The CatholiCity Message

Volume IV, Number 17 – August 14, 2000

Dear CatholiCity Citizen,

Our warmest greetings in Christ, our Eternal King. We're ready to take your orders for our brand new, free Rosary CD! (More info below.)

CatholiCity? It's about serving hundreds of thousands of Catholics worldwide. It's about a refreshing zeal for souls that puts an attractive sparkle in your eye. It's about conversions. Reversions after decades away from the sacraments. Passionate, timely online support for the believer. A perfect "on ramp" into Catholicism for the Internet soul surfing in on a lark.

High quality, effective, truly free Catholic books, tapes, and CDs delivered to your door with utmost care and speed. An oasis and network of Catholic interactive conversation 24 hours a day, across the world. It's about 22,000 families praying together every other week. It's about calling a spade a spade (with a charitable tone) when it comes to the truth about Catholicism.

It's a good laugh, not taking ourselves too seriously. Answering your Customer Service inquiries quickly -- by the thousands -- yet treating every Citizen like a human being who has particular worries, needs, quirks, and a hectic schedule. It's about feeling okay to be a normal Catholic in a God-ignoring, family-degrading, fetus-killing world. It's about flying the poverty-filled flag of Jesus in a billion-dollar Internet ocean of pornography. It's about openly loving Immaculate Mary 'til our hearts burst! That's what CatholiCity is all about. CatholiCity is about quietly cutting through the noise of our lives and leaving you, us...everyone who comes here...different than when they first arrived. So let's begin...

TAKE IT SLOW
We hope you'll pray with us in the next paragraph, and that you will take a few minutes to read this message with an open heart. We only ask that you really, truly read our words. We're sure you'll read things that you will find quite interesting, regardless of whether you want to participate. Hear our voice, as if we were right there next to you and your computer. Please don't scan our message like we have all scanned so many emails. If you've been getting the CatholiCity Message, then you know us well enough. If you have had any kind of experience with CatholiCity's parent, the Mary Foundation, then you know we have a ten year history of doing exactly what we say we're going to do, even if it sounds impossible. You know we love Our Lady. It's no coincidence that everything lined up this year so this message falls on the feastday of our patron, Saint Maximilian, whom our beloved Pope John Paul II called "the modern saint." Uncle Max, of course, used technology to reach millions. This appeal also falls on the last day of a 54 Day Rosary Novena many of us began in September. Coincidence? No way. If someone told us 54 days ago that we would become the first Catholic apostolate to release CDs, much less offer them free of charge, we would have bust a gut laughing. Our Lady, as always, had a better plan. So, let's pray now, all 22,000 of us, and bring pure grace into the world...

OUR PRAYER
This is one of our favorites, an adjustable prayer we composed years ago, and it's the prayer we use when we speak in public, teach a class, sit down to write, or convene a meeting with our coworkers. "Come Holy Spirit, make up for our flaws with Your perfect divinity. Father in Heaven, give us the daily bread of faith. Guardian Angels, speak in our hearts as we read today's message. Saint Anthony, help us find the words which will help save souls. Saint Jude, help the hopeless writer of this message. Mother Mary, we consecrate our lives and today's tax drive to your Immaculate Heart for the salvation of the greatest number of souls. Dear, Sweet Jesus, not our words, but Yours. Amen."

COFFEE MUGS?
Except for the previous two tax drives, which we began at your request, we never write fund-raising letters, but as working writers, we do know how they are "supposed to be" written , and believe us, we broke every rule in the book with the three paragraphs above. According to the so-called "professionals," we were supposed to hit you square in the jaw by telling you how "hard it is for us" to have to write this. We're supposed to especially direct our words to the rich people reading this. We're supposed to "grab" you with a gimmick -- a crisis that needs to be averted, a "big idea" to open your purses. We're supposed to offer you a bonus if you send over a certain amount. Perhaps a coffee mug.

BLESSED
For whatever reason, that's just not us, and never will be. And we're actually very very glad, and we feel incredibly blessed to have the honor, the privilege, and the vocation to ask each one of you to send us some money once a year. And it's never hard at all to tell you the truth. You guys are so good to us. You treat us so well. We're supremely psyched. We've seen dozens of other Catholic apostolates start with a flourish over the years, and regrettably, most don't make it. We are all blessed to be here, fighting the good fight online every day, 365 days a year! After coming within days of shutting down just two short years ago, after praying about this for months, we believe CatholiCity is ready to go to the next level of reaching souls online. You got us this far -- we know -- we just know -- you're going to help us kick in the afterburners on this Feast of Saint Maximilian, during this incredible Jubilee Year of Grace.

HOW MUCH DO WE NEED?
We honestly don't know. (Ooops. we just broke another "fund-raising rule.") The Internet is such an incredibly fertile medium for snatching souls like ripe fruit off a tree that we could literally spend one million dollars within twelve months and increase the number of conversions, marriages, and reversions fostered through CatholiCity tenfold. We don't think we could spend more than that, however, because it would take that much time to hire just the right kind of workers, ramp up the computers, etc. Right now, we spend $1100 a month on a T1 line (next to the Vatican site, we believe CatholiCity was the first Catholic website to have a T1). We pay two talented full-time workers decent salaries to feed themselves and keep a roof over their heads while they make sure the website stays fresh, squash endless bugs, and answer many thousands of Customer Service inquiries. With the insane "dot.com" craze driving computer salaries up, our webmaster with a prestigious degree in computer engineering, and our Director of Interactive Communications, could probably make a lot more money somewhere else, but they are true apostles. They love working for you. Because of the spiritual nature of their work, they do have to put up with sometimes bizarre spiritual attacks. They keep "the City," as they call it, humming. Throw in software upgrades, a few consulting hours from our former (genius) webmaster, and the odd new computer, the total comes to over $90,000 to "tread water."

AN EXCELLENT TREND
As we mentioned in a recent CatholiCity Message, the current trend in which a growing number of you request Mary Foundation audio tapes and Saint Jude Media novels online -- along with the resulting donations -- are beginning to offset these fixed expenses significantly. CatholiCity is not going to shut down during the Jubilee Year. So if most of you decide not to "pay your taxes" this year, CatholiCity will continue to hobble along on life support. We'll continue to bring Father McCloskey's articles to you, introduce you to the grace-filled talents of singers like Marie Bellet, speakers like Father Corapi and Father Larry Richards (all of whom were unknown before CatholiCity introduced them to the world). We'll bring you free offers and discounts from other Catholic organizations, organize international 54 Day Rosary Novenas, and so on. We'll offer free Mary Foundation audios. You'll be the first to find out about our novels. The most well-thought-out Catholic Links page on the Net will stay online. The list goes on an on. Of course, as long as we're breathing, we'll keep writing the CatholiCity Message, and like Cracker Jacks, there will always be a nifty surprise inside every in-box.

SOULS FOR THE BUCK
Ever heard of the expression "bang for the buck?" Think "Souls for the buck." The idea is to use technology and high volume production (and gobs of pure sweet grace and the prayers of thousands), in imitation of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, to make things so inexpensive that anyone can participate in our work. We give everything away so you can give to others. "Give freely what has been given to you." Who said that? Jesus. Giving you eight free Rosary CDs is much more exciting "soul for the buck-wise" than giving you one free Rosary CD. Technology, high volume, faith, and... a certain kind of holy chutzpah. That's our gift to you. You, in return, shower us with gifts. You do the real "work." So simple. So difficult. In financial terms, it really does cost other apostolates $15 to produce, market, ship, and distribute a few hundred or a few thousand CDs or books. For us, after an initial investment of $75,000 (and we still get nervous signing those big checks, as we did last week when those 50,000 Rosary CDs arrived on a truck), it will only cost us $2 per CD, including shipping, overhead, packaging, labor, etc. But only if we give them away by the tens of thousands.

SO THERE
We're pretty much done. It's time for you to decide if you want to be a part of what we do by making a sacrificial financial gift today. We told you last week that we're humbly asking for every single one of you to send us something. (And please, take us at our word, we know some of you can't afford to send us even $1, and that's okay -- prayer donations are just as crucial to "souls for the buck.") If everyone reading this pitches in, that would make it 22,000 CatholiCity Citizens working in unison. And 22,000 people doing anything changes the world. Last year, over two thousand Citizens participated. That generosity brought us here, to the 14th of August, in the 2000th year of Our Lord. In 48 hours, we want to send you an email telling you that just about every Citizen took part.

GRACE MAKES THE WORLD GO-ROUND
No fundraising letter we've read ever really talked about the spiritual nature of charitable gift-giving. The dynamic is truly beautiful. This beauty compels us to remind you (and us) of a very important spiritual truth: In the order of grace, God isn't interested in numbers. One soul is worth more to Him than all the gold in the universe. God, not gold, is what matters. A lost soul is an immortal being of infinite value, and your donation is the worldly means which allows CatholiCity to feed those who Mother Teresa called the "poorest of the poor," those in the neo-pagan West, those who lack spiritual wealth. It's not 1996, when CatholiCity first went online and a tiny handful of us had email. The world is online now. The spiritually poor are online with us, and very often, CatholiCity may be the only path by which God can touch their souls.

THE BLIP
Money? Today, money is a digital blip, an entry in a computer at your bank. Because of original sin, it seems as if we toil endlessly for those computer blips. Our vocations as fathers, pastors, moms, students, and single folk then require us to exchange these blips for groceries, housing, education, and clothing. Yet, beautifully, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we have the privilege and completely voluntary opportunity to transform a portion of those blips into tangible spiritual goods, thereby ennobling our work, and honoring and imitating the generous God who gave us our talents. We are in the world but not of it, as Saint Paul says. The practical atheist, the neopagan, doesn't understand money in spiritual terms. He thinks of money as a means to pleasure, safety, status, things. Cars, condos, corporations, and catsup. The man without faith buys some "thing" and it immediately begins to lose value, starts to fall apart, to "depreciate." It eventually gets "written off." The blip on the bank's computer is erased. To digital dust it returns.

WHAT GOD HAS IN HIS WALLET
The Christian, instead of only "buying" things, also gives gifts, and the gift increases with the giving. Love is the same way. Give love away, and it grows, and is then given away by the one who has received it, growing again. We, as Christians, understand implicitly that all our worldly wealth comes from God through the talents He gave us, through the employment He provides to us, and the intelligence He fostered as He leads us to prudent stewardship of our worldly possessions. As Saint John Chrysostom reminded you in our last CatholiCity Message, zeal for souls is valued by God more than martyrdom. God keeps our zeal in His wallet. You can rest assured that you have zeal for souls or you wouldn't be reading this. Zeal for souls defines CatholiCity Citizenship. That is so beautiful, isn't it? That's why we feel blessed to have the honor of writing to you today.

AS FOR YOU WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH WEALTH
We are going to ask you to give until it hurts this year. Talk to your spouse. Do what you've been meaning to do (or have done) for years: consider making CatholiCity part of your 10% tithe -- without excluding your other charities, of course. Only you can determine what the amount ought to be: $3,000? $100,000? $25,000? The more you give, the more souls CatholiCity will reach. You can even donate stocks. Surely God will refill your cup so you can give an even more substantial gift to another worthy charity next year. In the past two appeals, we gratefully received a handful of larger gifts, and maybe God is tapping you on the shoulder this year, whispering in your ear, telling you it's your turn? If you take that turn, we won't broadcast your name online or chisel your name into a brick so your left hand won't know what your right hand is doing. If any of you, wealthy or not-so-wealthy, want to offer your gift this year in the name of someone you love, living or deceased, we'll make sure that a Holy Mass is offered and we'll let you know the date.

FIRSTFRUITS
If you're not wealthy, remember, what we're doing today is not about numbers. He who has faith is rich. The same beautiful supernatural rule applies to all our Citizens: Our Lord promises you that you will receive back whatever you give one-hundredfold, often in grace, healing of relationships, and childlike faith. The amount is for you to decide. Not excluding your family's parish and your other charities which need help, 10% of your "first fruits," as Yahweh tells us in the Old Testament, is the rule of thumb. As we mentioned last year, only a few hundred people support us on a monthly basis, when in fact we need thousands of "Monthly Heroes" to expand CatholiCity, so please give full consideration to supporting us on a monthly basis, even at $5 or $10 per month. The technology of the Internet has made it easy for you to make monthly gifts online with a credit card using the URL below. If your financial circumstances change, you can stop on a dime, so to speak, by contacting us. Thank you so much!

And it's all tax-deductible. We'll never give your name and address to other organizations, and we'll send you free Rosary CDs and thank you letters signed by hand (not everything should be automated).

ABOUT THE FREE ROSARY CD
"The Mary Foundation Rosary" has been our #1 audio for three years running because you can use it every day, it has great voices, isn't too fast or too slow, and because it doesn't have extra prayers or meditations between decades. The newly-remastered version for the CD sounds crystal clear -- perfect. The recording also includes an exquisite Divine Mercy Chaplet (again, just right for every-day prayer), a four minute masterpiece called the History of the Rosary, and several wonderful daily prayers (including a profound Morning Offering). It's a perfect gift for someone new to the Rosary. This is important: your CDs will arrive in handsome, state-of-the-art polymer cases (not those hateful, sharp plastic "jewel" cases that always break). The combination of this polymer case with the CD itself, which also looks superb, gives it the substantive feel of value and taste when you give it to a soul in need. It will be a mighty tool for propagating the Holy Rosary. We'e counting on you to clean us out of all 50,000! Get extra copies for your car, your home, your friends and relatives, your parish. Don't be shy -- help yourself. It's our gift to you from Our Lady.

THE NUTS AND BOLTS: SNAIL MAIL
Below are three different ways to participate in our work financially this year, and we realize that many of you do not have credit cards or prefer to send your donations by regular mail. If so, please make your checks payable to "CatholiCity" and send it to:

CatholiCity
Tax Drive
PO Box 26101
Fairview Park OH 44126

If you want copies of the Rosary CD, just let us know how many when you write. Any amount you give over $2 per CD will go directly to the support of CatholiCity. For our beloved Citizens outside the U.S. and in Canada, please order online only. Thanks. If you prefer to "print out" a form to send by snailmail, you can get one here:

http://www.catholicity.com/support/donationform.html

DONATING ONLINE AND RECEIVING THE CDs
We've set up a special page just for this year's Tax Drive and Rosary CD. One thing about the Internet that always drives us nuts is how these huge and supposedly sophisticated websites make you go through a half-dozen pages to complete a simple credit card transaction. We designed and programmed a one-page wonder where you can make a one-time gift and tell us how many Rosary CDs you wish to receive. As always, we'll ship the CDs the same day, so you'll have them lickety-split. (Please don't forget to pray and ask Our Lady how much you should give):

https://secure.catholicity.com/order.html

WANNA BE A MONTHLY HERO?
If you don't wish to receive the Rosary CD or would like to give a monthly gift, you can go to our regular donation page here:

https://secure.catholicity.com/donation.html

THE MOST PRICELESS GIFT
Prayer. Don't be shy about letting us know that the only thing you can afford to send us is prayer -- the daily Rosary, offering a Mass, a Hail Mary in the morning, or a simple "I love you, Jesus, please help CatholiCity" this very minute. Prayer really is the most priceless gift you can give, and the gift every Citizen can give every day. Without grace, no soul can be saved. The evil one hates when you pray for us. Perhaps some of our wealthier Citizens need that little spiritual "nudge" your prayers will merit. Of course, our workers pray for you every day. We remember you every night during our family Rosary.

Don't forget to email this message to your friends. We'll get back to you soon with an update.

Yours in Christ,

Your Friends at CatholiCity