pledge agreement with Blackbird Investments.

+ $4.6 million for the parking garage – in-kind contribution from Blackbird Investments.

+ $4.8 million for the Newman center and church offices – In-kind contribution from Blackbird Investments. $10 million from leasing a portion of the + $8.6 million from the five-year Saint John XXIII capital campaign. current church property. One important aspect of the financial plan is that the fellowship hall will provide a modest income stream from hall rental charged to users beyond the Parish and Catholic Campus Ministry. $3 million from a pledge agreement $22.4 M with Blackbird Investments. Committed

$4.8 million for the Newman center and church offices – in-kind contribution from Blackbird Investments.

$4.6 million for the parking garage – in-kind contribution from Blackbird Investments.

10 11 When I first came to CSU I was really nervous about meeting new people with the same values. I struggled my freshman year but later found St. John XXIII. I felt an overwhelming sense of peace there. I felt that I had found my home away from home - a place where people wanted (and pushed) you to strive towards Christ. The parish community helped me find authentic friendships, true joy, and most importantly, a deeper relationship with Christ, which is the best college experience one could ever ask for. I experienced something that I have never been able to find in any other community or club, which is the love of Christ. “

12 13 REBECCA GONSALVES 14 15 5 YEAR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN PROJECTED GIFT SUMMARY

GIFT AMOUNT # OF PROSPECTS # OF GIFTS ONE YEAR FIVE YEAR ANNUAL PER DONOR PER YEAR CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE PER DONOR

$150,000 6 1 $150,000 $750,000 $150,000

$75,000 8 2 $150,000 $750,000 $75,000

$40,000 8 3 $120,000 $600,000 $40,000

$20,000 18 6 $120,000 $600,000 $20,000

$15,000 Annual or $1250 $15,000 20 $120,000 $600,000 8 per month or $313 per week

$10,000 Annual or $834 per $10,000 20 $90,000 $450,000 9 month or $209 per week

$5,000 Annual or $417 per $5,000 130 $325,000 $1,625,000 65 month or $105 per week

$2500 Annual or $208 $2,500 390 $455,000 $2,275,000 182 per month or $53 per week

$1000 Annual or $83 per $1,000 400 190 $190,000 $950,000 month or $21 per week

TOTAL 980 486 $1,720,000 $8,600,000

16 17 18 19 WHY NOW

Since the purchase of the convenience store/gas station lot, the church enjoys excellent frontage exposure along Shields Avenue facing Colorado State University. The visibility allowed by this property affords an opportunity to advance the vision of Tom and Ginnie Gleason to make Jesus Christ and His Church undeniably present to countless college students. The church’s sense of urgency to build the church and new church facilities is magnified by the deeply troubled culture we live in today and the many temptations college students face when they move away from home. We believe the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church is the “Rock” God established on earth for dispersing His love and Divine Mercy. At this critical moment in Church history, we believe a highly visible Catholic Church, possessing a dynamic Campus Ministry, will serve as the “Rock” for Colorado State University college students seeking their footing. The culture of the Catholic Church, with Jesus Christ as its Head, is a culture of life. We desire for the visible and divine beauty of the new church to appeal to every one of the estimated 6,000 Catholic college students at Colorado State University. The help and support of our benefactors will provide enough new space to embrace all of them into the Church’s culture of life; a culture of healthy belonging, faithful friendship, sobriety, and purity of heart; a culture that ultimately transforms them into the sacred image and likeness of God.

20 21 A CALL TO ACTION

We believe God desires this church to be built as means of the New Evangelization. This is the New Evangelization Saint John Paul II called the faithful to live out in 1993 at World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, when he exhorted the faithful to evangelize from the rooftops. We believe He will use this church to sacramentally love and heal His children, to reclaim His lost sheep, and to lavishly spill out His Divine Mercy upon the students at Colorado State University. We invite you to join us i n the call of the Gospel to “Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find” (Matthew 22:9). We invite you to give of your time, talent, and treasure to build this Holy Altar where God will make Himself wholeheartedly present, and where His beloved children will hear Him lovingly say, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

There are many ways for each of us to participate in this capital campaign: + Pray for the success of the campaign. Consider that together we comprise the Church Militant and think of this campaign as a Holy War, whose objective is to shed light into the darkness of the world and overcome it.

+ Consider fasting one day a week and offering your sacrifice to God for His Will to be done in all phases of this project.

+ Volunteer as a Steering Committee Member. This leadership committee is the key link between the Church and the prospective donor/ leader community. The Steering Community is engaged from the early phase throughout the life of the campaign.  Contact Campaign Manager, Luke Hecker at [email protected]

+ Volunteer as a Special Event Committee Member. Working under the leadership of the Special Event Chair, this volunteer group assists with the setup, production, and cleanup of special events related to five-year Saint John Let us exuberantly join together in a common endeavor to build a New Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Let us do so with XXIII Undeniable Presence Capital Campaign. great love and abundant generosity, that in the fullness of time we may hear God say, “Well done my good and faithful servant. Come share in your master’s joy.”  Contact Rachel Kujawa at [email protected] + Give of your financial treasure to support the campaign. Think of your dollars as the talents God entrusted to you to invest. Contemplate that “ upon His return He will seek an accounting of how you invested those talents.

22 23 MATTHEW 25:23 SAINTJOHN.CHURCH/PRESENCE

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