How St. Elizabeth Ann Seton United Their Church & School Through Their Capital Campaign
At St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church & Seton Catholic School in Lexington, Kentucky, parish leadership faced a challenge familiar to many Catholic communities: balancing the financial needs of a thriving school with the liturgical, pastoral, and facility needs of the parish as a whole. Rather than treating these priorities as competing interests, the parish chose to unite them through a shared vision of stewardship and mission.
With guidance from Walsh & Associates, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton launched the Building to Share Capital Campaign to address three critical priorities: eliminating school construction debt, enhancing the church’s worship space, and finally constructing a long-planned, multi-purpose school gymnasium. Together, these goals reflected a belief that strong Catholic schools and strong parishes grow best when they are planned and funded together.
One Campus, One Vision
The Building to Share theme captured the parish’s commitment to unity. By addressing school debt alongside sanctuary improvements, leadership reinforced a clear message: the vitality of the school and the vitality of the parish were inseparable.
The new gymnasium became a tangible bridge between church and school life. For years, athletics, parish events, and performances competed for limited space. A dedicated facility would support physical education, performing arts, parish gatherings, and community outreach. It would serve students and parishioners alike and strengthening campus life as a whole.
Extraordinary Generosity Through Stewardship
When parish leadership presented a cohesive, mission-centered plan, the community responded with remarkable generosity. With an initial campaign goal of $1.5 million, parishioners pledged $2,790,013 by the end of their active campaign. That provided cash on-hand to eliminate their debt and momentum was still building toward their Ultimate Goal to achieve all their plans.
Pastor Rev. Charles Howell reflected that the campaign’s fruits extended well beyond financial success, describing it as a “call to conversion” and a deepening of trust and commitment within the parish community.
Guided by Walsh & Associates, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church & School offers a compelling example of how thoughtful planning, strong leadership, and faithful stewardship can transform a shared campus into a unified mission and position it for long-term vitality and service.
