Story by Mary Stadnyk, Associate Editor

Faithful from around the Diocese know well that in the early part of each year, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., reaches out to encourage support for the Annual Catholic Appeal, which provides funds for the Diocese “to conduct its work and ministry in service to our parishes and people.”

To learn more about the Annual Catholic Appeal and ways to contribute, click here.

Once again, the Bishop is turning to his flock, asking them for assistance with the 2017 ACA, which kicks off for most parishes the weekend of Feb. 25-26. But in addition to their financial support, he has an equally pressing request. The Bishop is asking them to look inward and reflect on what commitment they can make as Catholics “to become a true evangelizer.”

“Whose lives can you touch with mercy, compassion and love? How can you deepen your own knowledge and practice of the faith? And what commitment can you make today in service to the conviction that we are truly ‘One Body in Christ?’”

The Bishop’s imploring the faithful to be mindful of their responsibility to “bring the love of Christ to a world so desperately in need of it” is in response to the sobering reality of how active participation in the Catholic Church is diminishing; that in the Diocese of Trenton alone, only 18 percent of all Catholics regularly attend Mass, and that the presence and involvement of young adults, in particular, is declining even more rapidly.

Though the information the Bishop presented reflects national trends and is not unique to the Diocese or even to the Catholic Church, the Bishop questions, “How stark is the realization that so many people seem to have little to believe in; and feel isolated from the love of God and neighbor.”

“We can only imagine how different our world might look if people believed that they are truly loved,” he said. “Would the number of drug overdoses be at epidemic levels? Would our citizenry be so polarized as to lash out with hatred and even violence against those who see things differently? Would the developing child in the womb be considered disposable? Would those who are sick or dying decide that life is not worth living and seek to end it themselves?”

“When we take our faith seriously, there is one thing we know for certain,” said Bishop O’Connell. “God’s love has the power to set us free, to transform our lives and heal our broken world. We must answer God’s call to be his hands and feet in this world.”

Learn About the ACA

According to diocesan Development staff, Steve Nicholl, director; Mariann Gilbride, associate director, and Greg King, the department’s parish analyst, parishioners can learn more about the ACA, which has a goal of $7 million, through a video that may be shown at all Masses and presentations that will be given by the priests and parish leaders. Parishioners will be invited to make their in-pew contribution on Appeal Sunday by using the pledge cards that have been provided to all parishes. Parishioners who wish to discern their contribution may do so by reviewing other promotional resources that have also been made available, including a brochure and letter from Bishop O’Connell that were mailed to all Catholic households or by viewing the website: www.dioceseoftrenton.org/catholicappeal. Information  on the website includes various planned giving or memorial donation options; a percentage breakdown of the ministries that will receive support from the appeal and ways in which the faithful can make their donation through the mail, Diocese of Trenton at 701 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville, N.J. 08648; online, dioceseoftrenton.org/catholicappeal; or by phone, 609-403-7197.

Bolstering ACA Support

In 2016, the ACA raised $5.9 million in pledges of its $7 million goal, and 33 parishes exceeded their campaign goals, with 26 of those exceeding from anywhere between 70 percent and 99 percent. Other positives King noted were that 27 parishes saw an increase in donors, 24 parishes saw an increase in pledges and there were 7,054 “new” donors in 2016 who did not contribute in 2015. Despite falling short of the goal, King indicated that the 2016 appeal was regarded as a success because it ran in conjunction with the diocesan Faith To Move Mountains Endowment Campaign. Because of Faith To Move Mountains, the number of people who have engaged in supporting the Diocese and its mission has grown, King said, noting that there were 4,276 people who gave to the Diocese for the first time, making them potential contributors to the ACA as well.

Recapping how parishes benefit from the appeal, he said that for those who reach their goal, they will receive a 15 percent rebate. For those parishes that exceed their goal, they will receive half the amount collected over goal for repair/restoration projects, new areas of growth or ministry development, as well as other needs. In all, the Development Department said that a rebate will be returned to the parishes for 2016 in about a month.

Each year when introducing the ACA, Nicholl speaks of the importance of how the campaign is designed to build  relationships between the people in the parishes and the Diocese and not only about the “dollar amount that people give.” He noted that “roll-out” meetings with pastors have been held informing them on the 2017 ACA, emphasizing how important it is for parishioners to see their pastors’ support of the appeal. 

“We can only be successful with the support and leadership of our pastors,” he said.