***WE ARE EXTENDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DONATE TO THIS CROWDFUND FOR A SHORT PERIOD.  PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME THANK YOU ITEMS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THAT DONATION LEVEL, BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO HONOR OTHER WAYS TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

As the last priest to be made a Bishop under the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Joseph E. Strickland is a man inspired by the Saints before us and the saints among us. He recognizes that the world is changing and as a Bishop, he feels a God-given responsibility to teach and preach and to guard his flock.  During the last 9 years, he has spoken publicly about his growing concern over the decay of values and education in the culture and an erosion of knowledge about the truths of the faith.  From the day he was named Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, Bishop Strickland has committed to pray about and provide for the pastoral needs of the entire diocese, and the wider community of faith as he is called. 

In the summer of 2020, Bishop Strickland met with a small group of families who were likewise concerned about living in a society in which Gospel values are continually being mocked, canceled and outright rejected.  And even more of a concern was the possibility that the future of the Church might be one in which access to church buildings, the right to worship and the availability of sacraments would become threatened even more than it had been in the previous 6 months. 

Through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit and a shared vision of the future, Veritatis Splendor and the establishment of the St. Joseph Oratory was conceived.

Click this video to hear Bishop Strickland and the VS families share the vision of Veritatis Splendor.

What is Veritatis Splendor?

Veritatis Splendor is both a physical and spiritual home for believers to protect, preserve and proclaim the Christian faith as given to the Apostles by Jesus Christ.

At the center of Veritatis Splendor will be a grand oratory under the patronage of St. Joseph, conceived in the architecture and structure of the Italian cathedrals erected in places such as Siena, Florence and Assisi.  It will also be a place of pilgrimage for those who want to study, pray and revitalize their family and individual spiritual life. The oratory will be maintained by a community of priests who will live and remain in the community without threat of transfer or re-assignment. 

Veritatis Splendor will be centered around seven foundational institutes rooted in prayer, guided by philosophy, and supported by an Apostolic Constitution.

These institutes will include liberal education including a K-12 university-style hybrid program in the Catholic tradition and undergraduate and graduate programs as well as institutes on law, life, human rights, liberty, media and culture. Each institute will have an Executive Director who will lead and administer the specific mission of the institute.

Veritatis Splendor will also be a physical home for those who are called to serve and grow the mission and vision. 

When will this happen?

Our first priority is to break ground and begin the development of the St. Joseph Oratory on the Vertitatis Splendor property and to formally establish the seven institutes.  We have secured close to 600 acres in East Texas for the establishment of the oratory, institutes and other spiritual works that will serve the mission and vision of this apostolic undertaking. 

How can you help?

Catholics and other Christians have just begun the Lenten Season of 2021. Bishop Strickland and The Founders of Veritatis Splendor are asking you to join us in support of this mission through sacrificial Lenten almsgiving. Our crowdfunding initiative is very robust and gives you the opportunity to join with us at many different levels depending on your current circumstances.

Please prayerfully consider the levels we are offering.

We ask each person reading this to consider a minimum gift of $100, which is roughly $15 a week through the Lenten Season.

But no gift is too small. 

In exchange for each tithe to Veritatis Splendor of $25 or more, you will receive a thank you in the form of a product, a ticket to an upcoming event or through a Veritatis Splendor "perk" that has been conceived for your generosity.

If you haven’t already planned your Lenten almsgiving this season, and would like to help fulfill this incredible mission, please FIRST bless Veritatis Splendor with your prayers and THEN prayerfully consider whatever financial sacrifice you can make this Lent so we can begin immediate work.

Why this matters?

There is an urgency in the culture for truth to rise. Veritatis Splendor will be a home both physically and spiritually for any person who likewise believes in this mission - that now is the time for the truths of the faith to be preserved and proclaimed for generations to come. 

Yes, we are in dramatic times. And dramatic times call for bold missions.
 

This mission is Veritatis Splendor. Be part of it.

We are building a viculus, a little village, and we want you to join us.