Story by Reagan Scott
SHELBY (SNR) - Each year the members of the Lincoln Diocese have the opportunity to contribute to the Charity and Stewardship Appeal, which supports parishes, schools and diocesan ministries.
The theme for the 2019 Charity and Stewardship Appeal was “Cast Your Nets.” Each parish was given an individualized fundraising goal, a certain percentage of which is earmarked for schools that the parish supports, with another percentage going to diocesan ministries.
Any money raised outside of those percentages, as well as 100 percent of funds raised over the assigned parish goal, are returned directly to the parish.
In the 2019 appeal more than $2.9 million was pledged, surpassing the $2.1 million-dollar goal set. In all, parishes received more than $1.6 million in returns.
One the appeal’s greatest successes comes from Sacred Heart Parish in Shelby.
Sacred Heart Parish’s goal for the 2019 Charity and Stewardship Appeal was $10,060. The parish surpassed that amount and the expected rebates back to the parish are $18,000. Since the parish supports St. Mary and Aquinas Schools in David City, 80 percent of Sacred Heart’s goal was returned to the parish.
Father Leo Seiker, the pastor for Sacred Heart, said, “Every year it’s a goal to just keep doing all we can to keep encouraging people to generously give to, and support, the parish. So much [of the Charity and Stewardship Appeal] comes back to our parish. That’s a great blessing, and the people see that.”
In a parish with 175 households, 60 percent of parishioners participated in the appeal, a participation rate above that of the entire diocese, which came in at 40 percent. The redemption rate for the parish, that is, the percent of money pledged that is collected, was 95 percent.
Father Seiker said that funds from the 2019 appeal will be used for repairs to the church’s bell tower, and help the parish financially. Money from the 2018 appeal—also raised with more than 60 percent participation in the small parish—was used to fix plasterwork in the church that needed repair.
Father Seiker said the Charity and Stewardship Appeal is a “great, vital collection” for parishes throughout the diocese.
“You wouldn’t be able to build any parishes, any buildings in the diocese, it wouldn’t be possible without the Charity and Stewardship appeal,” he said.
Father Seiker said that this appeal, along with other appeals and collections throughout the year, show how each parish is working on a grander scale.
He said, “We’re not isolated parishes, we’re working with the whole universal Catholic Church.”
