CAMPAIGN UPDATE
BY CARLA BEECHER
From underdogs to one united parish Natalie Battaglia Photography
How trust, mission and inclusion fuel the campaign When Father Thadeo Mgimba arrived on Chicago’s West Side during the uncertainty of the pandemic, he inherited more than aging buildings and limited resources: He stepped into a community still learning how to become one. What had once been two parishes — St. Martin de Porres in the Austin neighborhood and St. Agatha in North Lawndale — had officially united in 2022 under the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Renew My Church process. A year later, the newly formed parish was given a shared name, St. Simon of Cyrene Parish, while each church retained its historic identity. On paper, the merger was complete. In practice, healing divisions and building trust would take time.
Stewardship is not just about dollars raised, but about people empowered to build the Church together, generation to generation. By the time the parish entered Phase II of the Generation to Generation campaign, Father Thadeo saw an opportunity not just to raise funds but also to strengthen 14
the bonds of a small but deeply committed African American Catholic community. “From a Catholic perspective, we are a small parish,” he explained. “But in the African American context, a parish of 300 people is significant. Catholicism is not historically common in our community. The people who are here are deeply invested.” That investment became clear as the parish discerned its campaign priorities. Both church sites faced a practical but pressing challenge: parking. One location owned a parking lot that had never undergone repaving, while the other needed to acquire adjacent city property to serve a growing congregation. Without adequate parking, parishioners — especially seniors and families — struggled to attend Mass and parish events. “This wasn’t about convenience,” Father Thadeo said. “It was about survival and future vitality.” Still, he knew that asking for financial support required more than identifying donors with the capacity to give. The standard fundraising
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model encouraged him to focus on major donors — those who already gave the most money. But Father Thadeo believed that definition was too narrow. “In our parish, generosity shows up in different ways,” he said. “Some people give money. Others give time. Others give talent. All of them are major donors.” So, he took an unconventional approach. Instead of a single donor dinner, the parish hosted three. The first invited those known for their financial support. The second and third honored parishioners whose primary contributions were service and leadership — choir members, volunteers, organizers, and behindthe-scenes leaders with no official titles. “That second dinner changed everything,” he recalled. “People felt seen. They felt included. And when people know they matter, they give according to their ability.” Beyond the dinners, Father Thadeo focused on transparency and presence. He spoke openly from the pulpit about the parish’s needs,