The faith community of

Saint Joseph Catholic Church

How to Donate

 

How Much Should I Be Giving?

Tithing can be a sensitive issue.  Tithing means giving ten percent of your income to Christ’s church and His poor.  God gave Moses the commandment to tithe for the purpose of supporting the church and those in need (Leviticus 27: 30-&-34).  Jesus talks about tithing in Luke 11: 42, Luke 18: 12, and Matthew 23:23.  Abram tithed as a symbol that he depended totally on God.  Moses said tithing was Holy and an act of worship.  David informed us that God owns everything when he wrote, “The earth and everything in it belongs to Him.”  The practice of tithing has a strong precedence in the Bible and church history and is still relevant today for those who can give at this level.

Every family must prayerfully discern their level of giving. There are legitimate exceptions to tithing such as families struggling to take care of their basic needs.  Every family should try to give something and then build on that.  Include the whole family in contributing to your weekly giving goal, pray together for guidance, and Our Loving God will get you there.

One Hour a Week

Here at St Joseph Parish, we ask everyone to give at least one hour (one 40th) of their weekly income. 

Online Giving

Please click ONLINE GIVING to donate to second and special collections and schedule your regular weekly or monthly contribution to the parish.  All major credit cards as well as electronic transfers from bank accounts are accepted.  Online giving is easy to do and ensures the parish receives a consistent flow of income.   

Whether you chose to give online or with the weekly and second collection envelopes mailed monthly to registered parishioners, the Parish Office will send you an acknowledgement letter for each gift of $250 or more and an itemized annual giving statement after the end of each year. 

We appreciate your generosity. Your donations provide essential funding for parish operations and maintenance, clergy, staff, and ministries.

Limited Edition Prints

Our Wedding Feast of the Lamb painting is here. It was installed and blessed as part of our celebration of the 227th anniversary of the Mission’s founding. See the blessing of the painting, a talk from Michael Corsini and further information here.

We are offering 12” X 49” limited edition signed prints for purchase. There are only 227 prints available. CLICK HERE to secure your reservation, or call the parish office at 510-656-2364.

Carriage House/St Joseph’s Workshop donations
Parish Logo

Christmas Wish List: The Carriage House, a.k.a. St. Joseph’s Workshop is nearly complete! This beautiful space will serve as a hub for our parish community, a place where wonderful things happen, guided by the inspiration of St. Joseph and the Holy Family.

The second floor will be utilized for Family of Faith, Youth Ministry, and Confirmation preparation, while the main hall will be the home for all our ministries.
We created a "shopping list" of items that can be donated or sponsored as Christmas gifts to St. Joseph’s Workshop. This is a wonderful opportunity to come together as a parish family and contribute to the vibrancy of this special project.

  • First Floor, Kitchen
    • Large, well-crafted refrigerator
    • Microwave
    • Slim table
    • (SPONSORED) Food warmer
  • Second Floor
    • Big round table
    • Comfortable set of couches
    • Microwave
    • Medium-sized refrigerator
    • Book shelf
  • Main Hall
    • 14 frames of St. Joseph’s Sorrows and Joys ($1000/frame)
  • General needs
    • 4 new doors ($2000/door)
    • Two 98’ TVs ($3000 each)
    • New sound system for events and karaoke ($3000)
    • Coffee-maker set (machines, cups, coffee, supplies)
    • Water heater for hot tea
Picture of Carriage House

Please consider sponsoring or donating. Contributions can also be made toward partially covering the cost of larger items. Every gift will help us make this space truly welcoming and functional for everyone. Make St. Joseph’s Workshop a place of joy, community, and faith. Call 510-656-2364 or visit https://www.osvhub.com/saintjosephmsj/giving/funds/carriage-house-project

Mission Museum Renewal Project
Mission Logo

Be a part of an extraordinary project that will transform the Mission Museum into a vibrant oasis of hope, healing, and spiritual renewal!  As you step into the Museum, we welcome you to the Pilgrim Center where the transformative journey begins. Vicariously experience the past in the stories of the Alta California Missions, the Ohlone, and the Franciscans. Encounter the Lord in the Pilgrim Story of the Holy Family. And at the heart of this exciting endeavor lies the St. Joseph Chapel of Healing, a radiant sanctuary dedicated to St Joseph, Hope of the Sick.

If you would like to sponsor any of the listed items below, you can Give Now. For more information, please call the Parish Office at 510-656-2364.  Any contribution is welcome. We thank you very much!

Please write your selection in the “Notes”, where you want to allocate your donation. Choose one only.

Early Renderings

To learn more about the museum plans and to see early renderings of the new design, please click here.

To hear about the Mission Museum project during the recent State of the Parish meeting, click here.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

  • $1,227 for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb Print - Framed (signed & sealed)
  • $750 for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb Print - Unframed (signed & sealed)
  • (SPONSORED) $3,000 for One Votive Candle Stand for the Mission Church
  • (SPONSORED) $5,000 for 250 hymnals and Sunday pew missals for Mission Church and Healing Chapel
  • $25,000 for Museum Technology Updates
  • (SPONSORED) $50,000 for the St. Joseph Chapel of Healing Construction
  • (SPONSORED) $40,000 for the 8 - 4’x4’ framed paintings of Jesus’ Healing Miracles
  • (SPONSORED) $15,000 for the Refurbish the Grand Piano (St Joseph Main Church)
  • (SPONSORED) $25,000 for the Vestment Exhibits (Mission Museum)
  • (SPONSORED) $25,000 for the Pilgrim/Welcome Center Construction
  • (SPONSORED) $10,000 for the Refurbish the Historic Reed Organ (St. Joseph Chapel of Healing)
  • (SPONSORED) $15,000 for the 5 Benches @ $3,000 each (Pilgrim/Welcome Center)
  • (SPONSORED) $8,000 for Lighting Fixtures
  • (SPONSORED) $6,000 for 2 Votive Candle Stands for the Healing Chapel - $3k ea
  • (SPONSORED) $10,000 for the Hymnal racks for the pews (Mission Church)
  • (SPONSORED) $15,000 for the Stations of the Cross (St. Joseph Chapel of Healing)

Purchase a Holy Family Statue

Bring home a miniaturized replica of the radiantly smiling life-sized statue of The Heart of a Happy Family, all aglow with joy and contentment as the Holy Family basks in the love of God.  It's available for purchase at St Joseph Parish. For a limited time, available for only $200 (original price: $300).    Five prayer cards for a Happy Family are included too. The quality replica, is also cast in bronze and stands at 9.5 inches (10.5 including platform) by 4 inches only.  

The original statue, conceptualized by Fr. Anthony Huong Le and sculpted by Debra McLaughlin of the InDweller Artistic of Ontario, Canada, was commissioned and installed on May 1, 2024 outside the St. Joseph Catholic Church, Fremont, CA

Your purchase will help fund the renovation of the interior of the Carriage House.  And when done, it will be used by our volunteers to pack bags of non-perishable items for the needy and homeless in our neighborhood as part of our parish outreach program (see YouTube video below).

Get a head start with your gift-giving and Thanksgiving by getting one or two for your family and friends!  Call the Parish Office 510-656-2364 to reserve now.  For...
"Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."  Matt 25:40

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

Purchase a Holy Family Statue (Click to enlarge)
https://youtu.be/dufbq80rp38
St Joseph Outreach Homeless Ministry

 

Support the parish by donating Stock, Mutual funds, or IRA required distributions

By donating publicly traded appreciated stocks or shares of mutual funds to St. Joseph Parish you can avoid paying capital gains taxes and receive a tax deduction if you itemize deductions on your tax return.

Owners of traditional IRAs who are 70 ½ and older can donate all or some of their annual IRA Required Minimum Distribution to St Joseph Parish and avoid paying income tax on the donated amount.  The donation must be made directly from your IRA to the parish to avoid having it count as taxable income. Consult your tax advisor and IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, for more information.

Donating to St. Joseph Parish is easy!  Gina Mehta, St Joseph Parish Business Manager, can guide you through the process and answer questions.  Gina can be reached at 510-656-2364, extension 100, and at gmehta@saintjosephmsj.org.

Step 1 – Go to:  https://www.oakdiocese.org/how-to-give.  Print and complete the Diocese’s online Security Donation Form requesting your broker transfer a certain number of shares of a company or a mutual fund from your investment account or IRA to the Schwab brokerage account of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland.  Be sure to indicate your gift is for St. Joseph Parish – Fremont.

Step 2 – Submit the original of the completed Security Donation Form to your broker and email a copy of the completed form to Janet Ang in the Diocesan Finance Department at jang@oakdiocese.org and to Gina Mehta at gmehta@saintjosephmsj.org.

Step 3 – St. Joseph Parish will send you a letter acknowledging your donation. You should also keep a copy of the letter and your broker’s record of the value of the securities at the time of transfer which typically is the amount you can claim as a tax deduction.

Engraved Brick Sponsorships

Brick paths and embellishments will be installed around the Stations of the Cross path and at each station. You can sponsor an engraved brick for $250.  Each red brick is approximately 9” wide by 4.5” high by 3” deep.  See an example here. Engraving can include up to two lines with 15 spaces per line.

If you’re interested, please SPONSOR A BRICK here. You may also send cash or checks to the parish office along with your name, contact information and the text you want engraved on your brick.

Text-to-Give

As disciples of Jesus, it’s a blessing to respond to God’s generosity with the same selfless giving as our Lord.  The parish staff is always trying to find ways to offer convenient avenues for our big-hearted parishioners to give.  One of those ways to manage your church giving is with our new Text-to-Give function that is fully integrated with our secure Online Giving. You can text an amount to 510-647-6027, and your transaction will be processed through the Online Giving account associated with your phone number. If your phone number is not recognized, login to Online Giving and associate your number with your existing account, or create an account.  You only have to create an account with your mobile number once.  After that, anytime you want to text-to-give you simply send the amount to 510-647-6027 or you may even want to set-up a contact with that number (like St. Joseph Giving).

For specific funds, text GIVE and the FUND NAME to  510-647-6027. Scroll down to see the list of Fund Names at the end of this article.

Match Your Donations

Many employers have matching gift programs. This is a great opportunity to increase your financial support to our parish by leveraging your donation with matching corporate funds. Although many corporations will not match contributions to religious organizations such as the parish, some do. 

Most companies will match donations to schools and to a non-sectarian, non-profit corporations such as the Committee for the Restoration of the Mission San Jose (CRMSJ).  Contributions to St Joseph School and CRMSJ help to fund needed improvements and operating expenses at the school, Mission church and museum.

If your employer has a matching gifts program, please consider supporting St. Joseph parish with a gift to one of the following: 

  • St Joseph’s Church, Tax ID number 94-1358335
  • St Joseph School, Tax ID number 94-1535363 (This is the Diocesan Schools Department’s TAX ID, so be sure to indicate your gift is for St Joseph School, Fremont)
  • Committee for the Restoration of the Mission San Jose, Tax ID number 94-2341096

 If you have any questions, contact Gina Mehta at gmehta@saintjosephmsj.org or call her at (510) 656-2364

Support THE PARISH BY DONATING STOCK, MUTUAL FUNDS, or IRA required distributions

By donating publicly traded appreciated stocks or shares of mutual funds to St. Joseph Parish you can avoid paying capital gains taxes and receive a tax deduction if you itemize deductions on your tax return.

Owners of traditional IRAs who are 70 ½ and older can donate all or some of their annual IRA Required Minimum Distribution to St Joseph Parish and avoid paying income tax on the donated amount.  The donation must be made directly from your IRA to the parish to avoid having it count as taxable income. Consult your tax advisor and IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, for more information.

Donating to St. Joseph Parish is easy!  Gina Mehta, St Joseph Parish Business Manager, can guide you through the process and answer questions.  Gina can be reached at 510-656-2364, extension 100, and at gmehta@saintjosephmsj.org.

Step 1 – Go to:  https://www.oakdiocese.org/how-to-give.  Print and complete the Diocese’s online Security Donation Form requesting your broker transfer a certain number of shares of a company or a mutual fund from your investment account or IRA to the Schwab brokerage account of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland.  Be sure to indicate your gift is for St. Joseph Parish – Fremont.

Step 2 – Submit the original of the completed Security Donation Form to your broker and email a copy of the completed form to Janet Ang in the Diocesan Finance Department at jang@oakdiocese.org and to Gina Mehta at gmehta@saintjosephmsj.org.

Step 3 – St. Joseph Parish will send you a letter acknowledging your donation. You should also keep a copy of the letter and your broker’s record of the value of the securities at the time of transfer which typically is the amount you can claim as a tax deduction.

TEXT-TO-GIVE CODES – (510) 647-6027 (See information above regarding how to use the Text Code)
FUND NAME TEXT CODE
Sunday Collection Sunday
Christmas Collection Christmas
Catholic Communications Comm
Catholic Charities Charities
Holy Father Father
Priest Retirement Priest
Catholic Voice Voice
World Mission World
Campaign for Human Dev’t Human
Religious Retirement Religious
Seminary Seminary
Rice Bowl Rice
Catholic Relief Services CRS
Holy Land Friday
Easter Easter
St Vincent de Paul Vincent
Ash Wednesday Ash
All Saints Saints
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Blessed
Mary Mother of God Mary
Mission Founder’s Day Mission
Current Maintenance Maint
Beautification Project Beauty
Mission Cooperative Plan Coop
Sr. John Marie’s Pantry Pantry
Immaculate Conception Conception
Parishwide Scholarship Fund Scholarship
Church Renovation Renov
Bishop’s Appeal Bishop