Crowley Legacy Fund: Already it's bearing fruit

Call To Action was founded 20 years ago on the conviction that the world's bishops at Vatican II meant what they said: the Holy Spirit animates the whole people of God, and the Church must be open, inclusive, and responsive to the signs of the times. A leading proponent of such a Church, CTA has been called by the National Catholic Reporter "the strongest engine for U.S. Catholic renewal."

With your help, CTA has been developing the Crowley Legacy Fund - a multi-year campaign to sustain and strengthen CTA's voice and activities into the Third Millennium. We are seeking special gifts that will total $500,000 or more. Already, 625 people have responded with gifts from $3 to $30,000. We have raised more than $400,000. If you have responded, warm thanks! If not, we urge you to make a pledge to support the Crowley Legacy Fund before May 1.

Today the CTA movement - 20,741 members strong - stands poised to grow in substantial ways, not just in members but in outreach and effectiveness. In an era when the voices of retrenchment and "restoration" are louder than at any time since Vatican II, Call To Action must move on to new audiences and new challenges.

As CTA has matured, the organization has developed member feedback to analyze what community needs are not being adequately met. Over the past four years the Call To Action Board, assisted by regional affiliates' gatherings, national conference forums and staff input, has developed a list of initiatives needed to promote a just and inclusive Church, and to pursue vital justice issues in society. Here is our list - and some of the progress already made possible by contributors to the Crowley Legacy Fund:

Provide staff and resources to further advance a more distinctive social justice agenda. We need the Church to speak and act purposefully on the issues that threaten the human community. Already CTA has acquired a justice coordinator, Claire Noonan Bates, so that CTA can take a leading role counteracting a single social injustice, while continuing to collaborate with other national organizations on a range of other issues.

Support the development of the annual CTA Conference. At CTA Conference 2000 nine other organizations will hold concurrent Friday meetings. In 2001 we'll have national conferences in three parts of the U.S.

Develop and assist regional CTA affiliates. Additional resourcing has begun.

Increase CTA outreach to young adults both as members and conference attendees. Now in its third year, the Next Generation leadership advisory network has a summer retreat, reception and panels at conference. Outreach efforts are heavily subsidized by Crowley Legacy Fund.

Improve CTA outreach to African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and other minority groups. Hispanic outreach work has begun with a focus group of Hispanics who attended last year's conference. Helping to staff this effort is our new Development Assistant, Mauro Pineda, recently returned from three years at Chicago's mission in Mexico.

Upgrade electronic communication. Now operating: our www.cta-usa.org web site that is current and useful to researchers and activists; action alert lists for both church reform and social justice; discussion lists - including CTA-Hope for the 18-42 age group (see page 6); and e-mail at each staff member's desk.

Expand international networking. Significant international speakers at the 1999 and 2000 conferences are made possible by the Crowley Legacy Fund, as well as increased attention by board and staff to Latin America.

Membership. In just six years, membership has grown from 10,000 to 20,000. Could we double again in the next two years?