You and I both know how successful St Bernard of Clairvaux was in doing the will of God – founded numerous monasteries, composed many written works, advised Popes, and helped reform the Benedictine order.
Today, he is a household name among Catholics.
He also offered wisdom to anyone considering launching an apostolate.
This advice is especially pertinent to anyone who wants to run an apostolate and fundraise. Check it out:
When you’re writing an appeal letter or an end-of-year appeal letter, the first thing you’ll think about is how to ask for a donation properly.
In other words, how do you lead up to the donation, and what words would you use?
That’s why I like turning to the saints for guidance.
Today, let us turn to Saint Paul, the Apostle.
You could write your appeal however you want. Or, you could get a better response by learning how Saint Paul captivated his audience – in particular, the Galatians.
That’s what this week’s video is all about:
I think the bar for Catholics who want to fundraise is to link your campaigns to the wisdom of the saints. That is why my fundraising campaigns have thrived all these years. It’s because I always use the saints and Church teaching as the foundation.
Today, let me share with you how divine providence connects with fundraising.
Catholics who fundraise often say, “I trust in divine providence when it comes to finding donations.”
What does that REALLY mean?
If you’ve ever wondered, “Can I raise funds?” – The answer is YES; you can.
But fundraising takes more than just asking.
Take, for example, the highly acclaimed spiritual guide, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis.
Here are three takeaways that I learned from this book that made a massive difference for me:
Check it out:
You have likely struggled to answer this question, wondering how the two can possibly coexist. You may have even had people complain to you that you should NOT be fundraising because as a Catholic, you should take a “vow of poverty.”
Okay… but how do you keep the lights on?
Whether you have taken a vow of poverty as a religious or strive to follow this Christian practice, the reality is you may have to fundraise to pay for the necessary costs of your vocation.
Therefore, how do you connect the vow of poverty with fundraising?
Enter Fr Alphonsus Rodriguez, a Jesuit priest from the 16th century and a renowned spiritual writer. He explains – in practical terms – how you and I can balance a vow of poverty and fundraising.
These ideas come from his masterpiece, The Practice of Christian & Religious Perfection.
Check it out:
I read a great biography on his life and discovered three incredibly helpful ideas on how to fundraise — so I wanted to share them with you.
This week’s article is all about what to do when wealthy people don’t donate and how to steward people’s donations (even if the pope gives you a gift!)
Check it out:
Many people give me excuses about why they are not planning, organizing, and launching a campaign. If you paused fundraising in, the time is NOW to get back on the saddle.
But don’t take my word for it.
Learn what Saint Bernard of Clairvaux says about making excuses for why there are no funds in your accounts. Take a look:
PS – the book that I refer to on Saint Bernard’s life can be found here. For more great books on saints, check out Traditional Catholic books.