Episode 4: Building Catholic Schools as Centers of Evangelization with Mission Driven Catholic
Welcome back to the Donor-Centric Approach podcast! We're thrilled to have you join us for another enlightening episode where we delve into the world of mission-driven organizations. Today, we have a special guest who is making significant strides in Catholic education. Introducing Dr. Dan Ergen, the co-founder of Mission-Driven Catholic, an organization dedicated to transforming Catholic schools into centers of evangelization, supporting families, and fostering the evangelizing mission of the Church.
The Start of a Mission-Driven Journey
Orlando Barros, your host, launches the discussion by welcoming Dr. Dan Ergen, who opens up about how Mission-Driven Catholic came to be. Alongside his wife, who co-founded the initiative, Dan explains that their journey started from a place of passion for souls and the church's mission. Both having long-standing experience in various ministries, they saw an opportunity to scale their impact beyond local boundaries once Dan left his position as a superintendent in a diocese. Together, they aimed to support Catholic schools nationwide.
Clarifying the Mission: Family-Centric Catholic Education
A common misconception about Catholic education is its student-centric viewpoint. Mission-Driven Catholic challenges this by focusing instead on family-centric education. The Church believes that parents are the primary educators of faith, and therefore, schools should target families to effectively spread the Church's mission. By supporting families, schools can truly become centers of evangelization—a distinctive approach that separates Mission-Driven Catholic from other initiatives.
Joyful Evangelizers: Encountering Christ in Schools
Dr. Ergen highlights the organization's commitment to being joyful evangelizers, aiming to facilitate encounters with Christ, not just for students but across the entire school community. The goal is to nurture spaces where principals, faculty, parents, and students can experience Christ's radical love and become unified under a shared mission of evangelization and excellence.
Milestones and Challenges of Early Stages
Reflecting on their journey, Dan shares numerous achievements, such as finishing their first nonprofit year in the black—a significant milestone for an organization starting without independent wealth. Establishing a supportive, mission-aligned board and hiring dedicated staff are other wins that underline success in the making. However, transitioning from an LLC to a nonprofit came with its own set of challenges, including adjusting to a different revenue structure and navigating the nonprofit sector's nuances.
Communicating the Mission and Attracting Clients
Orlando dives into the topic of effectively communicating the mission to potential donors. Dan acknowledges that while he's adept at asking for resources on behalf of other organizations, pitching for his own mission requires a unique approach. They aim to craft a message that's genuine and humbling, with a focus on illustrating how their work contributes to revitalizing Catholic schools by assisting them to fulfill their mission and purpose.
Strategic Growth and Future Directions
With a focus on philanthropy, Mission-Driven Catholic aims to build its funding base to expand its impact further. Dan articulates that while service contracts offer stability, the heart of their growth strategy lies in philanthropic efforts, freeing them to bring more people on board and alleviate the heavy lift currently resting on their small team.
Faith-Based Origins and the Role of Prayer
For Mission-Driven Catholic, being a faith-based organization is more than a label; it's at the core of their operations. Dan stresses the importance of prayer and discernment, both internally and with the communities they serve. This faith-oriented approach ensures they're continually aligned with God's will, serving as vessels for His work in Catholic education.
Conclusion: Building a Community of Faith
Dan closes by inviting listeners to become part of their prayer community through their daily podcast, the Catholic Daily Drive, and to learn more about their services through their website, missiondrivencatholic.com. Supporting schools on their journey to becoming centers of evangelization is not just their mission but a calling to build a wider community of faith.
In closing, we encourage you to think about the role of family-centric education in your communities and consider how organizations like Mission-Driven Catholic can enrich the lives of students, families, and the Catholic community at large. Whether through prayer, participation, or support, every contribution is a step towards fulfilling the church's mission. Let us remain mission-driven, placing God at the center and continually asking, "What is your will, Lord, for this journey?"
Thank you for joining us on this journey today. Until next time, remember to keep your donors at the heart and center of everything you do. God bless!
