Mike Murray | Email: mmurray@ccdallas.org | Phone: 214-842-7245
September 2021
Hello, I am Mike Murray, Chief Development Officer at Catholic Charities Dallas.
I have chosen to talk to you today about culture, a culture of Philanthropy. That word may make some of us uncomfortable, we may not think of ourselves as ‘philanthropists,’ but it is a useful term because of its etymological meaning. It literally means “love of mankind.” And of course, we all strive to love our fellowmen.
We strive to have a culture of philanthropy at Catholic Charities. The late Catholic spiritual writer and priest Henri Nouwen said “Fundraising is a form of ministry. We are inviting you to invest yourself through the resources that God has given you.”
Philanthropy naturally requires excellent stewardship. Because we take philanthropy seriously, we take stewardship seriously. We use your money wisely and put it back into the mission as quickly and efficiently as we can. We are strengthening our fundraising and stewardship because we want to honor your generosity and build sustained support for our mission.
But it is not about us, it is about our clients, their needs, and their lives. It is also about you. We are a channel for your giving. Your giving directly affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year. By giving to Catholic Charities, you are giving to your fellow man, who is often in serious and sometimes desperate need.
We also try to cultivate philanthropy in our community. Generosity is a Christian virtue and practicing the virtues is a central part of our Catholic Faith. It is who we are, what we want to be, what God is calling us to be.
So, thank you for living out your faith by generously supporting Catholic Charities with your time, resources, wisdom, and experience. By doing so, you are truly loving your fellowman.
Thank you and God bless.
