In this Sunday’s first reading, we hear that “the one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens” (Sirach 35:16). We are reminded that God is a just and faithful listener. He is not swayed by status or outward appearances. He sees not just our actions, but also the heart and intention that drive them.
What we offer to God and to one another matters—but so does how we offer it.
This same idea can inform how we think about our annual Basilica Fund Appeal, which we launch each fall as a way of planning for the coming year. Our theme for 2025 is Gathered in Faith. Growing in Love. Giving with Joy. It speaks to the rhythm of parish life and the movement of grace among us.
We are gathered in faith every time we come together for Mass, prayer, and fellowship. We are growing in love through our relationship with Christ and in our interactions with one another. And we are giving with joy when we support this parish—not out of obligation, but with sincere and grateful hearts
Your generous response to this appeal lays the foundation for every aspect of parish life and for all The Basilica’s ministries, helping us welcome all those who come through our doors seeking comfort, hope, and community.
If you’ve already made your commitment to the annual Basilica Fund Appeal, thank you. Your early response is a true gift to our parish.
If you haven’t yet made a commitment, I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on what you love about this community and how you can help support its future. While gifts can be made at any time, we kindly ask that you let us know your commitment for the coming year by November 1, if possible. You can use the envelopes in the pews or visit mary.org/give to make your commitment today.
Whether you make a one-time gift, pledge an amount to pay at a later date, or set up recurring giving, your generosity helps us build a thoughtful, mission-driven budget that sustains our ministry to our parish and the wider community and deepens our shared life of faith.
As Saint Teresa of Calcutta once said, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” At The Basilica, that love is evident every day in the way we welcome strangers, share beauty, offer care, and walk together in faith.
That love is also reflected in the generosity of so many individuals and families who call The Basilica their spiritual home. Each gives according to their own circumstances—freely, faithfully, and from the heart. We give what we can. We give because we care. And we give with the trust that, together, our gifts will help carry the mission of this parish forward.
Let us then continue to approach the Lord with humble, willing, and grateful hearts—and to build together a parish where love is lived, Christ is encountered, and every act of generosity is a sign of God’s grace at work among us.
Leah Santer
Associate Director of Annual Giving & Donor Stewardship