According to a news release from the archdiocesan Department of Development and Stewardship, Catholics in the archdiocese have “responded generously” to this year’s campaign, which began in May.
“Our annual CSA is vital to our ministry and to the important work of our local Church, all the ways we advance together in meeting the great challenge of the New Evangelization,” Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron said in a statement.
The archbishop credits this year’s success to the leadership of pastors, the dedication of parish staff members and volunteers, and the “good stewardship” of faithful across the archdiocese.
The overall budget for the CSA has been unchanged since 2009, noted Dave Kelley, director of development and stewardship. The budget helps fund the work of the Central Services departments of Communications; Development and Stewardship; Evangelization, Catechesis and Schools; and Parish Life and Services; as well as the Office of Priestly Vocations and Sacred Heart Major Seminary.
Each parish in the archdiocese is assigned a CSA target based on its offertory collection, including Christmas, with adjustments for a parish school and economic factors. All funds collected above target are returned to parishes exempt from the 7 percent assessment of the archdiocese.
“Because of this, many parishes choose to set a higher goal to raise funds for special projects, like facility expansion and repair, debt retirement, and ministry enhancement,” Kelley said. “It is important to note that the archdiocese retains no funds above the year’s established CSA budget.”
Parishes that do not meet their CSA targets are required to make up the shortfall out of parish funds.
Since 1982, the Catholic Services Appeal has supported vital ministries, programs, and services of the Archdiocese of Detroit. It replaced the Archdiocese Development Fund, which was created in 1943. The archdiocesan lay Finance Council oversees the distribution of CSA funds, with no CSA dollars used to support projects outside of the archdiocese, other than specific USCCB national collections, or to settle claims of any nature against the archdiocese.
Catholic Services Appeal
For more information about the Catholic Services Appeal, visit www.aod.org/csa.
