Advancing the Faith
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Bishop’s Annual Appeal will benefit many ministries
By Mary Stadnyk | News Editor
Building up the kingdom of God by sharing faith and serving others is a major focus of the 2013 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
Set to begin in all parishes Feb. 9-10, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., is asking the faithful from all corners of the diocese to participate in the $8 million campaign, which will be used to support areas of ministry including: evangelization; ministerial formation and priestly life; Catholic education; parish needs and charities.
Reflecting on the appeal theme, “Faith Forward in Christ,” Bishop O’Connell noted that it was chosen to coincide with the Year of Faith, which was proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI as a time for Catholics throughout the world to “rediscover and share with others the precious gift of faith we have each received from God the Father.”
“As each of you participates in different ways to observe the Year of Faith, we must remember that this tremendous gift of knowing God’s love is not for us to keep alone,” stated Bishop O’Connell. “It is for us to share by the words we speak, by the way we live our lives and by the way we love one another.”
“Through sharing the gift of God’s love we move our ‘faith forward’,” said Bishop O’Connell.
In this special year, the Catholic faithful are called to renew their “commitment to faith and love,” stated Bishop O’Connell.
Bishop O’Connell emphasized the appeal is “integral to the mission and services of the Diocese of Trenton. The annual appeal ensures the funding necessary so that these programs may continue to serve thousands throughout our diocese.”
“Now more than ever, there are those who truly need to hear the message of God’s saving love,” said Bishop O’Connell. “With your contribution to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal you will help bring the good news of the Gospel to countless individuals and groups throughout the diocese by offering hope, love and the gift of new life in Christ.”
Learn about the BAA
As part of the launch, details will be provided through a video that will be shown at all Masses and presentations given by the priests and parish leaders. Additional BAA promotional resources about the appeal and ways to contribute include the colorful brochure and letter from Bishop O’Connell that were mailed to Catholic households, the 40 billboards that will be displayed on roads around the diocese and the more than 500 radio spots that will be aired during February on stations covering the four counties of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean listening areas or by clicking on to www.BishopsAnnualAppeal.com to view testimonials from pastors, donors and diocesan personnel on the benefits of the appeal.
There are several ways in which donors can contribute to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. In addition to the traditional way of giving, by mailing payments to the diocesan Chancery, donors are welcome to take advantage of making online pledges at www.BishopsAnnualAppeal.com. To make a donation over the phone or to discuss options of planned giving or memorial donations, contact the Development Department at 609-403-7197.
Steve Nicholl, director of the diocesan Department of Development, spoke of how the “Faith Forward in Christ” theme reflects the work of the diocese and the areas funded.
“Every ministry that deals with parishioners is an example of putting our faith forward, and every ministry that works outside of the diocesan building is funded in one way or another by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal,” whether it is in supporting seminarians, retired priests, providing education and formation of catechists and lay ecclesial ministers or strengthening Catholic education.
Noting how parishes can benefit from the appeal, Nicholl said that for those that reach their goal, they will receive a 15 percent reimbursement. And for every parish that exceeds its goal, the parish will receive half of the amount over goal.
New Appeal Features
Looking to BAA 2013, Nicholl and Anthony Mingarino, diocesan chancellor and chief administrative officer, said that a major emphasis is being placed on educating the faithful in how the appeal funds are used directly to support the ministries of the diocese.
“The Bishop’s Annual Appeal has always supported the ministries identified by the bishop as necessary to support vibrant parishes and the 2013 appeal is no different, except that we hope to highlight more clearly what those ministries are,” said Mingarino.
“The diocesan offices’ support to parishes reach all Catholics in one way or another, from conception to catechetical formation to Catholic education to marriage, priesthood, diaconate or religious life, and continues through life’s stages until we complete our journey and all that those finale days entail when, with the grace of God, we enjoy eternal life,” Mingarino said.
Among the new targets for the BAA 2013 is to increase the number of people in parishes who donate to the appeal. Nicholl said that there are typically 33,000 people who have participated in the campaign in any given year, and the Development Department is working toward increasing that number by at least 10 percent this year. The department is more than willing to help make contributing to the appeal more convenient and manageable for donors, especially for those who may be facing financial challenges or are on tight budgets.
If a household makes a pledge for a certain amount, but is able to only make monthly payments, “we will work with them and make it as easy for them to reach their pledge goal,” Nicholl said.
It has been Nicholl’s observation that parishes that do best in the appeal are those that have the full support and enthusiasm of the pastor. Nicholl said he looks forward to working with pastors to help them achieve that goal.
Although the Department of Development will provide the pastors with the tools to promote the appeal, “the key to the success of the campaign is pastoral leadership,” Nicholl emphasized. It’s been the Department of Development’s experience that the “real successful parishes have had their pastors leading this effort. If the pastor does a good job in promoting the appeal, their parishioners will respond. Those parishes will be successful.”
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Bishop’s Annual Appeal will benefit many ministries
By Mary Stadnyk | News Editor
Building up the kingdom of God by sharing faith and serving others is a major focus of the 2013 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
Set to begin in all parishes Feb. 9-10, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., is asking the faithful from all corners of the diocese to participate in the $8 million campaign, which will be used to support areas of ministry including: evangelization; ministerial formation and priestly life; Catholic education; parish needs and charities.
Reflecting on the appeal theme, “Faith Forward in Christ,” Bishop O’Connell noted that it was chosen to coincide with the Year of Faith, which was proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI as a time for Catholics throughout the world to “rediscover and share with others the precious gift of faith we have each received from God the Father.”
“As each of you participates in different ways to observe the Year of Faith, we must remember that this tremendous gift of knowing God’s love is not for us to keep alone,” stated Bishop O’Connell. “It is for us to share by the words we speak, by the way we live our lives and by the way we love one another.”
“Through sharing the gift of God’s love we move our ‘faith forward’,” said Bishop O’Connell.
In this special year, the Catholic faithful are called to renew their “commitment to faith and love,” stated Bishop O’Connell.
Bishop O’Connell emphasized the appeal is “integral to the mission and services of the Diocese of Trenton. The annual appeal ensures the funding necessary so that these programs may continue to serve thousands throughout our diocese.”
“Now more than ever, there are those who truly need to hear the message of God’s saving love,” said Bishop O’Connell. “With your contribution to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal you will help bring the good news of the Gospel to countless individuals and groups throughout the diocese by offering hope, love and the gift of new life in Christ.”
Learn about the BAA
As part of the launch, details will be provided through a video that will be shown at all Masses and presentations given by the priests and parish leaders. Additional BAA promotional resources about the appeal and ways to contribute include the colorful brochure and letter from Bishop O’Connell that were mailed to Catholic households, the 40 billboards that will be displayed on roads around the diocese and the more than 500 radio spots that will be aired during February on stations covering the four counties of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean listening areas or by clicking on to www.BishopsAnnualAppeal.com to view testimonials from pastors, donors and diocesan personnel on the benefits of the appeal.
There are several ways in which donors can contribute to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. In addition to the traditional way of giving, by mailing payments to the diocesan Chancery, donors are welcome to take advantage of making online pledges at www.BishopsAnnualAppeal.com. To make a donation over the phone or to discuss options of planned giving or memorial donations, contact the Development Department at 609-403-7197.
Steve Nicholl, director of the diocesan Department of Development, spoke of how the “Faith Forward in Christ” theme reflects the work of the diocese and the areas funded.
“Every ministry that deals with parishioners is an example of putting our faith forward, and every ministry that works outside of the diocesan building is funded in one way or another by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal,” whether it is in supporting seminarians, retired priests, providing education and formation of catechists and lay ecclesial ministers or strengthening Catholic education.
Noting how parishes can benefit from the appeal, Nicholl said that for those that reach their goal, they will receive a 15 percent reimbursement. And for every parish that exceeds its goal, the parish will receive half of the amount over goal.
New Appeal Features
Looking to BAA 2013, Nicholl and Anthony Mingarino, diocesan chancellor and chief administrative officer, said that a major emphasis is being placed on educating the faithful in how the appeal funds are used directly to support the ministries of the diocese.
“The Bishop’s Annual Appeal has always supported the ministries identified by the bishop as necessary to support vibrant parishes and the 2013 appeal is no different, except that we hope to highlight more clearly what those ministries are,” said Mingarino.
“The diocesan offices’ support to parishes reach all Catholics in one way or another, from conception to catechetical formation to Catholic education to marriage, priesthood, diaconate or religious life, and continues through life’s stages until we complete our journey and all that those finale days entail when, with the grace of God, we enjoy eternal life,” Mingarino said.
Among the new targets for the BAA 2013 is to increase the number of people in parishes who donate to the appeal. Nicholl said that there are typically 33,000 people who have participated in the campaign in any given year, and the Development Department is working toward increasing that number by at least 10 percent this year. The department is more than willing to help make contributing to the appeal more convenient and manageable for donors, especially for those who may be facing financial challenges or are on tight budgets.
If a household makes a pledge for a certain amount, but is able to only make monthly payments, “we will work with them and make it as easy for them to reach their pledge goal,” Nicholl said.
It has been Nicholl’s observation that parishes that do best in the appeal are those that have the full support and enthusiasm of the pastor. Nicholl said he looks forward to working with pastors to help them achieve that goal.
Although the Department of Development will provide the pastors with the tools to promote the appeal, “the key to the success of the campaign is pastoral leadership,” Nicholl emphasized. It’s been the Department of Development’s experience that the “real successful parishes have had their pastors leading this effort. If the pastor does a good job in promoting the appeal, their parishioners will respond. Those parishes will be successful.”
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