Saint John's Seminary posts record-breaking fundraising year

In response to a challenging year, the Saint John’s Seminary community rallied together to raise $550,029 for the Seminary Annual Fund, making the 2020-2021 fiscal year the most successful in unrestricted annual giving in the seminary’s recent history.

From enduring an unprecedented year of COVID restrictions and safety measures for our seminarians and students, to the virtual celebration of our 20-year anniversary of the Lay Formation Programs; Alumni, seminarians, lay students, faculty, staff and friends stepped up to support our mission with more than 650 donors contributing to the Annual Fund between July 1, 2020, and June 31, 2021.

The Annual Fund supplies critical support for the seminary’s current needs. During the past fiscal year, gifts to the Annual Fund helped provide the necessary funds to cover the cost of seminary education. Tuition alone does not cover the cost of education, while your generous support educates seminarians from across New England and beyond, it also provided technology solutions that enabled faculty and students to transition to online and hybrid learning.

The seminary has enjoyed significant success in the fundraising realm, with 265 new donors and an increase of alumni donations by 37%.

During the 2020-2021 fiscal year, Saint John’s Seminary also:

• Raised $50,000 through grants;

• Celebrated the first-ever Thank-a-thon in which our seminarians called donors to express their gratitude for their support;

• First time donor giving increased by 240%.

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About the Seminary: Founded in 1884, New England’s oldest Major Seminary, Saint John’s Seminary serves Catholic communities across the New England region and beyond by educating and training men to be Catholic priests and by providing a graduate education in Catholic Theology to the laity who serve the Church in a variety of different ministries.