Partners within sight of $5M goal

This year’s Partners in Charity Appeal stands at $14,787 from goal, according to Michael P. Gillespie, director of Stewardship and Development.
The fund drive seeks to reach the goal of $5 million.
Partners in Charity helps support 28 diocesan ministries and agencies. If the fund drive reaches the $5 million mark before the last day in August, it will mark the third consecutive year that it has reached that goal.
The goal has been $5 million since the 2011 campaign, which raised $4,724,352, Mr. Gillespie said. During the 2012 appeal, $4,835,997 was raised. In 2013 the appeal ended with $4,868,683. In 2014, the campaign raised $4,823,028 and also received a bequest for $1.6 million. In 2015 it raised $4,881,859.
In 2016 it surpassed its goal finishing at $5,044,850. Last year the appeal raised $5,125,527.
“Our generous donors showed us that having raised $5 million for the past two years was exceptional but not an exception,” Mr. Gillespie said.
He said he is optimistic that the generosity of the people and parishes in the diocese will lift the fund drive over the $5 million mark again this year.
“On behalf of the many thousands of people who are impacted by the agencies and ministries supported by Partners in Charity, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who are responding to this year’s appeal,”  Bishop McManus said.
“Thanks to the generosity of the people of the Diocese of Worcester, and the leadership of our priests and parish chairpeople, we will be able to respond to those in need, inspired by the example of the 2018 appeal patroness, Dorothy Day Servant of God.”
The bishop said he remembered the talk by Caitlin Moughan at last year’s Partners in Charity appreciation dinner. Caitlin, a junior high school student from St. George Parish in Worcester, said, “Partners in Charity is important because of all the people it helps. It helped my uncle when he was younger and went to Nazareth School for Boys. It helps our retired priests, like Father Charlie Dumphy, who is really funny and was a great priest at our church. It helps with religious education, which I am in right now, so you are helping me!”
  The bishop said that with the help of the leaders in the diocese and parish leadership “and young stewards like Caitlin, we will continue to serve tens of thousands of people in Worcester County, from families in our parishes to those on the fringe of society. Your help to this appeal has been and continues to be a compassionate sign of your own desire to serve the needs of so many and to help them bear the frightening burdens they face.”
This year’s campaign theme “Faith in Action is Love, Loving God by Serving Others” is taken from the words of Dorothy Day, Servant of God. In 2000 then Cardinal John J. O’Connor of New York initiated the sainthood cause for Dorothy Day. The Dorothy Day Guild was established to propagate her life and works. The Vatican in this year approved the cause and gave her the title “Servant of God.”
Reflecting on that theme, Bishop McManus had one more message to those who support the appeal. “I thank God for the generous support of our parishioners who are helping us bring God’s love to those in need in Central Massachusetts.”
Partners in Charity benefits the following:
Clergy Retirement, Retired Priests Health Ministry, Catholic Charities, Haitian Apostolate, McAuley Nazareth Home, Pernet Family Health Service, Seminarian Health Insurance,  St. John Diocesan Cemetery System, Diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development, Catholic Campus Ministry, Catholic Schools Office, Office of Religious Education, Ongoing Priestly Formation, Catholic School Grants-in-Aid, Seminarian Education, Advanced Studies for Clergy and Laity, Communications/TV Ministry and Chancellor’s Office, Pastoral Planning, African Ministry, Hispanic Ministry, Office of Marriage and Family, Minister to Priests, Office of the Diaconate, New Evangelization Worcester for Youth and Young Adults, Respect Life Office, St. Paul Cathedral, Office for Vocations, Office for Divine Worship.