Church's mission continues through pandemic

By The Catholic Free Press

The mission of the Church did not stop because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bishop McManus says in his annual report letter for fiscal year 2020.
The mission “continued, adapting programs and services as needed so that the face of Christ was present to offer hope during these dark times,” he writes.
The annual report for the fiscal year that ran from Sept. 1, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2020 can be found in this week’s edition of The Catholic Free Press and online at worcesterdiocese.org. Also, parishes will distribute electronic copies of the report with their email bulletins and weekly notices. 
A summary of the FY2020 Annual Report on Financial Activities shows operational deficits of $1.74 million, but a total operating surplus of $2.96 million, after accounting for realized and unrealized gains on investments, bequests, and forgivable PPP loan proceeds.
“That summary, while valuable, is an example of how numbers cannot tell the whole story,” Bishop McManus writes. “First we must stress that realized and unrealized gains reflect growth in investments, many of which are endowments for specific donor intentions, not for general use. Also, were it not for the Small Business Association (SBA) Payroll Protection Program (PPP) funds received during the pandemic shut-down, we would have faced serious operating losses exceeding $1.7 million. Instead, we kept everyone employed in diocesan schools and ministries,” the bishop notes.
He refers readers to a narrative in the report which tells how the schools and various ministries were able to continue their work. Teachers kept teaching, online and in the classrooms. Priests celebrated Mass outside and online, and continued offering the sacraments in creative ways. And diocesan offices turned to the use of video/web conferencing to unite staff and serve clients.
Talking about an area which has been of concern in the past, Bishop McManus writes that there is progress being made in reducing the Priests’ Retirement deficits. With the addition of the new Ash Wednesday Collection in 2021, “the projections for future years give us hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he writes.
The bishop goes on to praise staff and volunteers who share their expertise on various advisory boards.
He also gives credit to those who support the diocese financially, enabling the Church’s mission to be carried out.
“We continue to be blessed by the generosity of our parishioners who are keeping parishes afloat through the weekly offertory, as well as continuing to respond to the annual Partners in Charity appeal and the Legacy of Hope capital campaign. Each day I thank God for your participation in the mission of the Catholic Church through your contributions,” the bishop says.
Not only are people in the diocese supporting their home parishes and diocesan-wide campaigns, but they also support a dozen national collections. Even though many churches were closed for part of the year, a total of about $565,000 was contributed to such collections as World Mission Sunday and Catholic Relief Services. Some $122,000 was given to the Retirement Fund for Religious and $95,000 to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.
Charts in the report show where Partners in Charity disbursed more than $4 million in FY2020. Agencies and programs supported by donations to Partners fall into three categories: charities, education and ministries. Some $985,000 was given to the charities; more than $2 million to education, and more than $1 million to ministries.
As of the end of the fiscal year, Legacy of Hope, the diocesan capital campaign which is continuing in the current fiscal year, had net pledges and cash donations of $15 million. Some $2.3 million was distributed to parishes.
Bishop McManus, in his letter, asks people to continue to pray the diocesan Prayer in Time of Pandemic “so that we will be delivered soon ‘from this time of trial.’”