Diocesan Appeal more crucial than ever

The theme for this year’s Diocesan Appeal comes from 2 Corinthians 5: 7 — “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

“We were looking for something that would tie into 2020 and loved its simple but powerful messaging and felt it was a perfect fit,” said Nancy Bielawa, executive director of Stewardship & Development in the Diocese of Albany, of the theme. “We chose it well before the pandemic hit and the verse wound up being even more appropriate now,”

And now it is easier than ever to give to the former Bishop’s Appeal, which was launched over 65 years ago by Bishop William A. Scully to support the growing Church in the Diocese of Albany. Instead of having the 126 parishes in the 14-county Diocese burdened with the work and the messaging, Bielawa has streamlined the process and cut out a lot of unnecessary paperwork.

“Essentially we are trying to move the whole appeal work into the Diocese instead of in the parishes,” Bielawa said. “The parish staff and volunteers are already overburdened. This is a lot of work and the process was very archaic … and we are being far more environmentally friendly with less paperwork.”

With direct mailing, Bielawa will make the case for why support for the Diocese is so critical, adding “It is a partnership … We are all in this together.”
The appeal — which may be more important than ever this year because of the financial strains caused by the coronavirus — has wide-ranging benefits for every parishioner: from the lifetime member to the family with four kids and from the quiet couple without children to the new immigrant family.

Together indeed through faith, which this year’s appeal states, “has never felt more meaningful, our prayer has never been more purposeful, and our role in contributing to the greater good is clear. … giving is at the foundation of our responsibility as a disciple of Jesus Christ.”

Some of the areas in which the appeal is used are: Prayer and worship, ministries — such as marriage and family life, catechist formation, pastoral care and youth/young adult programs — and perpetuation of the faith through faith formation programs, Catho­lic schooling and vocations.

Some of the people who are helped by the appeal include: the poor, homeless, living at the margins of society; senior citizens needing care, companionship, love and dignity; young people in Catholic schools and religious education programs; families wracked by poverty, domestic violence and substance abuse; young single mothers who need help raising their children and finding a job; men and women called to a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life; and those seeking to serve in the diaconate or as lay ministers.

And don’t forget, parishes can keep 50 percent of any money raised above their appeal goal. With direct mailing, the faithful will be able to use a credit card for payment, can donate online at https://donate.thebishopsappeal.org, or the old-fashioned way by writing a check.

Bielawa said one simple question all the faithful can ask is: “Does the level of my philanthropy to the Church reflect its importance in my life?” And then be “prayerful about how much you want to contribute via both the Diocesan Appeal and parish offertory.”