Catholic Appeal raises more than $100 million in 14 years
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor
The 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal is hitting new benchmarks in more ways than one.
As of mid-May, the diocesan Department of Development director, Steve Nicholl, reported that the Annual Catholic Appeal has collected more than $100 million in its 14-year history. Nicholl also shared that within the three months since this year’s $8 million campaign was inaugurated, $6 million in pledges have been raised to date and that 25-30 of the Diocese’s 109 parishes have attained their 2014 goals by this printing.
Reflecting on the 2014 campaign, Nicholl attributed the “phenomenal” increase in people contributing to the appeal, which is used to fund the many ministries sponsored by the Diocese, to the leadership and support of the pastors as well as the successful efforts that have been made to generate the number of parishioners who donate to the appeal.
“We’re more than 2,000 donors ahead of last year,” Nicholl said.
He feels that the appeal was also bolstered by efforts to reach out through mailings to secure new, first-time donors by asking for a modest amount of $25. However, Nicholl said, most of the new donors went beyond giving $25. The average gift made by people in that category was more than $40.
Nicholl believes that the various incentives that are made available to parishes helped to contribute to the appeal’s success. Since gaining new donors is more difficult than retaining existing ones, a new, added incentive is awarding an additional five percent rebate to any parish that increases its number of donors by 10 percent.
Among the parishes that have been successful in increasing the number of donors who give to the appeal was St. Mary, Colts Neck, which is 105 donors and $25,000 ahead compared to last year at this time, Nicholl said. St. Benedict, Holmdel, was also successful with increasing their number of first time donors by 130.
Nicholl also paid tribute to the overall participation of Ocean County parishes – St. Justin the Martyr, Toms River; St. Catharine of Siena, Seaside Park; St. Pio of Pietelcina, Lavallette, and St. Francis of Assisi, Brant Beach, in the 2014 campaign, given that all were significantly affected by Superstorm Sandy.
“They rebounded and this year they are way ahead in their appeal participation,” he said. Using St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, as an example, he said that although the parish had been closed for months following the hurricane, it is now “fully open and fully functioning and is a parish that is participating in the Annual Catholic Appeal at pre-storm levels.”
“That says a lot about their pastors and their parishioners because they themselves were impacted by the storm,” Nicholl said. “Maybe it’s because of something as devastating as the storm that they are coming back stronger with (appeal) gifts because they know and have learned how important it is to give back.”
Nicholl reflected on the significant impact that the appeal has had in assisting the ministries in the Trenton Diocese over the past 14 years. Raising more than $100 million “is tremendous especially when you compare the Trenton Diocese’s appeal to other dioceses across the country.”
“Trenton is still in its infancy stages – our appeal is only 14 years old. A lot of other dioceses have been conducting appeals for 30 years or more,” Nicholl said.
Of parish participation over the past 14 years, he noted that St. Catharine Parish, Holmdel, remained the top donor parish. As of the end of March, 2014, St. Catharine has cumulatively raised more than $4 million. In addition, there are six parishes that have raised more than $2 million in appeal dollars and 36 parishes that generated more than $1 million since the year 2000.
“There are some pretty impressive numbers,” he said.
Other parishes that had consistently exceeded their appeal goals in the 14 years were St. Alphonsus, Hopewell; St. David the King, West Windsor; St. Paul, Princeton; Resurrection Parish (formerly Holy Name), Delran; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown; St. John Neumann, Mount Laurel; St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford; Nativity, Fair Haven; Holy Innocents, Neptune; Holy Spirit, Asbury Park; St. Catharine, Spring Lake; St. Elizabeth, Avon-by-the-Sea; St. Gabriel, Marlboro; St. Mark, Sea Girt; St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold; St. Rose of Lima, Freehold; St. Rose, Belmar; Sacred Heart, Bay Head; St. Dominic, Brick; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Whiting; St. Martha, Point Pleasant; St. Mary of the Lake, Lakewood, and St. Maximilian Kolbe, Toms River.
Noting that his parish has a $90,000 goal, but has currently received $125,616 in pledges for 2014, Father Daniel Swift, pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel, said that when he pitches the ACA to his parishioners, he explains the many ways the appeal benefits the parish through rebates. Money that has been returned to St. Benedict has been used for continuing education funding for priests and deacons who serve the parish, funding to assist the coordinator of religious education as she pursues studies in theology and credits toward becoming a director of religious education; certification of catechists, youth ministers, staff and administrative support for the business and facilities managers. The parish is currently looking to expand its facilities by building additional meeting rooms, a parish library, IT office, resource room and adoration chapel as well as to reconfigure a parish office.
Father Swift proudly noted that when he first arrived as pastor of St. Benedict Parish in October, 2005, the parish didn’t have a youth ministry program. But now every appeal rebate since 2006 that the parish has received has been used “to support starting and sustaining a youth ministry program.” The parish now has both a junior CYO, and a high school CYO that includes spiritual and social components.
Similarly, Msgr. Sam Sirianni has witnessed how the ACA has benefited ministries and services on diocesan and parish levels. The pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, and director of the diocesan Office of Worship, said he encourages his faithful to support the appeal by stressing that “it does not matter the size of the gift, but the importance that we all participate.”
Msgr. Sirianni shared that St. Robert Bellarmine has reached its $66,000 goal for 2014, then added that last year’s appeal rebate was used to help fund a new sound system in the parish hall.
“I realize that many parishes face financial issues, but if we approach the ACA in a positive manner, then our people will be supportive.”
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By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor
The 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal is hitting new benchmarks in more ways than one.
As of mid-May, the diocesan Department of Development director, Steve Nicholl, reported that the Annual Catholic Appeal has collected more than $100 million in its 14-year history. Nicholl also shared that within the three months since this year’s $8 million campaign was inaugurated, $6 million in pledges have been raised to date and that 25-30 of the Diocese’s 109 parishes have attained their 2014 goals by this printing.
Reflecting on the 2014 campaign, Nicholl attributed the “phenomenal” increase in people contributing to the appeal, which is used to fund the many ministries sponsored by the Diocese, to the leadership and support of the pastors as well as the successful efforts that have been made to generate the number of parishioners who donate to the appeal.
“We’re more than 2,000 donors ahead of last year,” Nicholl said.
He feels that the appeal was also bolstered by efforts to reach out through mailings to secure new, first-time donors by asking for a modest amount of $25. However, Nicholl said, most of the new donors went beyond giving $25. The average gift made by people in that category was more than $40.
Nicholl believes that the various incentives that are made available to parishes helped to contribute to the appeal’s success. Since gaining new donors is more difficult than retaining existing ones, a new, added incentive is awarding an additional five percent rebate to any parish that increases its number of donors by 10 percent.
Among the parishes that have been successful in increasing the number of donors who give to the appeal was St. Mary, Colts Neck, which is 105 donors and $25,000 ahead compared to last year at this time, Nicholl said. St. Benedict, Holmdel, was also successful with increasing their number of first time donors by 130.
Nicholl also paid tribute to the overall participation of Ocean County parishes – St. Justin the Martyr, Toms River; St. Catharine of Siena, Seaside Park; St. Pio of Pietelcina, Lavallette, and St. Francis of Assisi, Brant Beach, in the 2014 campaign, given that all were significantly affected by Superstorm Sandy.
“They rebounded and this year they are way ahead in their appeal participation,” he said. Using St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, as an example, he said that although the parish had been closed for months following the hurricane, it is now “fully open and fully functioning and is a parish that is participating in the Annual Catholic Appeal at pre-storm levels.”
“That says a lot about their pastors and their parishioners because they themselves were impacted by the storm,” Nicholl said. “Maybe it’s because of something as devastating as the storm that they are coming back stronger with (appeal) gifts because they know and have learned how important it is to give back.”
Nicholl reflected on the significant impact that the appeal has had in assisting the ministries in the Trenton Diocese over the past 14 years. Raising more than $100 million “is tremendous especially when you compare the Trenton Diocese’s appeal to other dioceses across the country.”
“Trenton is still in its infancy stages – our appeal is only 14 years old. A lot of other dioceses have been conducting appeals for 30 years or more,” Nicholl said.
Of parish participation over the past 14 years, he noted that St. Catharine Parish, Holmdel, remained the top donor parish. As of the end of March, 2014, St. Catharine has cumulatively raised more than $4 million. In addition, there are six parishes that have raised more than $2 million in appeal dollars and 36 parishes that generated more than $1 million since the year 2000.
“There are some pretty impressive numbers,” he said.
Other parishes that had consistently exceeded their appeal goals in the 14 years were St. Alphonsus, Hopewell; St. David the King, West Windsor; St. Paul, Princeton; Resurrection Parish (formerly Holy Name), Delran; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown; St. John Neumann, Mount Laurel; St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford; Nativity, Fair Haven; Holy Innocents, Neptune; Holy Spirit, Asbury Park; St. Catharine, Spring Lake; St. Elizabeth, Avon-by-the-Sea; St. Gabriel, Marlboro; St. Mark, Sea Girt; St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold; St. Rose of Lima, Freehold; St. Rose, Belmar; Sacred Heart, Bay Head; St. Dominic, Brick; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Whiting; St. Martha, Point Pleasant; St. Mary of the Lake, Lakewood, and St. Maximilian Kolbe, Toms River.
Noting that his parish has a $90,000 goal, but has currently received $125,616 in pledges for 2014, Father Daniel Swift, pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel, said that when he pitches the ACA to his parishioners, he explains the many ways the appeal benefits the parish through rebates. Money that has been returned to St. Benedict has been used for continuing education funding for priests and deacons who serve the parish, funding to assist the coordinator of religious education as she pursues studies in theology and credits toward becoming a director of religious education; certification of catechists, youth ministers, staff and administrative support for the business and facilities managers. The parish is currently looking to expand its facilities by building additional meeting rooms, a parish library, IT office, resource room and adoration chapel as well as to reconfigure a parish office.
Father Swift proudly noted that when he first arrived as pastor of St. Benedict Parish in October, 2005, the parish didn’t have a youth ministry program. But now every appeal rebate since 2006 that the parish has received has been used “to support starting and sustaining a youth ministry program.” The parish now has both a junior CYO, and a high school CYO that includes spiritual and social components.
Similarly, Msgr. Sam Sirianni has witnessed how the ACA has benefited ministries and services on diocesan and parish levels. The pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, and director of the diocesan Office of Worship, said he encourages his faithful to support the appeal by stressing that “it does not matter the size of the gift, but the importance that we all participate.”
Msgr. Sirianni shared that St. Robert Bellarmine has reached its $66,000 goal for 2014, then added that last year’s appeal rebate was used to help fund a new sound system in the parish hall.
“I realize that many parishes face financial issues, but if we approach the ACA in a positive manner, then our people will be supportive.”
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