(As of May 26, 2009)
Goal: $103, 471
Pledged: $79,436
Paid: $60,018
Number of Gifts: 400
Participation: 28.88%
Q. When did the 2009 Annual Pastoral Appeal (APA) begin? When does it end?
A. The letter from Bishop Lynch to parishioners throughout the Diocese of St Petersburg was mailed
on January 23. This letter asked people to make a commitment and marked the beginning of the campaign. The campaign is over on December 31, 2009.
Q. Why should I contribute to the Annual Pastoral Appeal?
A. There are two good reasons. First, the money collected enables the Diocese to perform good works that help other people – people in need that we cannot reach from this parish. In good stewardship, we have a responsibility to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper. Second, your contribution reduces the amount that comes out of our offertory collection revenue if we do not meet our goal. We need all our offertory revenue to pay parish operating expenses.
Q. How can I contribute?
A. There are at least four ways to contribute to the APA
1. Write a check for one gift amount or put cash into an APA envelope and put it in the Sunday offertory collection; be sure your name is on the envelope.
2. Make a commitment to a gift amount, pledge it in equal monthly installments and put your pledge card in the Sunday offertory collection;
3. Do either 1 or 2 above and mail it with your pledge card to the Diocese.
4. Go online to
http://www.dioceseofstpete.org/, click on Annual Pastoral Appeal, and follow instructions from there, charging your contribution to a credit card or designating a gift of stock.
Q. What is the money collected through the APA used for?
A. Money collected by the APA is used to support activities of the Church in the Diocese. These include evangelization, educational and service ministries in parishes, schools, seminaries (education of future priests) Catholic Charities, and communities throughout the Diocese. Printed material mailed to you from the Diocese contains additional information about how this money is used.
Q. Do Monsignor Mullen and Father Frank consider APA a good thing? Good for the parish?
A. Yes – to both questions. They strongly endorse it.
Q. Who will receive the largest share?
A. Ministry and apostolate activities typically receive more than half. They received 52 percent or $5.4 million out of the $10.3 million goal for the 2007 campaign.
Q. Why do we have an annual diocesan appeal? Why doesn’t the Diocese take care of itself?
A. We and people in parishes like us are the Diocese.
Q. What happens if I don’t give anything to the Annual Pastoral Appeal?
A. We would regret your decision to not participate; beyond that, nothing. Your contribution is between you and God – but we hope that you will give out of love for your neighbor in need and your parish – Our Lady of Grace Parish.
Q. What happens if our parish does not meet the goal the Diocese has set for us?
A. The shortage amount would be taken from our offertory collection revenues.
Q. What happens if the people of our parish are so generous that their donations exceed the goal set by the Diocese? Does the Diocese keep it all?
A. Any amount collected in excess of the goal reverts to the parish. The Diocese does not keep this money.
Q. Did Our Lady of Grace Parish reach the goal amount set last year?
A. Yes! We were about $500 over. The goal was $101,391; donations totaled about $101,862
Q. Do all the parishes in the Diocese reach their assigned goals?
A. No. Our Lady of Grace Parish is exceptionally generous and stands out for its generosity. Moreover, our parish stands out because about 40 percent of our parishioners contributed – only five other parishes (out of 81 assessed in the Diocese) achieved that level of participation.
Q. What is our goal for this year?
A. $103, 471.
Q. Wow! That’s a lot of money. Why so much?
A. Yes, it is. The goal for Our Lady of Grace Parish is the largest of any in Citrus County, and we have historically led the parishes in this county in contributions. The goal amount for each parish is based on offertory collections. The people of Our Lady of Grace Parish have been excellent stewards and should be proud of it. God Bless All of You.
Q. Suppose we reach our 2009 goal. Doesn’t that just mean the Diocese will increase our goal for 2008 – they’ll think we can make it?
A. No, that’s not how it works. The goal amount is reached by formula, based strictly on offertory collections.
Q. I have some other questions. Who can answer them?
A. You can call the parish office at 352-746-2144 or you can go to the diocesan Web site,
http://www.dioceseofstpete.org/, for information. Members of the Parish Finance Council also will be happy to answer your questions.
Q. Who is on the Finance Council?
A. Billy Sasser and Dorothy Reckling are co-chairs; Andy Arnold, Ben Langer, Ed Ryan, and Michele Vermilyea are members.
