Weekly Update
week ending Friday, May 18, 2012
We Are at 79% of Goal!
We have raised
$3,960,928 from
14,962 donors! With an average gift of $265.00, we will need 3,924 donors in the coming weeks to reach goal.
To reach goal,
$1,039,072 is still needed!
It is good to note that we are still slightly ahead by $81,353 the amount raised by the third week in May of last year ($3,879,575). A total of sixteen parishes so far have either reached or surpassed goal. Forty-one of our parishes are between 80-99%, while forty-nine of them are 79% or below.
St. Paul Society
Eighty nine St. Paul Society Members have made gifts of $5,000 or more. A total of $648,850 has been raised so far. This group is ahead by $79,250 than last year at this same time. The average St. Paul Society gift currently is $7,290.00.
We know for certain that more than the $3,960,928 on report has been raised. However, we cannot process additional amounts until the information and cash actually comes to us at the chancery. A few parishes have yet to submit their pertinent donor information and cash due.
Hopeful News
Many pastors have remarked that soliciting at each Mass on only one weekend while successful, resulted in missing many potential donors. Thus, a group of pastors are planning to conduct a second in ‘pew solicitation’ following the Memorial Day Weekend knowing that most parishioners will be back from vacation. A growing number of pastors have reported for the first time an increase of new donors this year. This is hopeful news! Your continued help is very much appreciated.
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week ending Friday, May 11, 2012
We Are at 76% of Goal!
We are pleased to report that we are at 76% of goal! We have raised
$3,783,348 from 14,553 donors!
A total of twelve parishes so far have either reached/surpassed Goal! The average gift to date is $260.00. Sixteen of our parishes are over 90%, twelve are over 80%, twenty-three are over 70%, and forty three are reporting 69% or below. This same time last year (5/13/11) we were at $3,710,233. We are ahead by $73,115. Clearly we do not want to be over-confident or complacent.
To reach the goal of $5 million in 2012 we need to raise collectively $1,216,652 in the coming weeks! Without question we can do this with everyone on board!!!
St. Paul Society
With heartfelt thanks we acknowledge the eighty one St. Paul Society members who have so far renewed their annual gifts. These donors contribute a minimum $5,000 to our appeal each year. We have received $595,010 from this group of donors.
An Increase in New Donors
It is important to note that we are sympathetic of those pastors who are experiencing first hand a specific shift/change in there donor base. For example; a donor who may have given in previous years may have either moved to another parish, to the suburbs, or passed away. Fortunately, a growing number of pastors have reported for the first time an increase of new donors. This is hopeful news! Thus, the importance of donor retention (thanking them) and the ongoing solicitation/invitation of new donors cannot be overstated.
In 2011, we received a total of 19,491 gifts. Looking back to 1999, we reported 40,000 donors. Clearly we need to continue to work harder on increasing our donor base.
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week ending Friday, May 4, 2012
We Are at 70% of Goal!
As of this reporting (5/02/12) we have raised
$3,475,756 from 12,323 donors! A total of nine parishes so far have reached/surpassed goal!
Over half of our parishes are over 75% of reaching goal. This same time last year, we were at $3,433,622. We do not want to be over confident or complacent. We are ahead by $42,134.
Our prayer is that the 7,000 donors who responded with a personal gift in 2011 will hear the invitation once again and respond this year! To reach the goal of $5 million in 2012, we need to raise collectively $1,524, 244 in the coming weeks!
We kindly ask that you keep the campaign alive at your parish by using the provided bulletin/ pulpit announcements which were provided in the campaign manual and on our
Resource page.
Without question we can do this with everyone on board!!!
THANK YOU TO OUR ST. PAUL SOCIETY MEMBERS
With heartfelt thanks, we acknowledge the seventy four St. Paul Society members who have so far renewed their annual membership. These donors contribute a minimum of $5,000 to our appeal each year.
PLEASE NOTE:
The amount reported is the actual amount submitted to the Chancery. We know that many parishes actually have raised more money than the figures showed on Wednesday (5/2), but those parishes have yet to submit their donor information and cash due. A few parishes are planning on conducting a second "in pew solicitation" in the coming weeks. If you need additional pledge envelopes, please let us know.
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week ending Friday, April 27, 2012
Campaign Reaches 67% of Goal!
We are pleased to report that we are at
67% of reaching OUR goal!
$3, 367,756 has been received in pledges and cash,as was reported through Wednesday, April 25. A total of eleven parishes so far have reached goal!
Over the last two months, close to 12,245 Catholics and some non-Catholics throughout Worcester County and beyond have responded with a most generous heart by pledging and donating to the Annual Partners in Charity Campaign.
In 2011 during this same week in April we were at 63% of goal having raised $3,136,149. Five parishes had reached goal at this time a year ago. Thus, we are pleased to say that we presently are $231,607 higher than we were at end of April 2011. We do not want to become over-confident or complacent. But surely this is good news to report to our people!
I want to personally express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all pastors and lay committees for the leadership that you so willingly provide for this important appeal. Clearly, we still need thousands more to reach our combined goal of $5 million. How true it is, "many hands make the burden light," and with your help we can ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate.
To reach and surpass our goal, we really need the collaboration of every parish community in the Diocese! Together we can assure the success of Partners in Charity in your parish.
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week ending Friday, April 13, 2012
Campaign has raised $2,849,112!
Two additional parishes have exceeded their Partners in Charity Appeal goal at this early date, Michael Gillespie, director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development, reported Wednesday."With the volume of mail we have been receiving these past two weeks and the tremendous response in online gifts, we knew we were off to a great beginning,” Gillespie said.
St. Joseph Parish in Charlton raised $72,009, or 131% of its goal of $55,000, and Sacred Heart of Jesus of Hopedale raised $59,302, or 131% of its goal of $45,435.
The approximated tally through Tuesday, April 10 shows that the appeal has raised $2,849,112 that is 57% of its $5 million goal. By comparison, this year’s contributions to date are ahead of last year at this time. This year’s goal can be reached and even exceeded, Gillespie said, “if every parish meets its goal and those who exceeded their goals in 2011 reach the same level of giving this year. Scores of parishioners are making direct gifts each day, using the donation envelopes provided at the parish or by visiting the campaign web site and making a quick, safe and secure gift/pledge online." The appeal has received close to $175,000 in online gifts so far.
We’re very grateful to all pastors and parish teams for their leadership, teaching and example in bringing the message of the appeal to their parishioners. Our parish chair people/secretaries have done an outstanding job in sending in completed parish reports to the development office.” Gillespie said.
“I am very grateful for the generosity of the people of the diocese who are donating at an unparalleled level this year in the early stage of our campaign. The priests know their people best, and they have first-hand understanding of the resources that every parish can draw from,” Bishop McManus says.
“For me the appeal is very personal. I am able to tell parishioners that I’m a priest because of the financial support and generosity of the Diocese of Worcester,” says Fr. Nicholas Desimone, associate pastor at St. Joseph in Charlton who was ordained by Bishop McManus in June of 2010.
"I'm also a donor. It's important for me to join parishioners in making this sacrifice. So many of our parishioners don't have much to give, but they know that even small gifts add up and are important to the campaign."
Fr. Desimone thinks it’s also important for parishioners to see the larger picture. “The Catholic Church isn’t just local, it’s global. In asking for our support, the Appeal broadens our outlook to the diocese and beyond.”
Gillespie says the recession has hurt families on every economic level, and he reminds those he speaks with weekly that that even if they can’t give what they did in the past, it’s important that they continue to participate. “People need to know that whatever they are able to give is needed and appreciated. Even giving a small amount makes a difference,” he says.
I receive countless emails and calls from many donors and pastors who are proud of the works of the diocese and eager to see the Appeal succeed.”
Gillespie believes that the “Open Wide the Doors to Christ” stories on our web site, those shared at the parish by pastors, and weekly in the
Catholic Free Press are making people more aware of the scope and compassion of the many programs and services funded by the diocese.
“These ministries serve people who have nowhere else to turn for help, and we should be very proud of that. Our donors are compassionate people who care about the poor and believe in the Gospel values that motivate our outreach,” Gillespie says.
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week ending Friday, March 29, 2012
The Partners in Charity Appeal has already gone over the $1.4 million mark thanks to early generous donors. This figure represents 29% of the overall goal. Online giving has brought in over $100,000 in gifts. The goal this year is $5 million, and we are already off to a great start.
We're very encouraged by the early response but we have a long way to go and we need everyone to participate in order to make this year’s campaign a success. So far this year we are seeing an increase in the size of gifts along with a doubling of online giving, and we are praying that this trend continues.
Please note that the parish update reflects ONLY those gifts which we have received IN our development office to date, 3/27/12. We can only count what we receive, thus please keep sending in completed packages so that credit/pledges can be entered in a timely manner.
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Congratulations to our first two parishes over goal for 2012!
Christ the King Parish, Worcester and St. Augustine Parish, Millville