on behalf of Ian Rutherford of Aquinas and More
Friends,
I write to you tonight with an announcement to make. As you all know,
after 10 years, Aquinas and More announced it would be closing at the end
of February. This was not an easy decision for us.
To our wonder, the outpouring of support for Aquinas and More from our
customers and the Catholic community at large has been overwhelming. We
graciously, graciously thank you.
This
has left us in a bit of a quandary. We could not realistically continue in our
present state of affairs, but the void in Catholic shopping and Catholic
service left by the closing of Aquinas and More is also real. We’ve
always felt that Aquinas and More was truly a mission. Are we being
called to continue? Are we not? I know what I want, but I also know that — more
importantly — I want God’s Will.
In
this regard, Aquinas and More has decided to launch an “all-or-nothing”
crowdfunding campaign over the next two weeks (Tuesday March 5- March 19) to
return to its mission of serving others with their authentic Catholic online shopping
experience.
Our Goal:
Our
goal is to raise $250,000 in two weeks in order to replenish inventory,
overhaul the website and retain excellent Catholic customer service and
results. It’s a big number, we know. But we also know that we have more than
30,000 Facebook fans, and we’ve served more than 200,000 customers. We have
been richly blessed. So we have joy and hope, gaudium et spes.
Our
Campaign:
We are calling our campaign the “Aquinas Angels”. You can
visit the site at: http://www.gofundme.com/aquinasangels. We
have different levels of support, and will be “giving back” for your
generosity. The important thing to remember, however, is that if we don’t reach
our goal, your Angel donation will not be processed. Simple as that,
all-or-nothing. We will not be benefiting from any of it until and unless our
goal is reached. And if we don’t reach it, Aquinas and More will likely shut
down. It’s in His hands.
Outreach:
As
fellow Catholics and bloggers, I ask you first to pray for our campaign. We
will be praying the Saint Michael the Archangel prayer daily for this endeavor.
Secondly, I ask you to please help us spread the word about our Aquinas and
More Angel Campaign. This is a “We” Campaign. We can’t succeed without your
help! You have your audiences, your friends, your families, your parishes. If
you would like the work of Aquinas and More to continue, please share our
story, our site, and your experiences out there with your networks. I thank
you.
Talking Points:
If you want to help, but aren’t sure what to say or emphasize, you can
always talk about some or all of the following:
Aquinas and More is not just a Catholic store – it’s a way of life. We are
unabashedly and authentically Catholic in our policies, products, & projects
·
The only place where you’ll find a “Good Faith Guarantee” policy– making sure our products are
guaranteed to be in conformity with official Church teaching. As a Catholic
store, our mission is to clearly present the Faith for our customers
·
Anti-China
Policy: Aquinas and More does not buy
products from China, guaranteeing money isn’t spend supporting forced abortions
and the persecution of Christians in China
·
Projects:
“Military Chaplaincy Program”:
providing for the spiritual needs of our soldiers defending our lives and
liberties with a soldier registry and free shipping
“Church Supply” Catholic products for parishes, priests and seminarians
“Tiber River”: Catholic book reviews from fellow Catholics
“Behind the Counter” Radio Show: Catholic product advice from the experts
Catholic Literacy: Articles
on Saints, being Catholic, Church history, and more
·
Generosity:
In
the community: For example, Aquinas and More donated a portion
of their sales to wildfire relief efforts in Colorado last summer;
In
their family: Paula and I (Ian) Rutherford, have
had 10 children in 13 years – need I say more?
Why Donate?
Giving
to the Aquinas and More Angel Campaign means helping to build and restore an
authentic Catholic culture. No where else can you find such a ministry and
mission – a living and serving, Catholic approach to shopping.
Aquinas and More is the “New Evangelization” in a nutshell. As part of the Year
of Faith, we are called to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message, and
go forth and proclaim the Gospel. That is the essence of Aquinas and More.
Supporting
the Aquinas and More Angel Campaign means supporting:
—
the New Evangelization;
—
makers of Catholic products and other Catholic businesses;
—
our parishes and religious;
—
Catholic families;
—
Catholic writers
When is
the Aquinas and More Angel Campaign?
Tuesday,
March 5 – Tuesday, March 19 . Our site is not live yet (it will be on Tuesday),
but you can check it out as we get ready to launch at:
http://www.gofundme.com/aquinasangels.
How can you help spread the word?:
A blog post(s), tweets, sharing on your Facebook page, letting your Catholic network know, talking
it up to family and friends, etc. We really need a strong online presence
especially in the first 48 hours (Tuesday/Wednesday) to raise awareness and
excitement.
Goal Recap:
Raise
$250,000 in two weeks in order to replenish inventory, overhaul the website and
retain excellent Catholic customer service and results. If Aquinas and More
doesn’t reach its goal, your angel donation won’t be processed, and we will not
be reopening.
Friends, thank you so very kindly for taking the time to read my rather long
email and outpouring. I thank you all for your support throughout the years.
Whatever happens, I am grateful for your friendship.
Oremus,
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend
us in battle.
Be
our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May
God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and
do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host –
by
the Divine Power of God –
cast
into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who
roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
