CHARLOTTE — Last year was a record for the Diocesan Support Appeal campaign which concluded Dec. 31. The theme, “Whatsoever you do,” highlighted the Jubilee Year of Mercy celebrated by the universal Church in 2016, emphasizing the works of mercy.
The 2016 DSA campaign received $5,760,369 from 17,360 donors across the diocese – nine percent over the campaign goal of $5,300,000 and the most ever raised in this annual appeal.
Overall, 60 percent of parishes across the diocese reached or exceeded their goal. The average DSA gift was $321.
The annual campaign funds more than 50 programs, including the core operations of 23 ministries and agencies that serve thousands of people across the diocese – most notably, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte for its counseling, food pantries, pregnancy support, refugee resettlement, elder ministry, Respect Life and other programs, as well as the programs and ministries of the Education Vicariate. The DSA also supports multicultural ministries, seminarian education, the permanent diaconate, the annual Eucharistic Congress, and the diocese’s housing corporation.
“The ministries and programs that are financially supported by the DSA are the instruments we use to promulgate many of the corporal works of mercy throughout the diocese. The generosity shown through donations that come to the DSA from all corners of the diocese is truly a blessing,” said Kerry Ann Tornesello, associate director of development for the diocese.
Parishioners in all 92 parishes and missions in the Charlotte diocese fund the annual DSA.
Parishes that exceed their goal keep the extra funds they collect, while parishes that fall short of their goal in donations from parishioners make up the shortfall from their operating budgets.
Some of the parishes receiving rebate funds include St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, St. Thérèse Church in Mooresville, Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro, St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte, and St. Mark Church in Huntersville. Others also included St. Mary Church in Shelby, St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro, St. Philip Church in Statesville, Good Shepherd Mission in King, and St. John Baptist de la Salle Church in North Wilkesboro.
Father Frank O’Rourke, pastor of St. Gabriel Church, recently expressed his gratitude to his parishioners for helping exceed the parish goal, telling them that many are blessed through their generosity.
“We have worked at broadening our base of support by use of mailings, bulletin and pulpit announcements, signage, etc.,” he explained. “With over 1,000 households participating, we are close to having one-third of our registered households contributing.”
“We see the DSA as an opportunity to have parishioners see themselves as part of the broader Church and identify with their being part of the Diocese of Charlotte. Funds raised in excess of our goal are mainly used to respond to needs similar to those funded through the DSA,” he said.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte has announced the dates for eight special collections for 2017. These annual collections fund vital ministries and help support our priests and religious who give generously of their lives in service to the Church.
The 2017 special collections and their dates are as follows:
— Jan. 14-15: Combined Mission Collection. This annual collection funds five separate initiatives: the Collection for the Church in Latin America, the Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, the Catholic Home Missions Appeal, the United States Mission Collection, and the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa.
— April 15-16 (Easter Sunday). Seminary and Priests’ Continuing Education. The Seminarian Education Program, in which 24 men are currently enrolled, is primarily funded through the annual Diocesan Support Appeal, the Friend to Seminarians Program, and this second collection. The diocese also uses the funds from this collection to sponsor workshops and programs to help keep priests informed of developments in theology and pastoral practices.
— April 29-30: International/National Combined Collection. Donations received from this collection benefit five organizations: Catholic Relief Services, Collection for the Holy Land, Collection for the Works of the Holy Father (Peter’s Pence), The Catholic University of America, and the Catholic Communications Campaign.
— May 13-14: Trinity Dome Collection for the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
— Sept. 16-17: Priests’ Retirement and Benefits. This collection goes to support the Diocese of Charlotte’s 21 retired diocesan priests, 94 diocesan priests actively serving the faithful of western North Carolina, and 47 religious order priests from nine religious orders for whom retirement contributions will be made.
— Oct. 21-22: World Mission Sunday (Propagation of the Faith). This collection supports the work of the Church in its missions around the world.
— Nov. 18-19: Catholic Campaign for Human Development. This collection funds CCHD, founded by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to help break the cycle of poverty by funding organizations that help people help themselves. With its mission of improving education, housing situations and local economic development, the CCHD continues to make a positive impact in communities nationwide. Twenty-five percent of the funds from the collection are put to use in the Charlotte diocese.
— Dec. 9-10: Religious Retirement. This appeal, coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, offers support for senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose communities lack sufficient retirement funding. Nationally, some 33,000 women and men religious past the age of 70 benefit.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter