Thirty parishes reach Partners in Charity goal

Thirty parishes have reached or exceeded their goals in the annual Partners in Charity Appeal, according to Michael P. Gillespie, director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development.
Last year at this time, 21 parishes had reached or exceeded their goals, he said.
So far, the Appeal has received $4,285,101 in gifts and pledges, or 86 percent of the $5 million goal. That is $127,625 more than the amount raised by the second week of June last year.
This year there are 1,320 new donors to the Appeal.  They have made gifts and pledges totaling $145,384, Mr. Gillespie said.
Those parishes that have gone over the top are: Christ the King, Worcester;  Our Lady  of Lourdes, Worcester; Our Lady of Vilna, Worcester; St. Andrew the Apostle, Worcester; St. Peter of Worcester, Worcester; St. Joseph, Charlton; St. Anthony, Dudley;     St. John, E. Brookfield;
St. Anne/St. Patrick, Fiskdale; St. Joseph, Fitchburg; Holy Spirit, Gardner; St. Aloysius, Gilbertville; Immaculate Conception, Lancaster; St. Aloysius/St. Jude, Leicester; St. Cecilia, Leominster; St. Augustine, Millville; St. Rose of Lima, Northborough; St. Peter, Northbridge; St. Columba, Paxton; Prince of Peace, Princeton; St. Patrick, Rutland; St. Matthew, Southborough; St. Richard, Sterling;  St. Mark, Sutton; St. Paul, Warren; St. Louis, Webster; Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, West Brookfield;    St. Augustine. Wheelwright; Holy Trinity Evangelization Center, Leominster.
The annual Partners in Charity Appeal helps to support charitable, educational and ministerial organizations in the diocese. They include:
Charity: Catholic Charities, Clergy Retirement, Retired Priests Health Ministry, Haitian Apostolate, McAuley Nazareth Home for Boys, Pernet Family Health Service, Seminarian Health Insurance, St. John’s Diocesan Cemetery System, Diocesan Development, Stewardship.
Education: Catholic Campus Ministry, Catholic Schools Department, The Office of Religious Education, Ongoing Priestly Formation,Diocesan Youth Ministry, Grants-in-Aid for Catholic School Students, Seminarian Education, Central Catholic Schools Subsidy, Advanced Studies for Clergy and Laity.
Ministry: African Ministry, Hispanic Ministry, Office of Marriage and Family, Ministry to Priests, Office of the Diaconate, Respect Life Office, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Vocations Office, Office for Divine Worship.