A Class Act - The Redemptorists, Denver Province

4 HOPE
0 th Anni
A Class
Act
In June we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this
singular fundraising program that combines prayer
and personal sacrifice to help our seminarians persevere
in their vocations.
For nearly 75 years (1888-1959), St. Joseph College in
Kirkwood, MO, served as the Redemptorist minor seminary
for the St. Louis Province. By the 1940s, the buildings were
starting to show their age. Continuing deterioration forced
the leadership to make a decision: either remodel or look for
another site.
Eventually, they decided to purchase land near Edgerton,
WI. The projected cost came in at twice the amount set
aside by the Province. So, to help make up the difference,
the leadership decided to recruit the financial help of every
parish, relative and friend.
In the end they were able to raise $1.4 million dollars;
that, together with the sale of the Kirkwood property for
$415,000, brought a smile of relief to the face of Fr. John
Diederich, Procurator at the time for the St. Louis Province.
In September of 1959, the new St. Joseph College outside
Edgerton opened its doors.
With the new seminary, however, came the realization
that other sources of revenue would have to be pursued
if the Province was going to be able to maintain this new
facility and the other formation houses here in the States
and overseas.
Paint it Black
William Davidson of St. Louis was a key figure in the early
development of this program. He was a painting contractor
by day and fundraiser par excellence when he wasn’t holding
a paint brush. For years, he would volunteer his time to help
churches and other religious organizations in the St. Louis
area find ways to fund their various capital projects.
In his meetings with Fr. John McCormick, the Provincial,
and Fr. Ray Schmitt, the Provincial Consultor, Davidson laid
out a plan he claimed would raise at least $100,000 a year,
but only if the plan was “painted” as an essentially spiritual
one; that as Catholics, we all share in the responsibility of
encouraging our sons and Brothers, friends and neighbors
to consider religious life and then supporting them through
both prayer and personal sacrifice. He saw this program as
an opportunity to help a lot of families realize the dream of
having one of their own become members of the Redemptorist
Congregation.
Davidson believed the program had to embrace three
spiritual elements for it to be successful: Prayer, Sacrifice
and Reward. People who sign up must commit to pray daily
for vocations, be willing to make some moral or material