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Director of Donor Relations, Southern United States

Department: Office of Donor Relations
Position: Director of Donor Relations, Southern United States
Classification: Non-Exempt, Full-Time
Reports to: Executive Director of Development for Holy Cross Province
Location: Province Offices – Park Ridge, IL

Passionist Mission:

We Passionists proclaim God’s love for the world revealed through the Passion of Jesus Christ.
The Passionists, a global family of priests and brothers, nuns and sisters, and lay men and
women, reach out with compassion to the crucified of today. We keep alive the memory of
Christ’s Passion through our commitment to community, prayer, ministries of the Word, and
service to those who suffer. We welcome all who seek renewed life through the power of the
Cross and the hope of the Resurrection.

Position Overview:

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province aim to deepen their connections with individuals inspired by the Passionist mission by appointing a dedicated lay representative to the Southern United States. To learn more about The Passionists, visit www.passionist.org.

This individual will work in the field, fostering relationships that provide support and encouragement for the life and ministries of The Passionists of Holy Cross Province. The Director of Donor Relations, Southern United States is responsible for cultivating and stewarding individuals who are committed to keeping the memory of the Passion alive through their time, talent and treasure.

The Director will represent the mission, values and vision of The Passionists of Holy Cross Province to donors through various media, including print, electronic, audiovisual communications and face-to-face interactions. This individual must be an informed and committed advocate for the organization, capable of clearly envisioning and communicating future plans and strategies for sustainability. Sensitivity to and awareness of diverse cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, values and attitudes are essential.

The scope of work encompasses cultivation, stewardship, communication, marketing and solicitation of planned and major gifts.

Director of Donor Relations, Southern United States – Key Responsibilities:

The Director of Donor Relations, Southern United States will collaborate with the Donor Relations team to cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of donors while identifying and engaging new prospects. This role supports the long-term financial strength of Holy Cross Province by fostering meaningful relationships and implementing strategic fundraising initiatives.

Strategic Donor Engagement – Develop and implement short- and long-term strategies for cultivating and stewarding Southern United States donors through personalized outreach, including regional events, prayer groups, retreats, handwritten notes and phone calls.
Personalized Gift Solicitation – Secure philanthropic support by making tailored gift solicitations aligned with donor interests and capacity. This includes understanding and presenting Holy Cross Province, giving opportunities, preparing customized solicitation materials and briefing Province leadership for donor meetings.
Passionist Community Engagement – Build relationships with Passionist priests, brothers and lay partners to deepen understanding of Passionist spirituality, history and values, ensuring alignment with fundraising efforts.
Province Collaboration – Serve on Province committees to support initiatives that strengthen Holy Cross Province’s mission and long-term vision. Attend key gatherings, such as the Assembly and Chapter, to engage with Passionist leadership and donors.
Professional Development & Networking – Maintain active membership in organizations such as The Nonprofit Alliance and The Catholic Development Council to stay informed on best practices, industry trends and collaborative opportunities that enhance fundraising effectiveness.
Team Communication & Coordination – Maintain open and consistent communication with the Executive Director of Development and development colleagues across Holy Cross Province to align efforts and share insights.
Donor Outreach & Travel – Schedule and conduct strategic face-to-face donor visits to ensure efficient and meaningful engagement while optimizing travel schedules.
Moves Management & Data Tracking – Document donor interactions, engagement strategies, and follow-up actions in the Aegis Data Solutions CRM to maintain accurate records and enhance relationship management.
Event Leadership – Plan and host regional donor-focused events to deepen engagement and inspire continued support.
Reporting & Accountability – Provide a weekly progress report to the Executive Director of Development, detailing key activities, donor interactions and fundraising progress.
Additional Responsibilities – Perform other duties as assigned to support the mission and growth of Holy Cross Province.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent is desired.

Five or more years of development experience (fundraising, donor relations, marketing/communications).
Ability to empathize with donors, typically middle aged and older.

Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Must be a self-starter and team player with a positive outlook and ability to manage ambiguity and change, proficient in identifying solutions and opportunities.
An understanding of the programs associated with the donor relations office (planned giving, major gift solicitation, monthly giving program and the donor recognition program).
Demonstrated ability to prospect, cultivate and steward donors. Experience in personally soliciting gifts and/or pledges is necessary.
Proven management and leadership capabilities.
Familiarity with faith-based (preferably Catholic) fundraising. Must have an intuitive sense of church and religious life.
Able to travel. Some night and weekend travel, as necessary.
Experience with a Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) database such as Aegis is desirable.
Possess an outgoing personality that is engaging, pleasant, kind and confident.

Working Conditions:

This remote position will require travel by air for periodic visits, which will require overnight stays. The Passionist Province Offices are located in a safe and accessible neighborhood in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Compensation:

Salary will be commensurate with experience. The Passionists offer a comprehensive benefits package that prioritizes wellness, work-life balance and professional development.

To Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your interest about the position to [email protected]. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Pope Leo’s Message for the Season of Creation

Message of the Holy Father

Seeds of Peace and Hope

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The theme of this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, chosen by our beloved Pope Francis, is “Seeds of Peace and Hope”. On the tenth anniversary of the establishment of this Day of Prayer, which coincided with the publication of the EncyclicalLaudato Si’, we find ourselves celebrating the present Jubilee as“Pilgrims of Hope.”This year’s theme thus appears most timely.

In proclaiming the Kingdom of God, Jesus often used the image of the seed. As the time of his Passion drew near, he applied that image to himself, comparing himself to the grain of wheat that must die in order to bear fruit (cf.Jn12:24). Seeds are buried in the earth, and there, to our wonder, life springs up, even in the most unexpected places, pointing to the promise of new beginnings. We can think, for example, of flowers springing up on our roadsides from seeds that landed up there almost by chance. As those flowers grow, they brighten the gray tarmac and even manage to break through its hard surface.

In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed, “seeds of peace and hope.” The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Spirit of God can make an arid and parched desert into a garden, a place of rest and serenity. In his words, “a spirit from on high will be poured out on us, and the wilderness will become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the work of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Is32:15-18).

These words of the prophet will accompany the “Season of Creation,” an ecumenical initiative to be celebrated from 1 September to 4 October 2025. They remind us that, together with prayer, determination and concrete actions are necessary if this “caress of God” is to become visible to our world (cf.Laudato Si’, 84). The prophet contrasts justice and law with the desolation of the desert. His message is extraordinarily timely, given the evidence in various parts of the world that our earth is being ravaged. On all sides, injustice, violations of international law and the rights of peoples, grave inequalities and the greed that fuels them are spawning deforestation, pollution and the loss of biodiversity. Extreme natural phenomena caused by climate changes provoked by human activity are growing in intensity and frequency (cf.Laudato Deum, 5), to say nothing of the medium and long-term effects of the human and ecological devastation being wrought by armed conflicts.

As yet, we seem incapable of recognizing that the destruction of nature does not affect everyone in the same way. When justice and peace are trampled underfoot, those who are most hurt are the poor, the marginalized and the excluded. The suffering of indigenous communities is emblematic in this regard.

That is not all. Nature itself is reduced at times to a bargaining chip, a commodity to be bartered for economic or political gain. As a result, God’s creation turns into a battleground for the control of vital resources. We see this in agricultural areas and forests peppered with landmines, “scorched earth” policies,^[1]conflicts over water sources, and the unequal distribution of raw materials, which penalizes the poorer nations and undermines social stability itself.

These various wounds are the effect of sin. This is surely not what God had in mind when he entrusted the earth to the men and women whom he created in his image (cf.Gen1:24-29). The Bible provides no justification for us to exercise “tyranny over creation” (Laudato Si’, 200). On the contrary, “the biblical texts are to be read in their context, with an appropriate hermeneutic, recognizing that they tell us to ‘till and keep’ the garden of the world [cf.Gen2:15]. ‘Tilling’ refers to cultivating, ploughing or working, while ‘keeping’ means caring, protecting, overseeing and preserving. This implies a relationship of mutual responsibility between human beings and nature” (ibid., 67).

Environmental justice – implicitly proclaimed by the prophets – can no longer be regarded as an abstract concept or a distant goal. It is an urgent need that involves much more than simply protecting the environment. For it is a matter of justice – social, economic and human. For believers it is also a duty born of faith, since the universe reflects the face of Jesus Christ, in whom all things were created and redeemed. In a world where the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and pollution, care for creation becomes an expression of our faith and humanity.

Now is the time to follow words with deeds. “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience” (Laudato Si’, 217). By working with love and perseverance, we can sow many seeds of justice and thus contribute to the growth of peace and the renewal of hope. It may well take years for this plant to bear its first fruits, years that, for their part, involve an entire ecosystem made up of continuity, fidelity, cooperation and love, especially if that love mirrors the Lord’s own self-sacrificing Love.

Among the Church’s initiatives that are like seeds sown in this field, I would mention theBorgo Laudato Si’project that Pope Francis bequeathed to us at Castel Gandolfo. It is a seed that promises to bear fruits of justice and peace, and an educational project in integral ecology that can serve as an example of how people can live, work and build community by applying the principles of the EncyclicalLaudato Si’.

I pray that Almighty God will send us in abundance his “Spirit from on high” (Is32:15), so that these seeds, and others like them, may bring forth an abundant harvest of peace and hope.

The EncyclicalLaudato Si’has now guided the Catholic Church and many people of good will for ten years. May it continue to inspire us and may integral ecology be increasingly accepted as the right path to follow. In this way, seeds of hope will multiply, to be “tilled and kept” by the grace of our great and unfailing Hope, who is the risen Christ. In his name, I offer all of you my blessing.

From the Vatican, 30 June 2025
Memorial of the First Martyrs of Holy Roman Church
LEO PP. XIV
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^[1] Cf. PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE,Land and Food, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2015, 51-53.

Careers

About the Passionists

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province are a Roman Catholic religious order of priests and brothers founded by St. Paul of the Cross, dedicated to keeping alive the memory of Christ’s Passion through preaching, compassion and solidarity with the suffering. Our mission reaches across pastoral ministries, retreats, spiritual direction, social justice and care for creation. Rooted in community life and contemplative prayer, we serve with humility, simplicity and a profound sense of hope. See more at www.passionist.org.

We are seeking mission-driven individuals who share an appreciation for our values and will help steward the well-being of our province and ministries for the following positions. Click on the title below for a more detailed description:

-Director of Donor Relations, Southern United States