How's the Bishop's Annual Appeal doing in your diocese?

[hedgehog]

Here in New York State, the diocese sets a quota for each parish. Then the people as a whole are asked to donate to the Bishop's Appeal or Bishop's burse or whatever. The money is supposed to cover the Bishops budget for religious education, seminary, ministries to the deaf, etc, although I've never seen an accounting. The parish must cover any shortfall if the parishioners don't pony up.

My parish made the quota and then some last year, this year we're at 46%. My Dad tells me his parish in another diocese is doing about the same. Both parishes are meeting their internal budget. In other words, people have money for the weekly offering, but they're not willing to send the Bishop a penny.


What is the sound of a worm turning?

[Matilda]

1. I'd love to know how it's going here in Sydney.

This was the old "Peter's Pence", and I recall there was a downturn after Paul VI released his prohibition on birth control. I hope it's happening again here, following the dismissal of Bishop Morris.

I know these days it funds charitable works, but since the Vatican has now taken over the administration of Caritas, putting an emphasis on preaching the Word and conversion rather on simple human charity, I decided not to give in future. I'm happy giving to the parish and to other charities of my choice, but not to anything run by the Vatican.

[brendan120678]

2. In the Archdiocese of Hartford where I am....

we receive a yearly summary at the start of the Appeal period stating how the previous year's funds were distributed, as well as planned distributions for the current year's appeal.

Here's what Hartford has planned for 2011:

2011 ARCHBISHOP’S ANNUAL APPEAL ALLOCATION
MINIMUM GOAL — $8,500,000
Catholic Charities and Other Good Works of the Church
$1,825,000
21%

Catholic Education/Faith Formation
$1,000,000
12%

Seminarian/Diaconate Programs
$1,048,000
12%

Pastoral Ministries
$1,448,000
17%

Retired Clergy
$600,000
7%

Communications
$829,000
10%

Vicariate Outreach Programs
$750,000
9%

Emergency Assistance Fund and Malta House of Care
$500,000
6%

Tuition Assistance
$500,000
6%

And is a link for a .pdf brochure listing the charities that received disbursements last year:
http://www.archdioceseofhartford.org/annualappeal/voplistings1-13-11.pdf

My parish typically does fairly decent, but we are one of the largest parishes in our Deanery. (There are three Vicariates in the Archdiocese, each Vicariate having multiple Deaneries).

[UrbScotty]

3. Grand Rapids is doing alright

Here it works the same as it does where you are, in that a parish must cover shortfalls (but a parish gets reimbursed in the event of an overage). Here, people can pledge a certain amount, and then the diocese will follow up.

People have pledged 88.4% of the diocese's goal. The diocese has received 66.5% of their goal.

Here's the report: http://www.flipdocs.com/showbook.aspx?ID=10001746_446127

I'd note that Bishop Hurley is a relatively admired figure - probably not as beloved as his predecessor, but certainly not as controversial as some.