Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2008 / CSA goal is $17.58 million for 2008
CSA goal is $17.58 million for 2008
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published May 2, 2008
Detroit — A goal of $17,575,542 has been set for the 2008 Catholic Services Appeal, which funds most of the ministries of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
The goal is up 1.5 percent over last year's, the same percentage increase that has been maintained for the past several years.
This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4, marks the official kick-off of the campaign to meet individual parish targets in most of the parishes of the archdiocese.
Some parishes have already launched their general appeal to their membership; many have already been soliciting pledges from their largest donors.
All parishes and missions are required to meet their individual targets, but many strive to exceed their target, because every dollar collected in excess of it comes back to the parish.
In fact, exceeding their CSA target is the preferred fund-raising method for many parishes, because it is the only way a parish can receive contributions that are not subject to the 6-percent archdiocesan assessment – the cathedraticum – that applies to all other contributions.
That assessment goes primarily to covering the basic administrative expenses of the archdiocese, whereas the CSA funds most ministries – such as, the archdiocesan departments of Education and Parish Life and Services, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, the Metropolitan Tribunal, the CTND Catholic cable TV channel and The Michigan Catholic.
It is through CSA dollars that the archdiocese supports college and hospital chaplaincies, criminal justice ministry, youth ministry, parish nursing, financial aid for seminarians and continuing education for various lay ministries.
The cross-generational nature of these various ministries – from support for Catholic grade schools and religious education, RCIA and marriage preparation, to programs that benefit mostly senior citizens – coupled with this year's observance of the 175th anniversary of the Diocese/Archdiocese of Detroit, inspired the theme for this year's CSA, "Bridging the Generations."
"Obviously, the Church serves different generations, and in an anniversary year such as this, we are moved to reflect on how the local Church has existed through many generations," said Tom Scholler, interim director of the archdiocesan Department of Development.
About a third of all households in the archdiocese pledge to the CSA each year, but the number of pledging households has increased enough to make up for a decrease in the average pledge as the local economy has worsened. Scholler said the average gift for the 2007 CSA, which is just wrapping up, has been $280 per pledging family, down from $295 the previous year.
Of course pledging is one thing and paying is another, but fortunately the fulfillment of pledges is not far off the mark, running a little more than 97 percent in recent years, he said.
And while final figures for the 2007 campaign are not yet available, $8.8 million has already been returned to the approximately two-thirds of all parishes that exceeded their targets, Scholler continued.
CSA funds also help promote stewardship education programs in parishes. Such programs are not just intended to promote greater financial support for parishes and the CSA, but Scholler said experience shows that a greater sense of stewardship leads to increased volunteering and participation in parish activities.
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