Dear Pius X and Cathedral High School Alumni, Parents, and Friends,

It is often said that the generosity of the Pius X Family cannot be surpassed. Words cannot express how grateful we are to the thousands of people who have invested in the Pius X Foundation and Pius X High School, volunteered their time and talents, and prayed for us.

In addition to sharing our 2021-2022 Annual Report recognizing our incredibly generous supporters this past fiscal year, I’d also like to highlight some of the extraordinary blessings our school received between 2021-22 and today.

After a record-breaking 2021 Give to Pius X Day paved the way for a record-high 2021-22 Fund for Pius X, we were again blown away this fall by the amazing support of more than 750+ donors who raised more than $425,000 for our 6th annual GTPD on Oct. 19, 2022. As I’m writing this letter today (Nov. 7, 2022), we have already raised $435,000 – more than halfway to our $750,000 Fund for Pius X goal! With 33% of our students receiving scholarships in addition to the tuition subsidy, ongoing investments in the Fund for Pius X as well as new scholarships and endowed funds continue to help make Pius X accessible for families who desire a Catholic education. BOLT 2022 “Sapphires and Stars” (April 30th, 2022), was a beautiful evening celebrating our Pius X Family and raising nearly $300,000 for school beautification projects. We’re excited to be making progress on those projects this fall, including turning the hallway outside of our beautiful Msgr. Kaczmarek Chapel into a more holy and sacred space that will help lift up the hearts and minds of our students as they approach the entrance to the heart of our school. We are also grateful about exciting improvements that will transform the school’s front entrance areas, including a new secure front entry and welcome center (as detailed here), and a new prayer garden and outdoor learning and gathering space near the Commons entrance (watch for additional details TBA).

In partnership with many of our stakeholders, we’ve also had the opportunity to look five years into the future while prayerfully discerning God’s desired direction for His school through strategic planning processes for both Pius X High School and Pius X Foundation. We hope to make the final drafts of each strategic plan available to the public in the upcoming months. We are also grateful to the Diocese of Lincoln and our 19 supporting parishes for their collaboration in planning for the school’s upcoming capital campaign. With the last Pius X Capital Campaign completed nearly 20 years ago, many Pius X alumni, families, and benefactors have been expressing interest in moving forward on the next phases of the school’s Master Facilities Plan. Although many improvements have been made over the school’s 65+ years, some Pius X facilities are still mid-century originals built to accommodate just 600 students – approximately half of our current annual enrollments of nearly 1,100 students. Besides being undersized, these “vintage” facilities are increasingly reflecting their “well-loved condition” after many decades of use by thousands of students, families, and visitors. As our city continues to grow, our hope for a future Pius X campaign is to update aged facilities and infrastructure long slated for essential renovations to enhance both their appearance and functionality, while also ensuring that our school is equipped to support students’ passions and talents for generations to come.

Since Pius X Foundation’s establishment in 1969 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to help keep Catholic education affordable at Pius X High School, the Foundation has supported the school’s immediate and long-term financial needs thanks to the incredible generosity of our Pius X Family. The Foundation has transferred more than $13 million directly to the High School for its operational budget. Last fiscal year, the Foundation managed more than $19M in assets, now including 15+ endowed funds and 60+ named scholarships to continue advancing our mission. As always, THANK YOU for all that you do to support the mission of Pius X. Without your investments and prayers, none of this would be possible. Please continue to pray for all of us here at the Foundation and High School and be assured of our prayers for each of you.

Courtney Johnson
Director of Advancement