MACS Commitment Card deadline is January 9, 2023 for 2023-2024 tuition discount vouchers.

UPDATED OCTOBER 19, 2023

St. Gabriel Catholic Church families,

Thank you for being an active part of our community of faith - and for the commitment you are making to Catholic school.   Families who actively participate in our parish - fulfilling three important commitments - are eligible to receive the substantial "participating Catholic" Mecklenurg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) tuition discount (a discount of $4,800 to $5,400 per student). 

This year, we have 1,165 parish students from more than 600 families enrolled in MACS.  For each student, our parish is paying (assessed)  $1000 this year - more than $1 million (20% of our offertory). 

Parish families who are interested in receiving the "participating Catholic" MACS tuition discount for the upcoming school year must complete our online MACS Commitment Card (linked below) - confirming your active participation this past year and committing to your participation in the coming year.

The deadline is January 9, 2023.  

The three commitments that form the basis for the MACS Commitment Card are essential and life-giving aspects of following Jesus.  We ask all St. Gabriel parishioners to make these same commitments.  Please discuss them with your family and ask God to guide and bless you. The commitments are:

1. Worshiping through weekly Mass participation
2. Intentional spiritual growth
3. Giving financially as worship

AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE ONLINE COMMITMENT CARD

The information on the Commitment Card is kept confidential and reviewed by a staff member and/or our pastor. More than 600 parish families are expected to apply for a tuition voucher this year.  

We will begin reviewing Commitment Cards in mid-November 2022.   WE WILL ONLY CONTACT YOU if we are not able to approve your tuition voucher request. 

In mid January, our parish office will send a list of 'participating Catholic' families approved for a tuition voucher to the MACS Office - per the MACS Office annual process and timeline for all parishes.

For families seeking to enroll MID-YEAR, Commitment Cards are reviewed once a month on a rolling basis and approvals are sent to MACS by the 1st of the month, per the MACS Office timeline.  We will only contact you if we are not approving your tuition voucher request.

PARISH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT

Families must be registered at St. Gabriel Church and participating actively in our parish at least 6 months before submitting a voucher request to the parish office.  If transferring from another parish, you will need to provide a letter from your former parish identifying you as a participating member.  Send your letter to us here.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: YOUR FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION

St. Gabriel Church is paying $1,000 per student to MACS in support of our  600+ participating Catholic families - totalling more than $1 million (20% of our offertory).  Our parish also devotes significant staff time for MACS family administration.

MACS families who do not have a financial hardship are asked to contribute to our offertory at or above the amount the parish pays to MACS for their family. (For example, $2000 or more for 2 children in MACS.)  Contributing above this level enables your family to financially participate in the mission and ministry our of parish. 

If a financial hardship prevents you from  participating in the offertory at this level, our parish is truly grateful to support you.  Hardships should be confidentially discussed with Andy Albritton, our Lay Parochial Associate.

What do I need to do with the paper MACS Tuition Voucher form that requires the pastor's signature? Nothing. Please discard it. St. Gabriel Church does not use this form. With 600+ MACS families, our parish now uses an online MACS Commitment Card. The MACS Office is aware of this.

Do I need to complete the Commitment Card if my family is ALREADY RECEVING a tuition discount? Yes. Each year, MACS requires our parish to verify that all families (new and returning) who are seeking a tuition discount for the upcoming school year are fully participating members of the parish.

Do I need to complete the Commitment Card if my family is NEW TO MACS? Yes. MACS requires our parish to verify that all families who are seeking a tuition discount for the upcoming school year are fully participating members of the parish.

Do I need to complete the Commitment Card if my children are/will attend a MACS school OTHER THAN St. Gabriel School? Yes. MACS requires our parish to verify that all of our parish families who are seeking a tuition discount for the upcoming school year - for ANY MACS SCHOOL (e.g., St. Ann, St. Patrick, St. Matthew, Holy Trinity, Charlotte Catholic High School, etc.) -  are fully participating members of the parish.

What happens after I complete the Commitment Card?

1. The information on the Commitment Card is kept confidential and reviewed by a staff member and/or our pastor. We appreciate your patience, as more than 600 parish families are applying for a participating Catholic tuition voucher.
2. We will begin reviewing Commitment Card submissions in mid November 2022. WE WILL ONLY CONTACT YOU if we are not approving your tuition voucher request. Approvals will be forwarded to the MACS Business Office.
3. Commitment Cards submitted after January 9 will be reviewed on a rolling basis the last week of each month.
4. For families seeking to enroll MID-YEAR, Commitment Cards are reviewed once a month on a rolling basis and approvals are sent to MACS by the 1st of the month, per the MACS Office timeline. We will only contact you if we are not approving your tuition voucher request.

What happens if my family has NOT ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED at St. Gabriel Church this year? Following MACS policy, families who are not actively participating in the parish will not be approved for the tuition discount. Our parish is happy to offer your family an opportunity to complete the Commitment Card mid-year after you have been actively participating for 6 months.

Elementary (Grades K-5)

Participating Catholic:  $7,915
Non-Participating:  $12,763

Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Participating Catholic:  $8,882
Non-Participating:  $13,766

High School (Grades 9-12)
Participating Catholic:  $12,651
Non-Participating:  $18,106