Webathon: We are way behind our schedule to reach $50,000

Wednesday afternoon in our Kansas City office and we have raised some $15,000 of the $50,000 we hope to raise by the end of this week’s Webathon. $15,000 is no little stack of cash – but it is a long way from fulfilling our hopes for the outcome of this week.

First, we are grateful to those of you who have already given; now, once again, I ask those of you who have procrastinated to give now. Move us along. Give us the momentum we need at this point.

Look, we are not building a NCR monument here. We are trying to put together the required money to continue to maintain and build this Web site in the months ahead. NCROnline.org belongs to all of us, all of those who come here day after day, searching for information and community.

Doesn’t it satisfy you to know that there is an independent, reliable Catholic news organization that acts on your behalf as a watchdog for the church? I know that some folks think everything would be better if there were no NCR and all Catholic journalists did was report the latest news releases by the local bishop. There is room for PR in the world -- and I respect folks who make their livings putting their organizations best feet forward. But don't call this journalism.

For example, were it not for NCR Catholics would not -- repeat “not” -- have learned how the women religious of the United States were reacting to the apostolic investigation by the Vatican of their religious communities. No one would ever have known that most religious communities were not complying with intrusive questions posed by the apostolic visitator. Most would never have learned how the women religious were meanwhile working across community lines to make the very best of a bad tasting lemon.

Today, on this site Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister, a former NCR board member and long time columnist, writes about the meaning of the Roy Bourgeois tragedy. She also speaks, in a video, about the importance of helping NCR.

The other day, Sr. Theresa Kane -- a former Leadership Conference of Women Religious head, a former head of the Mercy Sisters and a former NCR board member -- sent us a message saying how important she thinks NCR is in her life.

Here is what she said:

The Sisters of Mercy had a subscription to NCR since its inception, which is going on 50 years in a couple of years. I’ve been a subscriber personally since 1970. I have been closely affiliated with NCR since 1980 and was privileged to serve on its board of directors for nine years.

It’s my conviction that NCR has been a significant and powerful influence for renewal in the Catholic church since its beginning days and especially right after Vatican Council II. I believe that I speak for many people in saying that so much of what we have learned and our continued education in the changes that have occurred in the church -— the absolute necessity of so many of them -— has come to us not exclusively but primarily through NCR.From the beginning they have had very dedicated staff, some very creative people, farseeing people, who really knew that the future is very dependent on how we look at renewal, both spiritually and socially for our Catholic Church and also for our world.

So at this time I, with many other people, strongly encourage you to please offer whatever you may be able to afford for the support of NCR. Not only for the present but certainly into the future. Looking ahead, we know that we are going need NCR even more so. So therefore if there is any surplus money that you or some friends may have, I encourage you, beg of you, to please it to NCR.

Thank you.

And thank you, Sr. Theresa Kane, for that strong endorsement!

So this is the moment. We are beyond the half-way point in the week and well under the half-way mark in our goal. The last thing I want to do here at NCR is ask for money, but it becomes necessary -- and so I do it.

Please give now. Just click on this link.