Taking the advice of the Pope: dare to dream

Friday, July 8th, 2016

Here are four ideas that have helped me move forward with my dream of making a difference in the Church

Last month, Pope Francis had an inspirational message for the laity, “Dare to dream!”. I am energised by his words because they reminded me why I left everything to follow Christ.

Five years ago, I asked myself, “How can I help ensure that the next generation of Catholics find the Church in a stronger, more dynamic and vibrant state than it is in now?”

I was shocked by what my generation had inherited. I was in my late 20s, and throughout those first three decades of my life, it seemed like I had grown up in a Church blighted by one crisis and scandal after another.

Also, with each passing year, I had seen the number of Mass attendees dwindle, while the majority of my friends no longer practicing the faith. I was usually the youngest adult attending Mass on Sunday, and, looking at the average age around me, I wondered what I could do.

After much prayer and reflection, I quit my comfortable job in technology consulting, along with all its benefits, to work for the Catholic Church in London as a fundraiser. Fundraising seemed like a good fit for me, as I was already comfortable with topics such as money, finance and budgets.

I also had a deep affinity for how young Jesus was when he started his mission. He left his work as a carpenter to carry out the mission of spreading the Good News.

Since then, there have been days when I have struggled with my new career as a fundraiser. It is hard to operate within a branch of the Church (money-gathering) which has frequently been riddled with greediness, mismanagement and bad press. I, however, do not regret my decision for one moment.

During my time as a Catholic fundraiser, I have learned what it takes to follow a vocation as a layman within the Church, and I am ecstatic to have left my career to take the narrow path. On this road, I have been successful at raising funds for dioceses, parishes, charities, individuals and religious orders, helping them grow in zeal and prominence. Continue reading