CDA surpasses lofty goal early
Annual appeal tops $10.25 million ahead of schedule

By Andrew Junker, The Catholic Sun
June 5, 2007

This year’s Charity and Development Appeal recently surpassed its financial goal by raising $10,253,440, a record for the Office of Stewardship, which is charged with leading the annual campaign.

The appeal reached its $10.25 million goal on May 23, two months ahead of schedule and the fastest time in its 37-year history.

Katie McLaughlin, director for the Office of Stewardship, attributes this year’s success in part to the “exemplary leadership and passion of our pastors who have made a great effort to ask their parish families to give back their gifts to our Lord and help other members of our diocesan family who are hungry, homeless or in crisis.”

More on the 2007 Charity and Development Appeal

The CDA supports more than 70 charitable, educational and spiritual organizations operating in the diocese.

Fr. Jim Wall, vicar for priests and pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, said Catholics respond to an appeal for funds when they can see there’s a “genuine need.”

“If you can put a face to it, I think that helps,” he said. “When I first started as a priest, I preached and talked about how some of the money goes to development of seminarians. I talked about how I was a recipient of that, how it helped me get through the seminary.”

He preached about the importance and need for the CDA often from the pulpit and played the video highlighting the services provided by CDA donations.

“We did everything that the diocese asked us to do and we were successful,” Fr. Wall said of his parish, which exceeded its financial goal. “The people were just incredibly generous.”

Fr. Bud Pelletier, vicar for stewardship, was also impressed by this year’s generosity. He gave thanks for all the donations.

“Your efforts help us to continue the charitable acts which our Lord asks us to do in His name,” he said.

Committing to prayer

An added component to this year’s appeal was the opportunity for parishioners to commit their prayers for the CDA’s “One Family in Christ” campaign. The Office of Stewardship distributed thousands of prayer cards throughout the diocese.

“This year is the first time we have asked for written commitment to prayer for those who need the support of the CDA,” McLaughlin explained. “This wonderful response has offered a strong foundation for all of our activities during the appeal.”

The commitment to prayer also allowed Catholics to participate who might otherwise not have the means to contribute to the campaign.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted said that prayerful participation lays the groundwork for a lifestyle of giving.

“Good stewardship involves generous use of our time and gifts, beginning with time for God,” he said. “Once we begin to set aside time every day for prayer and every Sunday for worship, our lives begin to change, including the way we use God’s gifts.”

Being good stewards of God’s gifts means assisting others in need, the bishop added.

“A donation represents a commitment to help. Once that commitment is prayerfully made, people usually will continue to offer support in the future,” he said.

To date, about 30 percent of local Catholics have participated in the appeal, a few percentage points shy of the 35 percent goal. But there’s still time, McLaughlin said.

Even though the CDA has met its goal, the office will continue the appeal through the end of June in an effort to meet the participation goal.

“Every year we must say ‘no’ to some requests because funds are limited and our demographics continue to increase,” McLaughlin said.

“Please don’t stop with your commitments to both the financial and spiritual support for our diocesan family,” she added.