We are very grateful to the 752 parishioners who have made gifts and pledges to CSA 2019.
As you know, contributing to the Catholic Services Appeal is the best way to directly support our parish mission. In effect, every dollar donated to the CSA goes to support the parish. Our CSA “goal” is actually an assessment. When a parish falls short of its goal, it must make up the difference with other parish funds. When a parish surpasses the goal, the entire “overage” is returned to the parish assessment-free.
For many years, in keeping with our history, our Finance Counsel budgeted for an approximately forty thousand dollar shortfall in the CSA. (It was pretty much accepted that the income from the Strawberry Festival went to cover the CSA shortfall.)
Beginning last year we asked parishioners to consider making their major support for the parish through the CSA. Many people responded, transferring some funds they had been giving to the Sunday offertory and Christmas collections to the CSA. The appeal was not to necessarily give MORE, but to give DIFFERENTLY. The response was overwhelming. Instead of the forty thousand dollar shortfall, we exceeded the goal and received back eighty-three thousand dollars to support our parish mission (and the proceeds from the Strawberry Festival were not wiped out by the CSA shortfall).
The pledges and gifts made by those 752 parishioners this year now total an “overage” of sixty-three thousand dollars. Last year 811 parishioners made CSA gifts at this point in the campaign. We are hoping to hear from them in the near future. It would also be great if some of the 2800 other parishioner families who have not made a CSA gift this year would consider doing so. The money would greatly help us to continue our parish mission to change lives by bringing God’s Word to the community.
Again, a big “THANK YOU” to those who have given and appeal to those who may still be considering a gift.
We also remind you that the easiest way to support the parish on a regular basis is through Pushpay, our simple online giving solution. To get started with PushPay, you can go to our website: stisidore.church/give, you can use our parish app, or simply text “STISIDORE” to 77977. It’s that easy and only takes a couple of minutes to set up. Why spend time writing a check each week when you can set up recurring giving and not have to think about it?
Blessings,
Fr. Ron