June 6, 2025— Nearing One Year of Hope…Fund

When Fr. Mark Brummel’s Legacy of Hope Fund (Hope Fund) was launched in July 2024, it intented to serve a heartfelt mission: to carry forward his unwavering commitment to faith, service, and community. Nearly one year later, that mission is thriving—thanks to the compassion and generosity of people like you.
Because of your support, the Hope Fund has received more than 1,950 donations, raising over $87,500, which directly benefits the Claretian ministries that Fr. Mark was involved in. These programs—rooted in education, healing, and dignity—continue his legacy by meeting real needs in real time, bringing hope to those who need it most.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (OLG) School
Through faith formation and quality education, students at Our Lady of Guadalupe School grow into the Christian and civic leaders of tomorrow—a vision championed by Claretians like Fr. Mark. The school continues to innovate, preparing students for each new chapter in their lives.
Principal Bonnie Hall shares a beloved school tradition that beautifully captures their mission:
“Our students arrive as little 3-year-olds and, over time, emerge as 14-year-old young adults, ready for high school and prepared to pursue their dreams. They become who God created them to be.”

“Each class is currently watching caterpillars transform into butterflies before we release them into South Chicago. It’s a tradition at OLG. We want our students to witness God at work—His beauty and miraculous ways. We also teach them the powerful parallel between a butterfly’s metamorphosis and their own journey.”
National Shrine of St. Jude
Across the street from OLG School is Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Fr. Mark served as an associate pastor at OLG, home of the National Shrine of St. Jude. Through his faith and devotion, Fr. Mark would go on to become one of the longest-serving Directors of the National Shrine of St. Jude. It was at the Shrine’s annual Mass for Benefactors, which honors all the devotees and supporters of the St. Jude League, that Hope Fund was announced last year. It is largely through the faithful support of devotees of St. Jude that the Claretians’ mission in the United States and Canada can serve more than 850,000 people in their communities each year. Be sure to save the date to join us this year at this special celebration of Mass, scheduled for July 20th at 10:30 am. Please plan to join us in Thanksgiving!
Villa Guadalupe Senior Community
Also in the same community, Fr. Mark served on the board for Claretian Associates, a partner organization of Villa Guadalupe Senior Community. He was instrumental in realizing the vision of Villa Guadalupe Senior Services, Inc. (Villa). Villa’s mission focuses exclusively on older adults, their needs in the community for health, safety, and affordable housing. SJLCD supports helping people improve their daily lives through community development programs. We focus on supporting Claretian-led programs that work to create safe neighborhoods where people can live with dignity and care for one another, even amid the many urban challenges in disadvantaged areas.
Though Fr. Mark has retired from full-time demands of active ministry and the Shrine, he’s keeping busy at his new home, the Dominguez Seminary Community near Los Angeles. There, Fr. Mark serve as a vital link to our Alumni Association, offers of his wisdom, vast experience, encouragement, and connection. Even in retirement, he remains a steadfast witness to faith in action—quietly and faithfully transferring hope into the lives of others.
It’s this lifelong dedication to service, compassion, and community that makes Fr. Mark so deeply admired—and why the Hope Fund is such a powerful way to continue the work he’s devoted his life to.

Help Us Carry the Legacy Forward
As we approach the first anniversary of the Fr. Mark Brummel Legacy of Hope Fund, we celebrate not only what has been accomplished, but what is still possible.
Your generosity has already impacted countless lives through the ministries Fr. Mark loved and served: from the young students at Our Lady of Guadalupe School discovering their God-given potential, to the faithful who gather at the National Shrine of St. Jude for strength and healing, to the older adults at Villa Guadalupe who find community and dignity in their golden years.
But the needs served by Hope Fund haven’t diminished — and neither has our mission. The Hope Fund is year-round, because opportunities for grace happen every day. And with your continued support, we can keep serving when it matters most.
Let’s honor Fr. Mark’s legacy through action. Let’s keep hope alive—for students, devotees of St. Jude, families, seniors, and entire communities.