By MGR. C. TAYLOR ARCHBISHOP BECK has issued a challenge to the 100,000 families of the Liverpool archdiocese. He is asking them to unite in a once-for-all effort to clear the debt on the Catholic chaplaincy of the University.
The target is £45,000 and it is hoped the bulk of this will be raised in a church collection to be taken on September 26. The chaplaincy building in the cathedral precinct cost £91,000 and was formally opened in April last.
Giving a month's notice of his wishes the Archbishop explained the urgent need in a pastoral letter to his archdiocese.
"I am hoping that with the announcement made well in advance, it may be possible for many people to put aside a small weekly sum in preparation for the September collection," he said. "I am making this appeal because I am convinced that the object for which I am appealing is of the greatest importance to the Catholic body. Our young people in the University of Liverpool deserve the help, inspiration and training which the Catholic society and the Catholic chaplaincy provide."
CLEAR THE DEBT Addressing a press conference the Archbishop explained his anxiety to clear this debt before making a drive to meet the commitments on the new cathedral. The cost of this is now over £21 million and three-fifths of that has been borrowed. A loan agreement with an insurance company for £1 million has recently been concluded.
Can the target be reached? Archbishop Beck is confident that it can. But the figure is more than twice the record figure for a special church collection,
However, the Archbishop explained that he will be very pleased to receive donations later than the target date from special efforts. He has already received a cheque for £100 and another parish has indicated that it will devote the proceeds of its annual Christmas fair to the same cause.
What makes the 'Archbishop so confident? Because as Bishop of Salford he raised £40,000 by a similar appeal for the Manchester Catholic chaplaincy. He has no doubt that Liverpool Catholics will accept the challenge.