The "Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal" begins this weekend and continues throughout this year. It is a year long endeavor in part because it is seeking the support of ALL Catholics in Arkansas to fund ministries, programs and needs throughout the Diocese of Little Rock, some of which do not have the needed ongoing financial income to fund the good work they are doing in the name of Jesus Christ. While there is good news to share, that this appeal, by the end of last year reached its goal of two million dollars (which may be a first and is somewhat surprising due to the impact that COVID-19 had on many people's income since March of last year) the fact is that the goal was reached with less people giving than the year before (and that number has traditionally represented only about 13% of registered Catholic households in Arkansas).
Our parish once again surpassed its goal of $83,000 which is reason to thank God for the generosity of about 265 families in our parish! In a parish of around 750 registered families the percent of givers to CASA this past year was under one-third of our total parish rolls which, while much better than the state-wide average, still means that there are many in our parish who gave nothing to CASA last year. I humbly ask those who have been giving to the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal to do so again this year. Your generosity is always appreciated (by Bishop Taylor, the many of all ages and situations of life who benefit from your gift, and by me as well). To those who don't or haven't recently given to this appeal, I ask you to consider joining your fellow parishioners and Catholics throughout Arkansas in helping so many in need.
I know for sure that the amount that is traditionally given to Catholic Schools in Arkansas has stayed the same over the years even though the need for more than a few of our schools is great and the ability to keep those schools open is getting harder to the point that some (like one of my former parishes in Ft. Smith-St. Boniface had to close its doors after over 100 years of daily educating children in the Catholic faith). In a time when many younger folks and families have left the Catholic faith in disturbing numbers, our help to fund Catholic schools, religious education programs and campus ministry programs for college students is more important and needed than ever before.
Since this year every parishioner should have received a solicitation letter and envelope by mail, I am praying (and ask you to pray as well) that we can get the number of total givers in our parish up well over 300 families while reaching and surpassing once again our goal. With "stimulus money" coming from the government to most of us, I urge you to use some of that for the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal so as to stimulate more people in the ways of the Lord throughout the state of Arkansas this year 2021 and beyond. Thank you very much!!
Our parish once again surpassed its goal of $83,000 which is reason to thank God for the generosity of about 265 families in our parish! In a parish of around 750 registered families the percent of givers to CASA this past year was under one-third of our total parish rolls which, while much better than the state-wide average, still means that there are many in our parish who gave nothing to CASA last year. I humbly ask those who have been giving to the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal to do so again this year. Your generosity is always appreciated (by Bishop Taylor, the many of all ages and situations of life who benefit from your gift, and by me as well). To those who don't or haven't recently given to this appeal, I ask you to consider joining your fellow parishioners and Catholics throughout Arkansas in helping so many in need.
I know for sure that the amount that is traditionally given to Catholic Schools in Arkansas has stayed the same over the years even though the need for more than a few of our schools is great and the ability to keep those schools open is getting harder to the point that some (like one of my former parishes in Ft. Smith-St. Boniface had to close its doors after over 100 years of daily educating children in the Catholic faith). In a time when many younger folks and families have left the Catholic faith in disturbing numbers, our help to fund Catholic schools, religious education programs and campus ministry programs for college students is more important and needed than ever before.
Since this year every parishioner should have received a solicitation letter and envelope by mail, I am praying (and ask you to pray as well) that we can get the number of total givers in our parish up well over 300 families while reaching and surpassing once again our goal. With "stimulus money" coming from the government to most of us, I urge you to use some of that for the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal so as to stimulate more people in the ways of the Lord throughout the state of Arkansas this year 2021 and beyond. Thank you very much!!