Our Identity
Greater Mission is honored to work alongside Church leaders who dedicate themselves to transforming the world in the loving name of Jesus.
Through a unique complement of campaigns and mission development services, we help parishes and their dioceses inspire greater giving, develop greater ministry, and realize greater joy as co-stewards of the Church’s sacred mission to go and make disciples of all people. That is who we are. That is Greater Mission.
Our Mission
Greater Mission helps parishes and dioceses fulfill their mission through campaigns and mission development services fueled by faith-inspired generosity.
Our Vision
Our Foundation
Greater Mission was started by Thomas Sonni. Before founding the firm, he was called to direct stewardship, development, and foundation efforts for the Diocese of Harrisburg by his pastor and the Vicar General, Fr. William Richardson. He continued serving the Church in the same capacity for the historic Archdiocese of Baltimore, where the Catholic Church in the United States was first established.
In 2007, Tom launched Greater Mission to advance the Church’s mission in new and innovative ways throughout the United States. In 2012, Tom engaged longtime colleague Tony Gwiazdowski as his co-owner and partner. Tony spent nineteen years in the lead role overseeing stewardship, development, and the foundation for the Diocese of Providence. He served on the Board of the International Catholic Stewardship Conference, guided the training institute for new diocesan development directors, and was recognized for his lifetime achievement in serving the Church.
Tom and Tony built Greater Mission into a firm that expanded to include other Co-Partners, always carrying a deep commitment to serving the Church and its mission to build the Kingdom of God’s love in the world. That’s the foundation on which everything else is built.
As we approach our 20th anniversary, Greater Mission remains a small, highly focused team of Co-Partners who serve the Church nationally. Every Co-Partner co-owns every outcome, from the founder on down. None of us see this as just a job. Each of us sees it as a calling that requires real devotion — and sincere passion for a Church that has been given the greatest mission ever conceived.
Mission Stewardship
A driving force in our work is inspiring members to give as the Church, rather than to the Church.
There is no cause more worthy of generous support than the Church’s mission. But unlike giving to any other worthy charitable organization, giving to the Church is radically different. The Church is the Body of Christ — the People of God, person by person.
The role of Church leaders is critical, and so is this. The mission belongs to every member. This identity as co-stewards of the Church’s sacred mission changes everything.
Giving As the Church, Not To the Church
We believe every member is both a steward of God’s gifts, personally responsible for being generous with God’s generosity — and a co-steward of the Church’s mission.
Understanding this aspect of who we are in God’s sight points us to the call of the Gospel: to evangelize, to gather in worship and receive holy communion, to love every soul, especially the poorest of the poor.
The invitation to stewardship of our God-given gifts and to mission stewardship calls the Church to great faith and to great purpose.
Amen Generosity
We call what we do Amen Generosity, because God has already given every good gift.
Ours is simply a yes — a faithful channel of God’s generosity, given through us as the Church to build the Kingdom of God’s love.
Why We Do This Work
Greater Mission is different by design. Our name points the way to what inspires us to serve — helping the Church grow greater in fulfilling its mission – member by member, ministry by ministry, parish by parish.
Growth is the standard for Greater Mission. We only want to serve where we can make a difference in the Church’s mission.
Our work pays for itself through the incremental success we help our clients realize in the form of greater giving. We take that success very personally. We cannot control every variable, but our combination of deep professional know-how and the heavy workload we carry in serving our clients leads to greater giving for those we serve.
Greater giving leads to greater ministry. In turn, greater ministry leads to greater giving. Both greater giving and greater ministry are fueled by greater joy, and lead to the joy of mission growth.
That is our call and our commitment. That is our Greater Mission.
Trusted by Parishes and Dioceses Including
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