Earlier this year, Bishop Luis authorized a study to review how various entities in the Diocese of Raleigh, including The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, the Bishop’s Annual Appeal and Catholic Charities, among others, raise funds to support the ministries that serve the people of eastern North Carolina. The study, which was completed in August, was led by Timothy A. Mann, President of the Foundation Board of Directors, and Fr. Michael Burbeck, Vicar General of the Diocese of Raleigh, and conducted by an outside consulting group with expertise in Catholic development and leadership.
The results of the study led Bishop Luis to determine that all development activities in the Diocese of Raleigh should be more centralized and coordinated. He then initiated a more in-depth planning process to define and structure a broader funding approach to help the diocese manage growth, expand ministries, provide better service to parishes and schools and build better relationships with our generous donors.
While this new vision becomes reality over time, the services provided by the various entities and development activities necessary to support those services, will remain unchanged. The various development and operational staff of these entities, including the Foundation, remain in place and wholly focused on serving the people of our diocese while planning to improve and expand future efforts is underway.
In an effort to further expedite and streamline that planning, the current Board of Directors of The Foundation has offered to resign at the end of September.
“This opportunity to rebrand the fund-raising efforts of the Diocese requires wholesale change and complete alignment of all involved. It is my firm belief a change of leadership will assist in expediting this transition and now is the proper time to enact that change,” Timothy A. Mann, outgoing Foundation Board of Directors president.
“I cannot express my thanks enough to Tim Mann, John Byrne, Michael Goodmon, Dean Penny and previous board leadership of the foundation, for their hard work and dedication,” said Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama. “It is a testament to their ongoing commitment and service that they have offered their continued support of these efforts while unselfishly stepping aside from their appointed leadership roles to let a new vision more quickly take shape.”
Overseeing the work of the Foundation, in addition to the investment advisory committee which remains in place, will be a three-person board appointed by Bishop Luis which includes, Fr. Michael Burbeck, Vicar General of the Diocese of Raleigh; Dr. Russell Elmayan, Chief Financial Officer of the Diocese of Raleigh and Mr. Frank Tortora, General Counsel of the Diocese of Raleigh. A Transition Team is being formed by this board to manage the project that will include representatives from each fundraising group, diocesan clergy, members of the Bishop’s executive staff and lay fundraising professionals.
“I am blessed as a bishop to be in this great diocese in which one of our biggest challenges is to manage the growing number of people who require and deserve sacramental care, Catholic education and a range of ministries and services,” said Bishop Luis. “I am equally blessed that the faithful continue to joyfully welcome our growing family and embrace the opportunity to serve and support one another.”