Keep the Mission of Ivy Hall and the IIC Strong
The Lord is risen! Alleluia! We continue to rejoice in the fifty days of the Easter season and look forward to the fire of Pentecost. Our Lenten fasting and almsgiving have given way to rejoicing, and perhaps even a return to sweets and a good beer.
It seems a fitting time to reach out for support from all our friends of the International Institute for Culture.
Where We’ve Been
Ivy Hall, built in 1904, is the headquarters of the Institute and the center of its Catholic mission. It is where so much of our work comes to life. At the same time, it demands significant care and expense to keep it open and available for the many good works that occur within its halls.
The Need
The house is large and aging, and we are currently facing several pressing needs:
- Replacement of one of our two furnaces, recently completed at a cost of $35,000
- Repairs to leaking pipes
- Substantial heating costs from this past brutal winter
- An urgent need this summer to caulk and paint windows at the back of the house
These are real and immediate needs, but they are in service of something much greater–our mission to work for the re-evangelization of culture.
Wide-Reaching Impact
We recently hosted a lecture by New York priest and EWTN personality, Father Gerald Murray, on the pontificates of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. The event was standing-room only. Afterward, we shared the presentation online, and within a week it received over 17,000 views. This response reminds us that what begins in a room of sixty can quickly reach thousands.
In fact, lectures and videos from the Institute have now been viewed over 500,000 times. Ivy Hall is not only a local gathering place. As the headquarters of the Institute, it is a center of formation and outreach whose impact extends far beyond Philadelphia.
A Look at Our Outreach
Each year, Ivy Hall is home to a wide range of meaningful events and gatherings
Lecture series and seminars on faith, culture, and the life of the Church
Musical programs by groups such as the Fine Art Music Company and the Kairos Trio
Meetings of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chesterton Society
Retreats and charitable outreach, such as the monthly preparation of meals for shut-ins, by the Order of Malta
Events for Catholic schools such as Regina Angelorum and the Mason Academy
International initiatives such as the Truth and Beauty Project from Rome
Celebrations of cultural events, including Oktoberfest
The Boar’s Head Feast at Christmas celebrates rich medieval Catholic tradition
Distinguished guests such as Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Cardinal Sarah, and Archduke Eduard von Habsburg
Ivy Hall is of critical importance, not only to the city of Philadelphia, but far beyond it. It is a place where faith and culture meet, where souls are formed, and where the Church’s mission is strengthened and shared with the world.
Keep the Mission Going
The life of Ivy Hall is sustained by the generosity of its patrons like you. Your support makes possible far more than the upkeep of a building. It sustains a vibrant center of Catholic cultural renewal in Philadelphia, forming individuals, strengthening families, and extending its reach across the globe.
Please consider making a generous contribution as we look ahead to expanding our programs, and preserving Ivy Hall as the headquarters of this mission. In this season of Easter joy, we ask for your support so that this work may continue to grow and reach even more souls.
You may make a donation online or by mailing a check:
Mail a check:
International Institute for Culture
6331 Lancaster Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19151
Feel Moved To Do More?
For those who may be interested in making a more significant investment in the mission of the Institute, both in sustaining Ivy Hall and expanding its future impact, I would be glad to speak with you personally. Please reach out to me at johnhaas@iiculture.org to schedule a conversation.
Please be as generous with your Easter gift as you were with your Lenten almsgiving, and empower Ivy Hall to continue its virtuous and impactful mission.