Last year’s campaign raised $19.7M; 2015 effort kicks off May 2-3
Detroit — Entering its 34th year, the Catholic Services Appeal has been the financial engine for most of the ministries of the Archdiocese of Detroit for longer than many can remember.
This year, the annual archdiocesan stewardship campaign kicks off May 2-3 with the same goal — $17.8 million — as each of the past six years under Archbishop Allen Vigneron.
“I’m always amazed by the remarkable generosity the faithful in our archdiocese show through the Catholic Services Appeal each year,” the archbishop said in a video message on the Catholic Television Network of Detroit, which will be played in parishes in the coming weeks.
The theme of this year’s CSA is “Bringing Jesus Christ to All.”
Local Catholics have long supported the CSA, which funds ministries such as priestly vocations and seminarian formation, marriage and sacramental preparation and youth and young adult programming, as a means to help the local Church carry out its mission, said David Kelley, director of development and stewardship for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
“For most of our parishioners, the most intimate experience with the Church is in their own parish,” Kelley said. “That’s where they receive the sacraments, where they go to Mass, where they pray and join organizations. But it’s really all of us together with 230 parishes that form the Body of Christ in southeast Michigan.”
Last year’s CSA raised $19.7 million in pledges, with $18.3 million collected as of April 21. Of the archdiocese’s 230 parishes last year, 140 met or exceeded their individual targets, which are set based on factors such as the number of registered households. Everything collected in excess of a parish’s target is donated back to the parish.
The CSA also funds various evangelization initiatives of the archdiocese — a particular focus of the upcoming year with the conclusion of the Year of Prayer for a New Pentecost. Those include resources for RCIA programs, music and liturgical ministry, and programs for specific groups such as men, women, Hispanics, black Catholics and college students. Donations also fund communications efforts such as the archdiocesan website and social media, CTND and the Mass for Shut-Ins.
“No one parish alone could accomplish all that the CSA does, given the reach of the ministries, programs and services funded by our annual appeal — and really, no one parish should,” Archbishop Vigneron said.
The archdiocese has long been recognized as the most successful diocesan fundraising campaign of its kind in the nation, said Kelley, “even more than the big guys such as New York or Boston,” according to the most recent study by the International Catholic Stewardship Council.
A total of 71,000 donors gave to the CSA last year, with an average donation of $280.
Besides the CSA, Kelley pointed out that Detroit Catholics have for more than 20 years been the top contributor to the national Society for the Propagation of the Faith, and Detroit routinely leads the nation in secular philanthropic fundraising efforts as well.
“It definitely seems to be in the bloodstream and carries from one generation to the next,” he said.
The largest portion of CSA dollars — $4.24 million — funds mission-supporting grants to parishes, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, schools and national collections, with other portions going toward clergy life, priestly vocations and seminarian education ($3.12 million); seminary building and maintenance costs ($2.88 million); Catholic schools, evangelization, youth and minority ministries ($2.46 million); parish life and Christian services ($2 million); stewardship and development programs ($1.17 million); communications, social and digital media ($1.17 million); and the Metropolitan Tribunal ($635,000).
A complete listing of ministries funded by the CSA can be found at www.aod.org/csa.
