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Friday, March 29, 2024

Annual appeal seeing success thanks to generosity of local Catholics

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The annual Catholic Services Appeal hasn’t reached its halfway point in the campaign year, but a number of parishes already have met and exceeded their goals — both in dollars and number of donors.

Leaders are crediting local Catholics who recognize their role in the greater Church.

According to Tim Healy, president of the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation, at the appeal’s 12th week, the foundation has received $200,000 more than at the same time last year.

The appeal began in parishes at the end of February and goes until Dec. 31.

Thousands of people throughout the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and beyond benefit from the appeal. Funds are used for some 16-plus archdiocesan ministries, including Archdiocesan Youth Day, outreach to Catholics with disabilities, Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, Latino ministry, Native American ministry, deaf ministry, the Venezuelan mission, Catholic elementary schools, Catholic high school tuition aid, campus ministries, St. John Vianney College Seminary, The Saint Paul Seminary, hospital chaplains, prison chaplains, Catholic Charities and evangelization.

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The foundation’s goal is to contribute $9.3 million after expenses to the ministries. All dollars collected by the CSAF are used only for the benefit of its designated ministries and expenses of the appeal.

“We’ve seen the generosity of the people in this archdiocese,” Healy said. “They see the need of the community, and they’re responding. People realize the call of the Church, not just for priests, but for all of us. This year, the pastors have done an extraordinary job in educating and encouraging what the CSAF supports.”

Responding in faith

Father Corey Belden of St. Anne in Hamel has encouraged parishioners to participate in what he calls “an act of faith” to care for people beyond the parish’s boundaries.

“It’s not just about St. Anne’s, it’s about the archdiocese,” Father Belden said. “The faith is so much greater than our little parish.”

Father Belden has promoted the annual appeal as a responsibility and duty of Christians.

“The gifts God has given you will be returned to him as your gifts to others, who you might not ever meet,” he said. “You either respond in faith, or you don’t.”

New to this year’s appeal is its establishment as an independent non-profit corporation to receive and distribute all CSAF donor dollars. Bill Mohrman and John Norris join Healy as officers of the foundation.

Healy said the appeal’s success thus far reflects the goodness and truth of the Church. But because the foundation has a way to go before reaching its $9.3 million goal, he urges all Catholics to look at the ministries benefiting from the appeal and help those people by contributing.

“When you look at the list, who would you not want to support?” Healy said. “They’re very worthy charities and needy people. We are all about social justice — it’s about helping those people who need help.”

Healy said the foundation is encouraged by the numbers, and the process of receiving contributions will continue as it has for the last 40 years — with phone calls and follow-up letters to remind people to give.

“We know there are still dollars out there,” he said. “Even if you’ve given, feel free to give more.”

More information and to donate


Contributions made to ministries from the 2014 Catholic Services Appeal Foundation as of May 15

Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women: $7,669

Campus ministries: $119,250

Catholic Charities: $583,333

Catholic elementary schools: $504,110

Catholic secondary schools: $482,500

Deaf Ministry: $16,023

Evangelization: $17,882

Hospital and prison chaplains: $281,461

Indian Ministry: $80,687

Latino Ministry: $63,792

Marriage, Family and Life: $140,369

St. John Vianney Seminary: $128,939

The Saint Paul Seminary: $547,676

Venezuelan Mission: $67,103

Total: $3,040,794

 

For more information about these specific ministries, visit the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation website.


The following parishes have exceeded their 2014 Catholic Services Appeal goal

Our Lady of Grace-Edina

St. John the Baptist-Excelsior

St. Anne-Hamel

St. Stephen-Minneapolis

All Saints-Minneapolis

St. Raphael-Crystal

Holy Family-Saint Louis Park

Ascension-Minneapolis

St. Anne/St. Joseph Hien-Minneapolis

St. Bridget of Sweden-Lindstrom

Ascension-Norwood Young America

St. Mary of the Lake-White Bear Lake

St. Rose of Lima-Roseville

St. Pascal Baylon-Saint Paul

St. Helena-Minneapolis

St. Adalbert-Saint Paul

St. Hubert-Chanhassen

St. Peter-Mendota

Our Lady of Guadalupe-Saint Paul

Sacred Heart-Saint Paul

Saint Ambrose of Woodbury-Woodbury

St. Albert-Albertville

Good Shepherd-Golden Valley

St. Mary of the Lake-Plymouth

St. Charles Borromeo-Saint Anthony

St. Agatha-Rosemount

St. Casimir-Saint Paul

St. John the Baptist-Savage

St. Michael-Kenyon

St. Joseph-Waconia

St. Pius V-Cannon Falls

St. Bonaventure-Bloomington

St. John the Baptist-Dayton

St. Mary-Stillwater

St. Peter-North Saint Paul

Nativity of Our Lord-Saint Paul

Cathedral of St. Paul-Saint Paul

St. Timothy-Maple Lake

St. Francis De Sales Church-Saint Paul

St. Joseph-West Saint Paul

St. Gabriel the Archangel-Hopkins

St. Boniface-Saint Bonifacius

St. Genevieve-Centerville

Sacred Heart-Robbinsdale

Our Lady of Mt Carmel-Minneapolis

St. Patrick-Edina

St. Louis King of France-Saint Paul

St. Bartholomew-Wayzata

Maternity of the Blessed Virgin-Saint Paul

St. John the Baptist-New Brighton

St. Peter-Forest Lake

Our Lady of Victory-Minneapolis

St. Paul-Ham Lake

St. Odilia-Shoreview

St. Michael-Pine Island

St. John the Evangelist-Little Canada

Blessed Sacrament-Saint Paul

Holy Name of Jesus-Wayzata

St. John Vianney-South Saint Paul

St. Patrick-Oak Grove

St. Olaf-Minneapolis

St. Mary-Le Center

St. Michael-Stillwater

St. Jude of the Lake-Mahtomedi

St. Stephen-Anoka

Immaculate Heart of Mary-Minnetonka

St. Nicholas-Carver

St. Rita-Cottage Grove

St. Joseph-Rosemount

St. Nicholas-Elko New Market

Epiphany-Coon Rapids

St. Bernard-Cologne

St. Joseph-Taylors Falls

St. Ignatius-Annandale

St. John the Baptist-Vermillion

Guardian Angels-Chaska

St. Pius X-White Bear Lake

St. Michael-Saint Michael

Lumen Christi Catholic Community-Saint Paul

St. Francis of Assisi-Lakeland

Immaculate Conception-Madison Lake

All Saints-Lakeville

Immaculate Conception-Columbia Heights

St. Agnes-Saint Paul

St. Michael-Prior Lake

St. Columba-Saint Paul

St. Vincent de Paul-Brooklyn Park

St. Joseph-Hastings

St. George-Long Lake

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary-Bloomington

Nativity of Mary-Cleveland

Corpus Christi-Roseville

Divine Mercy Catholic Church-Faribault

Our Lady of the Prairie-Belle Plaine

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton-Hastings

St. Francis Xavier-Franconia-Taylors Falls

St. Albert the Great-Minneapolis

Divine Mercy Catholic Church-Faribault

St. Henry-Le Center

 


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