CLEMENT COMMITS

Written By Nicole Zenner

We Give of Our First Fruits

HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM

Since 2003, Saint Clement Parish has been deepening its understanding of being a stewardship parish. The practical spirituality of stewardship is based in the scriptures. Spiritually, this means that each person in the parish is encouraged to spend time understanding how all that they “have” is a gift from God and that each person is uniquely gifted. This leads to the next step of prayerfully deciding how those many gifts will be given back to God. This giving back is sacrificial because individually our time, talent, and treasure are limited resources. Practically, it means that as a parish we make a commitment to give of our “first fruits” to needs beyond our parish. We honor this commitment through Clement Commits, which donates 10% each fiscal year from our parish collections.

The Clement Commits program was originally designed to eliminate most second collections at Mass and to make a financial commitment as a parish to put our faith into action to serve those in need. The program began in 2003 at 7%, increasing each year until we reached our target of a full tithe of 10%. We proudly reached that goal in 2014.

The nature and scope of the Clement Commits program was unprecedented in the Chicago Archdiocese. Clement Commits represents a tangible expression of our parish mission as we strive to give meaning to our Mission, Vision, and Purpose that directly tie to our practical spirituality of stewardship—“Sharing Our Gifts.”

 

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

Clement Commits provides funding to outside organizations in two ways: (1) direct grants to organizations who apply to the program; and (2) contributions to second collections coordinated by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Of the 10% of total parish collections that makes up the Clement Commits funding: 

  • 70% is allocated in the form of direct grants

  • 30% is allocated to Archdiocesan second collections

DIRECT GRANTS

The Process: Organizations seeking grant funding through Clement Commits submit a written application. The Clement Commits committee and the parish staff liaison review all applications and submit a list of proposed recipients to the Pastor and representatives of the Pastoral Council and Finance Council for approval. Organizations that received grant funding the previous year are also required to submit a report detailing the use and impact of those funds. 

Selection Criteria:  We invite you to review our Clement Commits Mission & Guidelines for Direct Grant Allocations for the guidelines that are used in the grant allocation process.

ARCHDIOCESAN SECOND COLLECTIONS

Funds are currently allocated to initiatives supported by Archdiocesan second collections based upon parish giving to these collections prior to the start of the Clement Commits program in 2003. Thus, the percentages of Clement Commits funding to these initiatives are reflective of parishioner priorities at that time. (Donations made on special collection weeks, as designated by the Archdiocese, are not directed to those specific collections; rather, they are pooled together and then allocated to specific initiatives at the end of the fiscal year.) As over 15 years have passed since these percentages were set, Saint Clement plans to review the process for second collection allocations through Clement Commits and to systematically solicit parishioner feedback to update this aspect of the program. 

 

THE CLEMENT COMMITS COMMITTEE

ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE

The role of the Clement Commits committee as a body is to act as a Christian steward in monitoring and distributing 10% of Saint Clement parishioner contributions in service of the poor and other important social needs outside of the parish. The committee, composed of parishioners, a staff liaison, and the Pastor, is tasked with carefully reviewing all applications for direct grants and proposing funding recommendations for the Pastor's approval. 

2023 COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Parishioners:

  • Tara Carone

  • Angela Deichmann

  • Mark Kavanagh

  • Rachel Kirsh

  • Colleen McHugh

  • Peter Rossmann

  • Allen Wesolowski

Staff:

  • Fr. Peter Wojcik, Pastor

  • Martina Ricca, Director of Young Adult Ministry & Community Outreach

COMMITTEE MEMBER SELECTION PROCESSS

  • When a committee position is open, nominations will be accepted from existing committee members, parish staff, the Pastor, and parishioners. Parishioners are welcome to self-nominate.

  • Nominations will be reviewed by the Pastor, the Pastoral Council, and the current Clement Commits committee.

  • Members are expected to serve a three-year term, with a maximum of two terms.

 

ORGANIZATIONS FUNDED IN FY23

In our fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, Clement Commits donations totaled $220,000—allowing us to allocate $154,000 to community needs and $66,000 to Archdiocesan special collections. A total of 33 organizations throughout Chicago and beyond were supported:

2023 DIRECT GRANTS

  • Alpha Illinois: $10,000 – Alpha Illinois works with a growing network of churches and ministries throughout Chicago to train and equip teams to run Alpha. As a result, more people are encountering Christ, and churches are being transformed as their people are activated to share Jesus through Alpha.  Clement Commits funding will help the Alpha Illinois team to continue offering the Alpha resource and the local Alpha support as a gift to churches and orgs, invest time, energy, and resources building relationships with and serving leaders of color on the North, West, and South sides of Chicago, introduce Alpha to churches/orgs not only in Chicagoland, but in northern and central Illinois, and identify and support student ministry leaders. 

  • Catholic Charities Refugee Services: $5,000 - For more than 45 years, Catholic Charities has helped refugees from around the world to call Chicago home. Each year, they resettle around 80 refugees who have been forced to flee their homelands due to war, terror, and persecution. Funding from Clement Commits will be used to support general operating expenses for our Refugee Resettlement Program, specifically for client emergency assistance.  One-time federal government funding of $2,000 is provided to cover housing, household goods, food, and other necessities for refugees in the first 90 days of arrival. This amount is just a fraction of the finances needed to cover up to five years of assistance currently provided by our Refugee Resettlement Program. In some cases, it takes longer for refugees to sort out documentation, work and housing, funding would be used for emergency assistance to help cover additional cost that arise. For example, it has taken families longer than 60 days to acquire social security and a state id. Clement Commits funding would allow Catholic Charities to continue supporting these families throughout this entire process.

  • CommunityHealth: $4,000 - CommunityHealth was founded in 1993 by Dr. Serafino Gerella, who saw a vital need for a place where Chicago's uninsured could access free, high-quality health care. Clement Commits funding will be used to support the general operations of CommunityHealth, which focusess on the following goals: increasing health equity by providing access to regular, preventative care and timely, life-saving interventions; improving patient health by providing preventative care that leads to timely/effective treatment, reduced medical costs, and helps patients stay healthy; and providing patients with customized care in a medical home they trust.

  • House of the Good Shepherd/Madonna House (Catholic Charities): $7,500 - The mission of the House of the Good Shepherd/Madonna House is to serve with love and compassion any women and children affected by domestic violence by offering a safe place with opportunities for emotional, educational, and spiritual growth, giving hope and continued support for a better future. Clement Commits Funding will help with the general upkeep and maintenance of the separate apartments that remain available for families post-pandemic. In addition, the Clement Commits funds will be used to support the onsite, licensed childcare center with four certified staff in place to care for resident infants and toddlers. Aftercare has developed programing that focuses on school success through the use of tutoring programs and social and emotional development for students. House of the Good Shepherd has shifted its job readiness program to also include the enhancement of digital skills and language proficiency for program members.

  • Housing Opportunities & Maintenance for the Elderly (H.O.M.E.): $3,000 - Committed to improving the quality of life for Chicago’s low-income seniors, H.O.M.E. helps seniors remain independent and part of their community by offering opportunities for intergenerational living and by providing a variety of citywide support services. Clement Commits funding will allow H.O.M.E. to deliver affordable housing and housing support services for seniors, a population that is especially vulnerable to the health, social, and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Ignatian Spirituality Project: $2,000 - The Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) is a Jesuit ministry which invites people recovering from homelessness and addiction to encounter God’s love, hope and healing through spiritual companionship that transforms lives. To achieve this mission, ISP delivers spiritual care and companionship programs, including overnight retreats and ongoing spiritual reflection sessions, that walk with participants on the journey of recovery.  Clement Commits funding will allow ISP to support ISP Chicago program activities, including: overnight retreats for men and women recovering from homelessness and addiction, and spiritual reflection gatherings.

  • Immaculate Conception Parish (Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción) - El Salvador: $3,000 - Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción is a Catholic parish serving the 22 de abril community in El Salvador. It is the Sister Parish to Saint Clement. Funding from Clement Commits will go towards the Bajo Cielo School, it is aimed at children and young people who live in the 22 de Abril community and its surroundings.  

  • Iskali: $2,000 - Iskali is a Catholic organization that empowers and equips young Latinos from immigrant families in the Chicago area, helping them become transformative leaders. Recognizing the many challenges young Latinos face and the lack of resources specifically for this demographic, Iskali was founded to help bridge the gap in ministries and resources for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation immigrants through retreats, small group communities, a mentorship program, a scholarship fund, and other formative resources and leadership training opportunities. Funding would go towards Iskali’s programs such as the retreat program, mentorship program, and community ministry. The population that would be served is young Latinos ages 18-35 in the immigrant community, mainly from the West and South sides of Chicago.

  • Jean Donovan Association (Asociacion Jean Donovan) - El Salvador: $9,000 - The Jean Donovan Association is a community organization serving the 22 de abril community in El Salvador. The organization supports the community through initiatives related to education, health, employment, and environmental concerns. Clement Commits funding will support the organization's School Under the Sky program, which offers free educational programming to children otherwise unable to attend school and who are at risk of recruitment into gang activity. The program rotates its teaching between the community's surrounding regions to reach as many children as posssible. Funding will also support the upkeep of the association's vehicle, needed to reach families in need, and other social projects, including a medical clinic, pharmacy, and farm.

  • L’Arche Chicago: $2,500 - L’Arche Chicago supports adults with intellectual disabilities (core members) through intentional relationships in family-style homes, where they share life with other adults (assistants). The mission is to make known the gifts of people who have intellectual disabilities, revealed through mutually-transforming relationships, to foster an environment in community that responds to the changing needs of our members while being faithful to our core values, and to engage in the cultural fabric of our surrounding neighborhoods, working together toward a more just and inclusive society.  Clement Commits funding will be used to fund and train a "support crew" of assistants who are cross-trained at all three homes across Chicago. This is done so that the homes have an additional set of hands on-site to provide support for activities or community outings. The extra hands on-site at each house ensure continuous quality care for the core members and enhances programming.

  • Lincoln Park Community Services: $10,000 - Lincoln Park Community Services (LPCS) brings communities together to empower individuals facing homelessness and poverty to secure stable housing and make sustainable life changes. Founded in 1985, LPCS is a comprehensive social service agency serving adult men and women who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Clement Commits funding will support the general operating expenses of LPCS. The organization recently expanded services, including operating two facilities. They are currently in need of a new shower for their drop-in services and a van for their outreach program.  Funds from Clement Commits will allow Lincoln Park Community Services to continue supporting and expanding targeted work in Outreach and Drop-in services through our general operating funds. Clement Commits funds will help offset the need for supplies such as food, towels, scrubs, shower shoes, toiletries to support the programs.  

  • Little Sisters of the Poor: $5,000 - An international Roman Catholic religious community, the Little Sisters of the Poor have pledged their lives to serving and caring for the elderly poor. Founded in 1839 by St. Jeanne Jugan in Brittany, France, the Little Sisters have established homes in 31 countries throughout the world. Clement Commits funding will be used to help the Little Sisters of the Poor to continue providing a welcoming and caring home to their Residents, who receive nursing, medical, and social services here in Chicago.

  • Marillac St. Vincent Family Services: $5,000 - Each year, Marillac St. Vincent Family Services' commitment to the less fortunate positively impacts the lives of over 10,000 clients across all programs to fulfill their mission to strengthen, empower, and give voice to those in need -- in the Vincentian spirit of service -- through education and comprehensive programs to build vibrant communities in Chicago. MSV includes both St. Vincent de Paul Center and Marillac Social Center. Clement Commits funding will be used to support the Child Development Program and to support anti-violence efforts for at-risk children and teens in the Youth Services Program.

  • Mercy Home for Boys & Girls: $3,000 - Since 1887, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls has provided children and families with healing and tools to build brighter futures. It gives children who’ve experienced abuse, neglect, or violence a safe home, educational support, and career guidance. Clement Commits funding will go to support their Residential Care food program. This program provides nearly 140 youth with meals every day that they otherwise would not receive. With this nourishment, these young people can build healthy, independent lives full of opportunity.

  • Mission of Our Lady of the Angels: $5,000 - Established in 2005, the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels exists to establish a strong Catholic presence on the Westside of Chicago. The Mission brings hope, safe opportunities for community-building, material resources, and the light of Christ to those who are most in need. Clement Commits funding will be used to support the continued maintenance of the former Our Lady of the Angels school building. The building has been transformed into a new outreach center for the poor and a new center for volunteer housing/retreats. Funding will also help to maintain the Mission's food pantry which has tripled over the past two years and is directly impacted by increased gas and food prices.

  • Northside Housing and Supportive Services: $5,000 - North Side Housing has been serving men and women experiencing homelessness since 1983. Initially known as Lakeview Shelter operating in a church basement. Today, North Side Housing and Supportive Services is a comprehensive human services agency dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness. Respect and empathy are as important in rebuilding lives as food, housing and supportive services. Dedicated staff and volunteers empower our participants with skills and motivation. Clement Commits funding will help to support their 24-hour Emergency Shelter in Uptown, Day Support Services Center in Ravenswood, Permanent Housing, Housing System Navigation Program, and Integrated Health Services.

  • Office of Human Dignity & Solidarity, Archdiocese of Chicago—Immigration MInistry: $8,000 - In 2009, the Archdiocese created the Immigration Ministry to support a new vision that includes the immigrant-led ministry Pastoral Migratoria (PM). Their mission is to engage the Catholic Community in the mission of Jesus Christ to build communion between immigrants and the native-born, and to welcome and promote immigrants in their formation and integration as full members of society. Building on prior grants from Saint Clement, the $15,000 in new funds would support the 2023-24 Pastoral Migratoria (PM) implementation phase that will continue to deepen, strengthen, and revitalize the lay leadership infrastructure of this ministry in the Chicago Archdiocese. This includes supporting the formation, training, and civic and service actions of pastoral lay leaders at the parish level across Greater Chicago.

  • Our Lady of Mercy Parish: $28,000 - Our Lady of Mercy, Saint Clement's Sharing Parish, is a diverse parish with many ethnic groups that serves a large immigrant community. Clement Commits funding will be used to support the cost of staffing and other transitions associated with the Archdiocese of Chicago's Renew My Church program. Funding will allow our Sharing Parish to continue pastoral ministry, community-building, and religious education programming during this time of parish transition.

  • Regnum Christi: $2,000 - Regnum Christi is a Spiritual Family confirmed by a priestly congestion, Consecrated men and women, and lay people who work earnestly to share Christ’s love to all persons through retreats, prayer groups, missions, camps, schools, pilgrimages, and universities all around the world.  Funding from Clement Commits will help provide retreat scholarships for women. The funding will be used for women of all ages, races and parishes who are interested in deepening their relationship with God and have financial needs. 

  • Saint Mary of the Lake: $20,000 - For over a century, St. Mary of the Lake parish has been a welcoming home for Chicagoans of all ethnicities.  Saint Mary's began the soup kitchen program in April of 2022 to assist with a warm meal and a take-home sack meal every week for our neighbors in need. Over the last year over 5,000 warm dinners were served and close to 8,000 sack meals were distributed. Many of the people who come cannot sustain themselves as they suffer some form of mental illness.  Clement Commits funds will help sustain the Soup Kitchen by upgrading the space and renovating the bathrooms for all who come to be fed.   

  • Santa Teresita of the Child Jesus Children’s Home in the Diocese of Arecibo, Puerto Rico (via Catholic Extension): $5,000 - The children’s home, founded by the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation and the Parish of Santa Teresita of the Child Jesus, has welcomed over 500 children aged 3 to 8 during its 25 years in operation. Many of the children come from families devastated by drugs and/or poverty; many have experienced various forms of abuse. The home provides medical and psychological services, healthy food, and an education, in a loving environment where the kids can regain their dignity. This year’s funding will be used to assist and sustain this shelter so that they can continue to provide a loving and caring home for these children.

  • Welcoming the Stranger - Saint Clement Immigration Ministry: $10,000 - Welcoming the Stranger is the immigration ministry at Saint Clement. Since their inception in 2021, they have accompanied an asylum-seeking family from El Salvador and four Afghan families who were resettled in Chicago after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.  Through Catholic Charities, the Welcoming the Stranger Committee and Our Lady of Mercy parish will help to provide direct accompaniment, and financial, moral, emotional, and physical support to refugee families in the area.   

*Note: If no location is listed, the organization serves the local Chicago community. 

Sub-Total: Direct Grants $154,000 (70%)

ARCHDIOCESAN SECOND COLLECTIONS

30% of total Clement Commits funding is allocated to special collections as a whole.

Sub-Total: 2nd Collections $66,000 (30%)

TOTAL: Grants + Arch 2nd Collections $220,000

 

HOW CAN I DONATE TO CLEMENT COMMITS?

Each time you make a donation to Saint Clement Parish, you are donating to Clement Commits since 10% of all collections are distributed through our Clement Commits program. If you would like to make a separate donation to one of the Archdiocesan Special Collections, please click the link for that collection listed above. 

 

HOW CAN MY ORGANIZATION APPLY FOR CLEMENT COMMITS FUNDING?

If your organization would like to apply for Clement Commits funding for our next fiscal year, please fill out the funding request form below. If you received funding from Clement Commits in FY2023, and would like to again apply for funding for FY2024, please fill out BOTH forms below.  Note, the deadline for submission is Friday, May 10.  

 

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEMENT COMMITS?

Contact Martina Ricca, Director of Young Adult Ministry & Community Outreach, and Delaney Paul, Director of Stewardship & Development.

 
Nicole Zenner
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