Partners finishes; 98 percent of goal reached

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

Priests, laity, and a new approach were credited with the 2024 Partners in Charity Appeal topping recent years’ appeals.  

“I am so grateful for the very generous response by the faithful of our diocese to our annual Partners in Charity Appeal. I also want to thank the pastors and parish leadership who helped us raise more this year than in the past five years. This will be a blessing to the thousands of people who are served by our agencies and ministries over the coming year,” said Bishop McManus.

The annual appeal raised $4,881,164 this year, 98 percent of its $5 million goal, the highest amount since the 2018 total of $5,076,252, Michael P. Gillespie, director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development, reported Tuesday. The goal has been $5 million since 2011.

The most recent years’ totals were $4,637,869 raised in 2023; $4,739,604 in 2022 and $4,469,175 in 2021.

This year 58 parishes reached or exceeded their goals, the same number of parishes as last year, Mr. Gillespie said.

In keeping with a national trend with such campaigns, in general the number of gifts is declining, but the average gift is increasing, he said. This year there were 11,843 gifts, down from 11,961 last year, 12,048 in 2022, and 12,904 in 2021. He said this year the average gift was $412, up from $388 last year, $393 in 2022 and $346 in 2021.

This year there were 451 new gifts – totaling $367,404 – from people who did not give in the past, he said. Also this year, 117 priests gave a total of $233,760, up from 112 priests giving a $186,722 last year.

Asked why he thought the appeal raised more this year, Mr. Gillespie gave different reasons.  
A number of priests and lay leaders used the promotional materials provided by his office in their parishes.  

And a new approach was taken with complimentary dinner receptions earlier this year for donors who gave more than a certain amount in 2023. Words beginning with the letter “I” were key: guests were informed about Partners’ importance, invited “to be part of the mission of the Church” and inspired to give, said Mr. Gillespie.  

At each reception, a different speaker talked about a ministry or agency Partners helps fund, Mr. Gillespie said. Representatives of those ministries and agencies also attended the receptions to answer questions, and printed materials about their work were made available.  
“We’ve never had such a high attendance” of ministry and agency representatives at a Partners gathering, even post-campaign appreciation breakfasts, Mr. Gillespie said.
Partners in Charity has held launch gatherings for pastors and parish chairpersons in the past, but there was only one per year and other donors were not invited.

This year Bishop McManus or Msgr. Richard F. Reidy, the vicar general, who represented the bishop, welcomed a broader group of guests at the receptions, where the Partners video was shown and parish representatives could pick up materials to use in promoting the appeal.  
“I think it went quite well,” Mr. Gillespie said. “It gave donors an opportunity to connect with agencies they support annually. … It brought the diocesan appeal on a grassroots level. … Rather than [donors] coming out to us, we went to them.” And they got to see the bishop and other people from the diocese.

There were eight gatherings in different parts of the diocese, said Hillary Watson, office assistant for the Stewardship and Development office. She said the office invited 500 donors and a total of 432 came. That number did not include the estimated 300 who attended the gathering at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Worcester, at which there was also a presentation about the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry and its implementation locally.
“We would love to invite everybody,” but can’t logistically, Ms. Watson explained.

Mr. Gillespie said the parishes were great hosts; “they just opened up their doors.” Some invited all their parishioners, as well as hosting donors from surrounding parishes whom his office invited.  

“It was great to see so many priests” at the gatherings, not just pastors of host parishes, he said.

Some parishes provided the meal, often through their Knights of Columbus council, he said. When parishes didn’t provide food, his office did, but the parishes provided coffee. Polar Beverages in Worcester donated all the other beverages.

While these gatherings required much work, they were worth it, he said. He is thinking about holding them again next year, in different parishes.

Partners in Charity supports eight education agencies: Advanced Studies for Clergy and Laity, Catholic Schools Office, Communications Ministry, Grant-in-Aid for Schools, Office of Religious Education, Ongoing Priestly Formation, Seminarian Education and Diocesan School grants. It supports 12 ministries: African Ministry, Catholic Campus Ministry, Hispanic Apostolate, Minster to Priests, Office for Divine Worship, Office of Hispanic-Latino Ministry, Office of Marriage and Family, Office of the Diaconate, Respect Life Office, St. Paul Cathedral, Vocations Office, and Youth and Young Adult Ministries. It additionally supports five charitable organizations: Catholic Charities, Pernet Family Health Service, Priests’ Retirement, Retired Priests Health Ministry, and the Diocesan Cemetery System.