Fostering priestly & religious vocations
through student loan resolution.

The Labouré Society, Inc.
Cy D. Laurent - Executive Director
1620 Johnny Cake Ridge Lane
Eagan, MN 55122

651-340-7060

Email Cy Laurent

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Joseph Kueppers
President

Jeff Cavins
Vice President

Michael Smeby
Treasurer

Gary Martini
Secretary

Doug Smith

Gregory Cash

Kevin Kalal
Accountant

Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B.
Spiritual Advisor

Abbot Marcel Rooney, O.S.B.
Spiritual Advisor Emeritus

SPIRITUAL ADVISOR


Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B.

Right Rev. Gregory J. Polan, O.S.B., professed vows as a monk of Conception Abbey in 1971; he was ordained priest in 1977 and elected abbot in 1996. His doctoral studies at the Université St. Paul, Ottawa, Canada, culminated in 1984 with an S.T.L. and S.T.D. in Biblical Teology.

In addition to his duties as abbot, he teaches courses in Scripture, Biblical Languages, and Monastic Spirituality at Conception Seminary College.

He is an associate editor and contributor to Te Bible Today, and continues to publish in the felds of Scriptural and monastic theology and spirituality.

Procedures and Requirements for Aspirant Participation in
The Labouré Society (Society) and Determination of Funds Allocation

The Society receives donations from a variety of individuals and other charitable organizations which believe in the cause of helping the aspirants achieve their dreams of becoming a priest, religious sister or brother in the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Most aspirants are not allowed to enter formation until all personal debts have been paid. The Society’s mission is to help pay off this debt so that these aspirants can move forward.

The Society solicits and receives contributions which are deposited into one general fund. These funds are then allocated to the debts of the aspirants based on their participation in the program. The participation of the aspirant will be determined by their good faith effort to further the cause of the mission by fulfilling the stated requirements of the organization.

The Society has the following requirements for each aspirant:

1. As a prerequisite for the Society to open a file, the aspirant must obtain in writing a corroborative statement from a bishop, abbot, vocation director or spiritual director, which testifies to the qualifications and sincerity of the aspirant.

2. The Society requires that each aspirant provide a narrative of their vocation journey.

3. The aspirants are to provide a mail list of individuals and organizations who they feel may be interested in supporting the mission of the Labouré Society.

4. The aspirants are to provide a list of all debts.

The Society orchestrates a personal mailing through the aspirant, which includes the vocation narrative, literature about the Society and its mission along with a return envelope. The donations the Society receives are deposited into the general fund. No separate fund accounts will be maintained and the contributions will NOT be allowed to be earmarked for any one aspirant. Effective December 1, 2007 - 10% of donations received by the Society will be used for administration costs associated with running the organization.

The Society will decide based on the participation of the aspirants where the funds will be allocated in regard to the existing debts. The participation of the aspirant will be judged on the corroborative statement, their vocation journey narrative, the number of organizations and individuals they have provided for the mailing.

The sole mission of The Labouré Society: assist aspirants to achieve their dreams of a vocation in the church by removing the financial obstacles which prevent them from entering formation.
 

The Labouré Society (Society) History

Upon discovering that religious communities and dioceses require aspirants to be free of debt before entering formation, Minnesota businessman Cy Laurent decided something had to be done to mitigate the impediment of debt from those called to priesthood or religious life. Drawing from his twenty-plus years of experience in Fortune 500 companies and his twenty five years as an entrepreneur, Laurent began working with others toward assisting this population, which he expected could be quite a few.

He soon realized that the number would likely be many hundreds, that raising funds from family and friends would not be enough. Seeing the pressing need for a charitable society to accomplish assisting so many, Laurent and Mike Smeby of University Bank in St. Paul, MN established the Society as a 501 (c) (3) in 2001. Its mission is “to provide financial assistance to individuals who must eliminate personal debt in order to pursue their vocation to priesthood or religious life in the Catholic Church.”

Laurent is convinced that “a ‘springtime’ for these ‘particular’ vocations is at hand” and that “assisting them through the Society presents an eternal return-on-investment opportunity with 100% tax deductibility.”

Individuals who contact the Society for assistance receive both affirmation and encouragement; then, each is ‘qualified’ through an intake process that requires ‘corroboration’ from a vocation or spiritual director and asked to write a ‘vocation story’ narrative describing his or her vocation journey. Laurent then teaches each a favorite daily prayer: “Lord, I must do what I can; that, plus what you will do, is enough.” He instructs them on how to distribute the ‘vocation story’ to family, friends, friendly groups and organizations soliciting prayer and financial support. Laurent explains: “there are a number of individuals out there too numerous to count, that are ready, willing and able to assist, but they just don’t know about you yet.” The Society acknowledges funds received for the benefactor’s tax file and administers the funds; when accumulated funds are sufficient, the Society pays off the debt directly on behalf of the aspirant.

The Society welcomes contributions from individuals and organizations, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike! Laurent explains: “just like in the early years of this nation, priests and religious are once again desperately needed to strengthen our society; that is in the best interest of all.”

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