Annual Catholic Appeal will support social services, seminarians and Catholic education
Approximately 100,000 Catholic households in the diocese will be receiving advance notice of the 2012 Annual Catholic Appeal through a brochure and envelope sent to them by The Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Sacramento. The weekend for the Annual Catholic Appeal collection in parishes is Feb. 11-12.
"I would like to express my gratitude for your heartfelt and continued response to those who come to the doors of our parishes, schools and social service organizations looking for hope and a hand up," says Bishop Jaime Soto in a letter to donors.
Generous contributions to last year’s appeal from more than 21,000 donor households totaled more than $3.2 million. Contributions helped social service programs assist the ever-growing numbers of those overwhelmed with challenges to provide basic necessities for their families; helped families apply for tuition assistance so their children could have a Catholic education; helped seminarians devote themselves fully to their studies as they prepare to serve as our priests; and assisted parishes to provide for a wide array of local community needs.
At Masses throughout the diocese on the appeal commitment weekend, parishioners will view a DVD (in English and Spanish) featuring Bishop Jaime Soto and other parish and charities’ leaders, as well as some of the people who are helped by programs that the Annual Catholic Appeal partially supports. The appeal will help fund more than 20 different charitable organizations, which operate more than 100 different social service programs.
Twenty-five percent of gross receipts will be returned to the 104 parishes in the diocese for their local social service ministries. Fifty percent of the net proceeds will go to social service programs. Fifty percent of the total money raised will go to social service programs. The remaining 25 percent will support seminarians’ education and the diocesan needs-based assistance fund for families desiring a Catholic school education for their children but cannot afford it.
"Every day I see the reality of how important social services are in the diocese," says Father Francisco Hernandez-Gomez, director of vocations for the diocese and former pastor of St. Isidore Parish in Yuba City. He is chair of the clergy leadership team for the Annual Catholic Appeal. "I committed myself as a pastor to promote the appeal vigorously because I saw the needs of people in our community and how we could assist. We are living out the commandment to help others."
New to the appeal in 2011 and continuing in 2012 is the annual giving society called "Co-Workers of the Bishop." Some 768 donors supported the 2011 as "Co-Workers of the Bishop" according to Dawn Moore, coordinator of The Catholic Foundation. These donors receive special recognition for their generosity.
In response to the needs of the diocesan community, Bishop Soto asks that al parishioners participate in the Annual Catholic Appeal. At whatever level they can afford, donors may make a one-time gift or a pledge to be billed monthly over nine months, or charge the gift to their credit card. They can also authorize an automatic payment from their checking or savings account.
Click here to learn more about the Annual Catholic Appeal.
Meg and Frank Verardi of Immaculate Conception Parish in Sutter Creek are very particular about their donations to charity, wanting their financial contributions to benefit local causes that show results and accountability. They are among donors of $1,000 or more to the Annual Catholic Appeal as "Co-Workers of the Bishop."
In their hearts they believe the appeal, and its focus on assisting people in need in their own neighborhoods, fits well with their need to give. They have been inspired by Bishop Soto’s words in the annual appeal video shown in parishes across the diocese. They like how the appeal has consistently focused on the needs of the people.
They first became aware of the depth of social service ministries in the diocese through their participation in the "Preserving Our Past, Building Our Future" capital campaign in the early 2000s. "This kind of giving back is the heart and soul of the church – what we should be doing," Meg says. "That campaign captured our attention and we have continued with our support of social service ministries through the Annual Catholic Appeal. We think highly of the fact that 25 percent of our donation goes back to parishes for their own ministries to people in need."