I have worked for over 10 years with both Labouré aspirants and the administrative team, and have participated in their fundraising training classes. The Labouré team is incredible, helping aspirants to achieve their fundraising goals so that they can be debt-free as they enter religious or priestly formation. The training and support they give is top-notch, and aspirants who work withing the system outlined are wildly successful, from my perspective. I have nothing but positive things to say about the Labouré Society!
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Labouré is a fantastic organization - I've seen them help people with mountains of student loan debt fund-raise to alleviate this debt so that they are able to move forward with their vocations!
I've also been able to work with them in various ways, supporting the work the fund-raisers are doing. They care deeply for each one, and provide some of the best resources and structure for learning how to manage heavy loads of work, school, and personal life while achieving their financial goal!
The Laboure Society helped me and so many others with their vocations. They are truly doing the work of the Lord!
Our Carmelite religious community strongly supports The Laboure Society's (TLS) remarkable mission to help men and women resolve their educational debt in order to answer God's call. We recently celebrated the solemn Profession of one of our sisters who was a former TLS aspirant. Both she and our community are deeply grateful for the financial and spiritual guidance she received from this organization. As a religious cloistered nun, she is able to continue to devote her life to prayer, penance and sacrifice for the needs of the church and the world. We pray that like her, more people whose educational debt is preventing them from answering God's call to religious vocation may be assisted by TLS. Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Catherine Laboure, may God continue to bless The Laboure Society's significant endeavors.
I went through the Laboure program in 2013/2014 and successfully resolved over $70k in student loans in one year (it would have taken me 10 years to pay off my loans with my income at the time). I entered formation in the Fall of 2014 and was ordained in the spring of 2023. Deo gratias!
I strongly encourage everyone of good will to be involved with this organization, whether as an aspirant, a volunteer, a benefactor, an accountability partner, an employee or simply as an advocate.
Continued blessings!
- Fr. Nelson Cintra, Diocese of Boise
Labouré is comprised of an incredible group of dedicated, faith-filled men and women whose sole objective is to help alleviate crushing student debt for those discerning a call to the priesthood or religious life. Their organizational skills, professionalism, mentoring and methods of accountability are outstanding. During a recent workshop they held, I was extremely impressed by witnessing the various presentations and examples of mentoring sessions they use to give aspirants the skills and confidence they need to eliminate not only their loans, but also those of the particular men and women aspirants who make up their class. It reflects the early Church's ethos of common sharing and commitment to each other.
As an aspirant I received incredible support from Laboure! They were incredibly professional, kind, and supportive. They answered questions before I even had them! I was nervous to begin fundraising, but they made the process incredibly clear and simple. I was most impressed by the spiritual formation I received. I truly saw the growth in my relationship with the Lord throughout my class. God is working miracles through this nonprofit!
Amazing people to work with! Very helpful and involved, helping those most in need. We kept in touch throughout the whole process of being helped and they've been always supportive throughout the way.
This non profit helps such an important mission! All of the staff are incredible supportive and invested in each person that they work with. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to work with The Laboure Society. They gave me the tools and encouragement I needed to reach my goals and go above and beyond! Without this organization I wouldn’t be able to move forward in my discernment journey. The Laboure Society is a truly special organization that has the best interest of each person they support at heart. This organization is a blessing to all involved!
As an alumni aspirant, I can't say enough about how thankful I am for the mission and work of the Laboure Society! It is a community of people who genuinely care about each other and the future of the Church. The staff provide excellent support and encouragement throughout the process. In my experience, the Laboure Society is an organization that is ethical, honest, proactive, and reliable.
The Labouré Society has allowed me to discover a new way to evangelize through sharing my vocation story. The quality of support I receive as an Aspirant is tremendous. I feel that the level of professional development I have received from the Labouré Society team as a whole is professional in their conduct and motivating in their spirit. I enjoy being a Labouré Society aspirant in the current class.
The expertise of the Laboure staff helped me to raise enough money to pay off my student loan debt and enter religious life. I could not have done this without Laboure!
It is truly an honor and privilege to be involved with this organization and support those who are called to pursue a religious vocation.
Laboure provides a valuable service to the Catholic Church that enables those who are unable to properly discern a call to priesthood and/or religious life due to existing student loan debt. Laboure's program to address this problem is efficient and successful.
Kind and compassionate people. They recognize your efforts and always provide encouragement. I do a good deal of volunteer work with various organizations, and Laboure is one of the best to be associated with.
I’m a current aspirant with the Laboure Society and the support they provide is incredible. I’m hoping to enter a Franciscan order next year and that time frame would not be possible without Laboure. Additionally their formation plan pushes us aspirants to not simply be asking for money, but to be able to share what the Lord’s done in our life to every one we know and invite them into that very story.
The Laboure Society was the solution to a very real issue I was facing. Good and qualified people that genuinely cared for me and helped me overcome this obstacle.
I have volunteered with Laboure for several years as an accountability partner for several of their aspirants who are discerning a religious vocation. Their indivdual stories and journey -- and the skills and confidence that LaBoure instills along the way to serving God -- are truly INSPIRING!
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Laboure Society is a small-but-mighty group of dedicated Catholics seeking to unlock the door to vocations in the Church by a combination of personal training, team-based fund-raising, and evangelization. Where student debt is the obstacle to a young person's call to serve, Laboure provides a way to tackle the debt leading in most cases eventually to complete mitigation of that financial obstacle. I have been impressed as a donor and as a volunteer at how lean, but experienced, the staff is. Many former professionals are drawn to bring their talents there. I have also been impressed with the Board's oversight of the work, avoiding mission drift and problem solving the practical needs of all involved.
The Labouré Society's mission is to teach men and women how to raise money in order to pay off their student loan debt so that they can enter religious formation. This is a unique niche that Labouré serves very successfully. Their business model is ingenious. It teaches aspirants professional fund-raising skills that they will need in the future but that would be difficult for them to gain anywhere else. Labouré's financial structure ensures that all monies raised go toward vocations even if the aspirant does not complete religious formation. The organization is efficient, professional, successful, and fully committed to its mission.
It has been my great joy to meet with a wonderful young lady who wanted to join an order of Sisters but needed to pay her college loans before entering the convent. Laboure gave her the tools to work with donors to completely pay her loans.
Often is heard "We need more religious sisters. What can be done to help?" The Laboure Society has help available and has had much success with other young women also. I would recommend Laboure Society to any aspirant. God bless the Society for being proactive and supporting our young women and men with their vocation.
As a volunteer and donor, my experience with Laboure' has been exceptional. Godly people at all levels of the organization who are all are working toward the same goal - add vocations to the Church. The individuals at Laboure' make me a better Christian and I challenge anyone out there to consider getting involved and financially support Laboure' as you will be rewarded, both today and for eternity.
This review responds to the review submitted recently by "Mr. Mack". I am Bill LeMire, the Director of Advancement for The Laboure Society.
"Mr. Mack" claims to be a previous aspirant who worked through the Laboure program. If that is true, then he knows that the claims he made about Laboure are not true. Of course, "Mr. Mack" is free to identify himself, and we would be happy to address his claims, and to work with him toward a recognition that his claims are unjust and not at all indicative of the extraordinary success Laboure has achieved in rescuing Catholic vocations from the impediment of student loan debt. In the meantime, we will pray for "Mr. Mack" and we hope that he will overcome his misguided view of Laboure's important work for the Church.
Allow me to respond briefly to some of "Mr. Mack's" review: All of the work Laboure does in training aspirants in a multi-dimensional fundraising model is completely transparent and subject to annual audit, as well as to close governance by a Board of Directors consisting of legal and business professionals, as well as past aspirants who are now a priest or a sister. Laboure's program has been vetted by business and tax professionals. All documents necessary for IRS and nonprofit organizational compliance are routinely generated. All such documents are freely available to anyone who wishes to review them.
It should be noted that countless vocation directors, religious communities and Catholic bishops nationwide enthusiastically support Laboure's work. Their support is memorialized in writing or via video, and it can be reviewed by anyone who desires the truth about Laboure's extraordinary success in delivering vocations to the Catholic Church.
All of the funds raised by aspirants working through the Laboure program are used to mitigate or erase the student loan debt of those aspirants who wish to enter religious formation. Funds raised by the aspirants are NEVER used by Laboure to fund its general operational costs. Laboure has staff members who raise funds for general operations. Those funds are completely segregated from the aspirant raised funds.
Any aspirant who forfeits the monetary award received from Laboure (an aspirant forfeits his/her award only after he/she discerns that they are not called to priesthood or religious life) knows that the forfeited award is ultimately allocated for the benefit of other aspiring priests or religious. Neither Laboure nor any of its staff members benefit in any way from those forfeited funds.
Again, Laboure is more than willing to share information about our process with anyone who genuinely seeks the truth about Laboure's mission, a mission that has delivered countless aspirants into religious formation nationwide.
No more needs to be said. Anyone with questions is welcome to contact Laboure to discuss what we do, how we do it, and why we do it. The fundamental answer to each of those questions is "for the greater glory of God". And God has blessed Laboure with a success rate beyond what any of us ever could have imagined. And we pray and trust that He will continue to do so. It is after all His work.
There is another comment here from a person in Egan Minnesota that is very accurate.
I am a former "aspirant" member in laboure and it is not legit at all! From the video productions that put the vocation seekers up front to the people behind the scenes. For the people who need the money its more of a who can fundraise the best meanwhile they take a healthy cut of the profit and chalk it up to laboure. They already know who can and cannot fundraise before these things start and it is very visible by the quality of each video produced. They make us invest time and money then brag about how they have "this new donor (they) met last night and he/she gave 500k"... or whatever number he can think of.
But the really screwed up part is they keep all your information and data, share it with as many people as possible, and then leave it up and available (in that cringe production they do) even after you send them a written request to remove all of it. (I called and sent a written request to remove my info and my information is still on their page!!)
Lastly, its really suspicious where the money goes...wait a minute, let me explain that: So they will have all this money that they claim to you as an aspirant is for you, but you just gotta work hard for it. They personally know you won't raise enough in the time frame the the Catholic Church allows so they essentially give you a number based of some rough figures and data and claim that's your haul for that particular class. The odd thing is if they know you won't get that the money honestly just rolls over and over, but it is legally bound to you until you "forfeit" it by a litany of methods and they just keep it.
IF A DONOR WANTS TO HELP GIVE TO ANOTHER PROGRAM LIKE MATER DIE FUND FOR VOCATIONS OR SOMETHING ELSE! This laboure thing needs to be stopped for both the young people who get trapped in it and the donors who lose their money to it.
A brief aside: the 501-c 3 world isn't pretty but even the K of C or Maltese orders do more effective work than laboure without invading on peoples privacy and likeness (some of the documents they have you sign as a "aspirant" are absolutely inhumane, but they know we are desperate and they press us hard on joining them so we don't see the other options God could be trying to provide)
The Labouré Society is an answer to prayer. This organization is professional, dedicated, and provides an invaluable service to the future of the Church and our society.
Labouré has changed my life! May God abundantly bless this amazing ministry. So many precious vocations have been saved through them and many more will be.
The Laboure Society provides the best service and care for my needs. They see a need in the world and work tirelessly to see that through to fruition.
Staff is committed to building the kingdom of God in support of more priests, brothers, and sisters that minister to God's children
I worked with Labouré to get into my religious community. At first it was unsettling for me, because of my introverted personality. But to be able to be with a community of aspirants also wanting to become brides and grooms for the church, is truly a beautiful sight. The encouragement to work together and the feeling of family was something that really has impacted me, and now in my first stages of formation with my community, I truly can see that Labouré prepared me to serve!
Laboure- this wonderful organization helped our family experience hope and a real path to pursue God’s calling. Weare so grateful for the instruction, guidance, teamwork and faithfulness of this stellar nonprofit organization. We highly recommend the Laboure Society for anyone discerning their religious vocation and encumbered by school debt. Teresa and Family
Laboure helped me to mitigate my student loans in 6 months so that I could enter seminary and Mary-willing become a Priest. They are a fantastic group of people who are joyful, kind, and extremely hard working. They all put in way more than 40 hours a week with their work and clearly love what they do.
They pay attention to all of the little details necessary for helping people like me enter seminary or religious life. This takes a ton of work as they have to deal with not only U.S. law, but canon law as well.
They are there for you at all hours of the day. I could send a text or make a phone call on the weekend whenever I needed help or had a question and they were usually quick to respond. They ran sessions for us until pretty late in the night. They must have lost a lot of family time due to this.
Finally, I'll add that they always seem to be honing their craft. They are always trying to figure out how to improve aspirants' fundraising efforts so that we can be as effective as possible in getting our student loans mitigated.
I was an Aspirant with Laboure and they taught me how to mitigate my student loans quicker through Catholic philanthropy in order to enter the convent much sooner than years down the road. My loans were mitigated within a year and now I'm in the convent
I am amazed at all the generosity and blessings I have received through the past two classes with the Laboure Society. This past year has helped me strengthen my relationships with God, my benefactors, and fellow aspirants. All these incredible blessings have made a massive difference for my fellow aspirants and me. Thank you for all your support, prayers, and generosity! Thank you for supporting my vocation journey with showers of blessings.
Thanks to God, I am expected to complete ministry with The Laboure Society this year. This past year was a blessing to evangelists about vocations with you. I felt appreciated and grateful to receive your gift to help my fellow aspirants and me entering into religious life or the priesthood. I feel very blessed and thankful to serve you through the Laboure Society. I appreciate all the holy people who have touched my life and others. Thank you for your spiritual support, gifts, and assisting me in becoming a Sister of St. Francis. Thank you again!
I invite you to think about how the Lord has placed certain people in your life to remind you of God's love and how they walked in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Take time to thank them and join me in thanking the Lord for all His instruments who showed and reminded us of God's love.
Again, Thank you! May God continue to bless you and your family during this year of St. Joseph to you and yours! Be assured of continued prayers for you, your families, and your intentions, and please keep me in your prayers as I continue on this journey with our God. In the words of one of my favorite sisters and, I hope, soon-to-be Saints of our Church, "We are all called to be saints, don't miss this opportunity"- Mother Mary Angela of the Presentation. Again, I never thought I'd say this, but it's been such a blessing to have student loans. It's been beautiful to see how you and so many have helped me lift this obstacle to my vocation. I'm thankful for it because, without it, I wouldn't have such an extensive opportunity to share the joy and God's love that is in me as I strive to do God's holiness for my life and service others!
I was blessed to spend the last 6 months working to pay off approximately $60,000 with The Laboure Society as an Aspirant. While the journey to raising money generally takes a lot of hard work, this great labor of love is one I am beyond grateful for. As I prepare to enter my religious community in less than a week, I realize that without the generosity of the Laboure staff and my benefactors, it would have been years before I could have freely entered into formation. I cannot wait to pray for The Laboure Society for the rest of my life.
After donating several times and becoming chained to the mailing and email list I became more skeptical about the gushing praise and over the top stories. I followed the results as they applied to a nearby Archdiocese and found that the success rate which the organization used to tout is in fact highly exaggerated. Secondly, I noticed that none candidates had bothered to respond to the donations made in their names, not that was that serious a flaw in and of itself, but I noticed some candidates never came close to the desired goal so it's not as though they were flooded with donations. After further questioning about the exact number of candidates actually benefiting I was responded to by a gentleman who using his (minnesota nice) sarcasm suggested my role was not to question, just give. After several attempts to be removed from the mailing list I continue to receive mailings, the most recent of which describes veterans as gun carrying threats to society,(I am not sure what that description has to do with religious vocations), but Laboure Society felt it necessary to include that sentiment. Perhaps someone in the organization will purge the mailings of those who have long since ceased to give.
The Laboure Society is dedicated to helping young men and women who are striving to join a religious community but cannot because of college debt, get that debt paid so they can enter the convent or seminary.
I am so very much impressed with the work done by the organization and the dedication every member of their staff has to help these young men and women.
I have worked with the staff for two years and look forward to seeing them grow as a nonprofit and continue their great work.
Over the course of the last twelve years I have had the blessed opportunity to be an Aspirant, benefactor, and now a Board Member for the Labouré Society. I have been thoroughly impressed with the professionalism, heartfelt concern, and goodness of the organization. May God continue to bless their exceptional work of helping to rescue vocations and their selfless efforts to build up the Kingdom of Heaven!
My name is Elizabeth Luna and I am an Aspirant with the Laboure Society. When I first heard my calling to enter religious life, I remember feeling extremely happy and excited to start my new path that the Lord had shown me. When I found out that because of my student loans I wouldn't be able to enter formation until 7 years later, I felt my heart get a little heavy. When a couple of years had passed I remember even getting to the point of questioning my vocation. But my desire to serve the Lord the rest of my life was still stronger. So when I met the sisters from my community I'd like to join (Missionary Guadalupanas of the Holy Spirit), they recommended that I go through the Laboure Society to enter formation quicker. I remember feeling really uncertain about going through with them, even a little scared. But the moment I began my application, and even through their continual training sessions, I learned to LOVE this process. I am a big introvert and being able to learn from people who want to help you receive your Holy Orders is a true blessing. Sometimes I felt like I was alone, but the love and dedication that this organization has to truly helping you is beyond anything I could have imagined. But what truly is amazing is that they are not only helping your vocation, but many other vocations from men and women. Getting to know their stories and see the different communities they'd like to join is a very beautiful thing to see. And seeing so many faces willing to serve the Lord, is such a blessing. I can't help but see the Lord's face in all of them as I see them every training session we get. The staff from the Laboure Society through their prayer and dedication, help us in so many ways that they maybe don't even know. At least I can say that they have truly transformed my vocation, and have allowed me to grow in so many ways. I will always be extremely thankful to this student loan debt I have, because without it I couldn't have met this amazing team who is always willing to help you, and who becomes part of your family as well! God Bless!
The Laboure Society helped me in 2013-2014 to resolve my student loans so that I could enter diocesan priestly formation, and from 2014 to 2018 I returned to Minneapolis to assist with Boot Camp (training class for new aspirants) several times. On a professional level, I have been impressed with and inspired by the effectiveness and growth of the program, witnessing first hand a large number of aspirants enter priestly and religious formation throughout the country; on a personal level, I have been blessed tremendously by a number of close relationships within the Society, individuals who have been supporting and encouraging me throughout the joys and trials of priestly formation. Should I become a priest, I look forward to offering Masses in thanksgiving for them and the growing Laboure family. +AMDG+
I have been on the Board The Labouré Society since 2013. We have helped so many Aspirants hear their calling through the burden of their student debt. What's more, we help them by teaching them to fundraise, rather than merely giving grants. This is skill that they will take with them into formation. I am so proud to be associated with The Labouré Society and can't wait to help more of those called by God to serve!
This non-profit shows incredible diligence and excellence concerning the operations, governance, and stewardship of resources within the organization. The staff is full of individuals who are the best at what they do, and they tirelessly put their gifts at the service of the mission to ensure the organization is not only maintained, but continues to grow and improve with each passing day. I have been involved with Laboure' Society for 8 years, and in that time I have seen exponential growth and improvements in process design, operations, stewardship, and ultimately the experience of those served by the mission.
Laboure has designed the perfect program to rescue vocations from student loan debt. Aspirants have to work hard, but if they are willing to follow the Laboure program, they can rescue their vocation and the vocations of their classmates, and they can do it in months, not years.
Aspirants have tremendous support from Laboure's staff, plus volunteer accountability partners. Those that are considering the religious life but are blocked by student loans need to contact Laboure. They will be glad they did.
Laboure also does a great job of showing gratitude to its donors.
I've worked with The Laboure Society for six months as an Aspirant and I cannot say enough good things about the organization. The staff are deeply convicted in their Catholic faith and take the responsibility to help build the Church very seriously. Their method of fundraising is very effective, honest, and formative for both the donors and the aspirants. I would recommend anyone who wants to invest in the future of the Church to visit The Laboure Society first. Their website contains many inspiring stories of men and women who need financial help to give their lives to serving the Church!
We need priests and religious and The Laboure Society is helping to deliver them! My time with the Laboure Society was so very blessed and I would recommend working with them to any person discerning religious life.
We discovered Laboure before we got involved in Vocation Ministry locally. We made a connection with the young man we supported and while he has been in seminary has prayed for us for some special intentions.
Once we became involved with vocations, we have found others who pray for our parish program and communicate back with the students which helps foster more vocations.
Best of all, the program teaches project management, fundraising, and business skills seminarians don't get in school. So a graduate of Laboure is better ready for the temporal needs of the parish/community.
This is an organization that has a few dedicated staff that assists persons seeking to enter a religious order as a priest, brother or sister to reduce their student loan debt with a proven method to tell their stories to thousands of people who pray and assist with contributions to the Laboure' Society. The Laboure' Society is effective in communicating the need with only seven staff members by using volunteers to expand their effectiveness and reach to the greater community.
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Laboure' is a nonprofit that is unique and has a mission to bring more religious vocations to the Catholic Church. It teaches the candidates for religious life to share their vocation story to their local community. They ask them to pray and support their financial needs to pay off their student loans. Student loans are a barrier to their entering most religious communities.
I had three friends go through the Labouré program before going through it myself. It was an amazing experience through which I met a lot of great people and gained valuable skills that will be helpful to have in the future! In particular, I had to get a lot more comfortable talking about God, faith, prayer, etc, topics from which I tend to shy away. As a man discerning the priesthood, these are topics I should be comfortable with, so props to Labouré for forcing me out of my comfort zone!
I’m a repeat donor to the Laboure Society for two main reasons:
1. Their mission of rescuing religious vocations from debilitating college loans aligns perfectly with the mission of our family: “to make God known in this world.”
2. The Laboure Society is very transparent and extremely lean on their operating costs. In fact, paid staff fundraise separately to cover their administrative cost.
This assures me that 100% of my donation goes towards reducing educational loan debt of the people served by Laboure.
Great organization, with dedicated people, doing stellar work!
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The reason I commit my time, talent and treasure with The Labouré Society is their embodiment of the old adage “Give someone a fish and feed them for a day. Teach them to fish and feed them for a lifetime.”
The skills, process and discipline which The Labouré Society teaches their Aspirants (clients) will serve these men and women well past their months of fundraising as they work to reduce their college debt in order to begin their vocation.
I’m also attracted to how “lean” The Labouré Society organization is structured, assuring that 90%+ of financial support actually benefits current and future Aspirants.
The Laboure Society has helped me tremendously as a man discerning a vocation to the priesthood. With their help and the generosity of so many supporters I was able to enter seminary in the fall of 2018! Everyone working for and with Laboure I've found to be filled with passion for Laboure's goal: helping rescue vocations.
Our family of 4 with 2 adult children have enjoyed supporting Laboure aspirants for more than 7 years. The aspirants work hard at fundraising selflessly as a class and help each other with Holy Spirit's help advance on their religious/priestly calling. Laboure staff and volunteer program strive for constant self-improvement. Thus helping aspirants more effectively fundraise and develop each year. Strongly recommend Laboure Society!
This is a nonprofit that does what it purports to do, and it does so on a shoestring budget. Labouré's staff is fully committed to the organization's mission, its mode of operation is proven and highly effective, and the positive results are measurable. Absolutely one of the best organizations I'm aware of.
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The Labouré Society is the most effective, concrete way to deliver vocations to the Catholic Church that are impeded by the number one obstacle to formation - student loan debt. If you're passionate about the Catholic Church and having a thriving culture of vocations - with priests to offer our sacraments, I can't say how important it is to support their work.
I have been accepted into a religious community, but my student loans are blocking me from fully entering and one day professing my vows as a religious sister. It is only because of Labouré that I will be able to pursue my vocation and move forward in formation within a year as opposed to 10 or more years. They train us really well on how to effectively fundraise, and they are super supportive throughout the entire process. They are a gift to those who have student loans blocking them from entering religious formation as well as to the Church because they are helping bring much needed vocations to the Church.
The Laboure Society changed my life! Not only did they provide me with a means to resolve my student loan debt, they taught me skills that I will be able to serve the Church with for years to come. I learned how to evangelize, speak in front of groups, and communicate effectively. In addition, I made connections with priests and religious all over the country and formed relationships with countless supporters. Thank you Laboure for what you have done for me and all aspiring priests and religious, and I highly recommend this organization!
I would not have been able to fully live out my vocation as a missionary sister without the The Labouré Society. When others told me my student loan barrier was too big to help, the Labouré Society empowered me with the tools and endless encouragement to overcome my barrier. Working with Labouré was an experience of Church: my vocation was delivered through a river of people and communities and I believe that collaboration, now more than ever, between laity and religious will be the key to moving forward as a people. May we continue to support the critical work of the Labouré Society so others may be enabled to live out their calls as sisters, brothers, and priests for the world.
~Peace, Laryn Kovalik, VDMF
The Laboure Society, is a gift to the Church. The work it is doing to help rescue vocations is beautiful and necessary. If I had not met the staff and worked with them, I would not be in the Dominican Order today. Instead, I would be out working for several years to overcome the financial burden to entering religious life. As a result, I may have lost my vocation along the way. I am thankful for the help the Laboure Society has given me, which has allowed me to pursue my religious vocation, and to flourish in the life as a Dominican Friar.
I was pretty certain that once I knew God was calling me to give my life to Him and to the poor as a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal, I would never be truly happy because due to my student loans, I could not answer this call. The situation I was in, I found, was not uncommon. Thousands of Americans, men and woman, future religious and future priests, face this difficult obstacle. Thanks be to God and to His hand in The Labouré Society, I am able to overcome this obstacle and prepare to enter the Franciscans in a year rather than not at all. The work that Labouré is doing is not only making it possible for people like me to answer God's call, but they are forming us in virtue and in discipleship to be men and women after God's own heart, trusting and dependent upon His loving providence in the very way He intended. Because of Labouré, I am thankful that God gave me the obstacle of student loans!
The Laboure Society is doing a very necessary work. It is helping rebuild the Catholic Church one vocation at a time. It is helping students who've unforseen a religous calling during college, realize that calling, and respond boldy and directly to what God is asking. I'm so very grateful for it's assitance to my classmates, and myself, Class 15, and their generous pouring out of self into this mission of "Rescuing Vocations". God bless them, and truly, they are a great non-profit!
As an Aspirant for the Laboure Society, this is something I would have never known existed if it weren't for a friend who knew I had a lot of student loan debt to mitigate. The Laboure Society has patiently been working with me and have been very encouraging in their whole process. I am very glad that they exist for the sole purpose of helping remove that obstacle that definitely holds many of us back. The staff and volunteers are extremely exceptional in their desire and willingness to help all the Aspirants reach their God-given vocations. Everyone there truly and genuinely care about us and want us all to succeed. They provide different means to promote ourselves which is beautiful to see how they all come together to make this happen and possible! I definitely encourage those wanting to help support Catholic vocations to partner up with the Laboure Society because they have a heart for vocations and work one-on-one to make these realities possible. Join an organization devoted to Christ and His Church that will bring much fruition!
The Labouré Society is an answer to years of prayer by the Universal Church, including my own. Many individuals, including myself, would be unable to take the next step in our vocational journeys without the help of this magnificent organization.
Through the ministry of The Labouré Society, many lives continue to be impacted in positive ways as the wonderful works of God are shared.
May God continue to bless this wonderful organization, its staff, benefactors and volunteers as they continue to rescue vocations and renew the church with vocations.
I appreciate the vision of the Laboure Society - help young adults transition from professional life to professed life. As young adults rack up excruciating debt, the Laboure Society offers a pathway forward. Young Catholics discerning a vocation have a way of inviting others to offer assistance in reducing debt - but more importantly - offers members of the Church a reason to hope.
Father Kevin Finnegan
Our Lady of Grace, Edina, MN
Laboure is the greatest and most concrete sign of hope that God is listening to so many prayers offered by so many for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. THANK YOU LABOURE!
St. Catherine of Laboure, pray for us!
Working with the Laboure Society has far exceeded any expectations that I had. The staff are absolutely amazing, so open and generous with their time. The volunteers are top notch, truly interested in helping. I highly recommend supporting the Laboure Society.
The staff at Labore is very dedicated to their work. I met them in Nashville at a Serra Convention and have been a donor and volunteer since then. The work that the do is so important to develop more good priests and great citizens.
I volunteered with this organization to assist their clients by helping them set and review their weekly goals. The Laboure Society provides a wonderful service to their clients by giving them the skill set and encouragement that they need to raise money so they can enter into their vocations, which are all dedicated to a life of service. It is an incredibly positive and productive environment. It is also very well organized and uses processes that provide transparency and accountability for oversight of their own management performance and personnel.
The Laboure Society is what the church needs today! I’m quite convinced that we would have less religious men and women serving our people if Laboure didn’t exist. Thank God for laboure volunteers, emplyee’s and accountability partners who teach Aspirants like myself how to tell our stories and to give parishioners the opportunity to invest in vocations today.
God bless you! & let us pray for one another :)
- In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Fall 2018 Aspirant
The Labouré Society is not only a wonderful non-profit, but also a family of believers in giving to the Church many new Men and Women to the Priesthood and Religious Life! I love my Labouré Family
The Labouré Society has rescued hundreds of Catholic vocations from the barrier of student loan debt thereby freeing them to enter seminaries and religious communities. Labouré teaches these "aspirants" to religious life a Catholic-based, metric driven, collective fundraising model. Through this model, aspirants erase or substantially mitigate five and six figure student loan debt in 6-24 months rather than 15-18 years. Through the Labouré program the aspirants are not only able to accelerate the elimination of their debt, but they also undergo a human and pastoral formation process which makes them ideal candidates for religious life. Laboure's rescue mission is urgent because vocation studies tell us there are approximately 3000 discerning men and women in this country who are abandoning their vocation because they think their student loan debt is an insurmountable obstacle to their vocation. The Labouré model removes that obstacle and frees our future priests and religious to enter seminaries, convents and religious orders. There is no other Catholic lay organization in the country having the impact Labouré is having in delivering vocations to the Catholic church. Laboure's rescue mission strengthens the church and helps heal our wounded culture. The world needs the light and leaven consecrated lives bring to all they encounter.
The Labouré Society is delivering vocations to the Church that would have otherwise been lost! As a Church, we have been praying for an increase in vocations for generations. I believe that Labouré is a part of those answered prayers. I've watched the work of Labouré transform the lives of the men and women who go through their program, giving them confidence, clarity, and new skillsets. They're better discerned at the end of the Labouré program and ready to serve the Church as they enter into formation.
I have been part of the Laboure family for almost five years! I left my former employer because I wanted to do something much more rewarding, something that would make an impact in the world and I found it in Laboure. The men and women we work with are making an impact in this world and I am blessed to be apart of this family.
Laboure is the most rewarding nonprofit organization I have served in my life! What a privilege to make an investment and/or donate time as a volunteer to terrific young men and women wanting to dedicate rest of their lives (but blocked by student debt) to serving others, society, sick, poor, and those less fortunate. For your ROI, this is best nonprofit I can recommend due to a total focus on the mission, talented lean staff, strong endorsements from alumni Laboure aspirants (now in religious/priestly formation) and Catholic bishops. Attached are photos from alumni aspirants with supporters including Bishop Robert Barron, and recent "Boot Camp" where Christian-based fundraising principles are taught.
I was introduced to The Laboure Society by the vocation director for my home diocese. At the time I was trying to fund raise on my own to pay off my student loan debt in order to enter religious life and realized that I needed more help. At first I was hesitant about flying out to Minnesota, but through prayer and The Holy Spirit I was strengthened to "Go out into the Deep". By joining The Laboure Society, my vocation to becoming a consecrated sister in the Roman Catholic Church has been saved! I have been given a second chance because of The Laboure Society. Without the Laboure Society, my vocation would have been lost. The Laboure Society is not only a Great Nonprofit, The Laboure Society is an answer to prayer!
The Labouré Society is a unique organization that comes along-side individual's (Aspirants) whose only obstacle to enter formation to become Priests, Sisters & Brothers is their student loan debt. We train them in the best practices of fund-raising and support them as they raise funds as a class. The Labouré Society has partnered with business women and men from the around the country so that each Aspirant has an Accountability Coach that they meet with weekly. Not only are individuals trained in best practices of fund-raising but in a whole host of leadership qualities including; public speaking, evangelism, relationship building, time management, all skills that they will take with them into their vocation. They have an opportunity to make a decision to pursue their vocation everyday by writing letters, picking up the phone and building relationships with investors. Countless Vocations are saved from years of paying off student loan debt or the danger of being lost altogether. It has been an unspeakable joy to witness numerous men and women overcome the one obstacle holding them back and to see them enter formation. Please pray for and support The Labouré Society.
I was an Aspirant of the Laboure Society from 2013-2014. Through the intercession of Saint Catherine Laboure and this incredible organization, I was awarded a grant which enabled my entrance into formation for the diocesan priesthood. Over 200 men and women have likewise entered formation to the priesthood and religious life due to this community. Laboure is truly a gift to the Church and thus to the world.
The mission of the Laboure Society is very clear and very defined. It is to help men and women give their lives to Christ through Catholic vocations to the Church. Many, if not most, would be unable to do this without the help of the Laboure Society. The staff is small but extremely dedicated to the mission. In short, it is an amazing organization.
As someone who is discerning religious life the Laboure Society has been a Godsend. Everyone at the office is always so helpful and generous with their time. I am so grateful for the work they do to help promote religious vocations!
This review responds to the September review set forth above from a past Labouré donor. First, we at Labouré are deeply grateful for the donor's investment in vocations. Our mission would not be possible without support like his/hers. Second, a very important clarification is necessary. A donor's gift to a Laboure "aspirant class" ( a class of 15-20 men and women raising funds as a collective class for vocations) is never "wasted". The aspirants working through the Labouré program do not raise money for themselves, they raise money as a class with all donations being designated for the class in honor of an aspirant. For instance, a check would be made out to The Laboure Society in honor of a particular aspirant. This model preserves the charitable deduction for the donor (Labouré is a 501c3 non profit organization) and avoids income tax implications for the aspirant. At the end of the 6 month class, the total amount raised by the class is divided into awards for each aspirant. That money is held in reserve for the aspirant by Labouré, the aspirant never "receives" any funds. At that point, Laboure pays the aspirants' lenders directly with a minimum monthly payment over the course of 36 months. In the 37th month the loan is paid off in full. So, if the aspirant discerns out of a community within those 36 months the money that was awarded is held in reserve for other aspirant needs to remove their student loan impediment. It is extremely important for donors to understand that any donation to the Labouré General Fund or to an aspirant class will always be applied to the mission of delivering future priests and religious to the Catholic Church. Donations to the Labouré aspirants are NEVER wasted. The whole program is specifically designed to avoid that outcome. Any questions about this review can be directed to Bill LeMire at the Labouré Society at 651-295-2548. Please pray for our aspirants who seek nothing other than to devote their lives to Christ. May it please God!
Review from Guidestar
Pros - You will be helping Aspirants to enter the priesthood and the religious life.
Cons – Laboure Society only helps individuals with their student loans excluding their other debts which will delay their entering. There is no assurance from those Aspirants that they will finish their respective formations. There is no binding contract between the said organization and the Aspirants. In other words, if an individual decided to leave, they are not required to pay back. In the process, the money that we the benefactors donated are gone to waste.
The Labouré Society exists to provide financial assistance and spiritual support to individuals who must resolve student loans in order to pursue a vocation to the priesthood and/or religious life in the Catholic Church.
They have assisted hundreds in pursuing their vocation, a vocation that without the help of Labouré they would never have been able to live out. I have volunteered for Labouré for nearly 6 years, and I am so humbled and proud to be a part of their beautiful work.
walemire 07/01/2021
In all charity, the claims in this review are simply not true. First, we proudly proclaim our success rate which can be verified by actual numbers. Second, every aspirant who has ever participated in our classes and followed our fundraising model has been successful in erasing their student loan debt debt or lowering it to the threshold required by their religious community. Thirdly, every aspirant is required to respond with thanks and gratitude to every donation they receive. Fourth, any donor who calls or writes and requests to be taken off of our mailing lists is immediately removed. No one is ever "chained" to our mailing list. Fifth, the comment that one of our mailings referred to guns is simply wrong. The donor clearly has Laboure confused with another organization. In closing, we are grateful for this donor's past support and we offer him/her our prayers.