The Appeal 2023, formerly known as the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, is prepared for launch during the first weekend of May with updated goals from the past but with a major focus on the mission of evangelization in the diocese.
The name was changed this year to emphasize that this is THE ultimate campaign for the diocese to fund its ministries, programs and services.
There’s also a new theme, “Forward with Jesus,” to reflect Bishop Earl Fernandes’ objectives for the diocese.
“The reason it’s so important to call it The Appeal is because we are exposed to so many appeals, but this one is our Bishop’s focus because it speaks to the Catholic presence in our parishes and it clearly states that this is supporting the ministries and services that the diocese is providing,” said Andrea Pannell, the vice president of stewardship for The Catholic Foundation, which is heading up The Appeal.
New images for The Appeal feature a bridge with a light at the end of it that reflects where the diocese is going under the leadership of a new bishop.
“That’s exciting for us, especially his vision about where we’re going and that we’re crossing from one era of the diocese to a new era,” said Loren Brown, president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation. “Isn’t that what this bridge is about when you look at it?
“And so, we want to make sure that people look at the poster in the vestibules and gathering spaces to see something new and fresh and say, ‘I want to get behind that. I want to walk that bridge, too, with our bishop.’”
A new logo of a cross is intended to symbolize bringing together different parts of the diocese with the various ministries within those regions and parishes, apostolates and schools.
“There’s a message within that logo as well that we are one body as a diocese made up of all these different components, and that this appeal supports all of those,” Brown said.
The Appeal consists of four pillars: evangelization, vocations, education and social concerns. Of those, 35% of the $7 million overall goal goes to evangelization ($2.5 million). The rest of the money is divided almost equally among vocations ($1.593 million), education and tuition assistance ($1.568 million) and a number of social programs ($1.3 million).
“Part of making this The Appeal is to provide clarity with what everyone is supporting,” Brown said. “There’s an obligation to support people who have basic needs or educational needs or social needs.
“The beauty of it is that you do have an opportunity to provide support and be a part of something that you can’t do just in one parish or that you can’t do on your own. The overarching Catholic presence in this diocese is what is incredibly appreciated and important.”
Evangelization includes outreach and formation on college campuses, ministering to individuals’ and communities’ spiritual needs, marriage preparation, hospital chaplaincy and ethnic ministries.
The diocese’s evangelization efforts are already bearing fruit with Ohio State University students who attend the Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center in the form of converts and potential vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
“I believe wholeheartedly that some of what is happening at OSU and among our younger people are due to what we are doing in social media through the diocese’s communications office,” Pannell said.
“Providing videos and the bishop’s messages that were not there before – The Appeal is helping to support those things, and the Catholic presence is growing among our younger people.”
The vocations pillar encompasses priest, deacon and seminarian education and formation. Funds for Catholic education provide financial aid for families and also the education and advocacy of Catholic social teaching.
Social concerns funding benefits outreach, advocacy and education efforts through programs such as the Joint Organization for Inner-City Needs (J.O.I.N.), Backdoor Ministry, St. Francis Evangelization Center, respect life, urban plunge-style retreats and prison ministries.
“We sat down with the directors (of diocesan programs), and we met with priests to find out what services they need that The Appeal will be able to fund,” Pannell said. “Those things were considered when we worked on the goal.
“There is a greater emphasis on evangelization because that wasn’t really singled out or identified in the past. And with the shift and focus of the diocese in line with what the bishop is saying to look at vocations and evangelization as primary, The Appeal reflects that. And we understand that there still are people and services that need funding.”
While the diocese is in the midst of its Real Presence Real Future initiative that will change the dynamics of parishes and schools in some areas, Bishop Fernandes is placing particular importance on evangelization and vocations to build up the Catholic community to avoid being in the same position again where tough decisions must be made.
“We wanted to be able to look forward and to be able to provide an appeal that would take us into the future and beyond,” Pannell said. “And so, (Real Presence Real Future) wasn’t really a factor (in setting goals) because the people here are so generous, and they also know that the ministries, programs and services that are being supported by The Appeal for people in great need.
The Appeal provides predictable income for the diocese and also benefits churches. As in the past, parishes exceeding their financial goal will receive 100% of all excess funds.
“When I look at other dioceses, some don’t even have an appeal, and they just assess parishes (a specified amount),” Brown said. “The beauty of the Diocese of Columbus appeal is that the people of the diocese get to participate in helping their brothers and sisters around the diocese with great needs and not something that is buried in the assessment of the parish that they never know what it’s used for.
“It’s actually a beautiful process for people to really support others at any means that they can. So that’s why it’s important that The Appeal is out there. This is the appeal the diocese relies on every year, and there aren’t any other secondary ones. This is it.”
The method for calculating parish goals has been altered to consider an equitable share of the determined diocesan goal proportionate to a parish’s three-year average offertory. Parish census is no longer a determining factor.
“We wanted to make sure that the formulas were simpler, and we took out that census factor because that was really challenging, especially with the growing communities that we have with ethnic diversity,” Pannell said.
For Catholics in the pews, the manner in which to participate remains mostly the same as previous years.
Pledge card envelopes will be available at parishes beginning the first weekend of May and can be placed in the offertory once completed. Payment can be made with a check or electronic funds transfer.
Other options include mailing the pledge card to The Appeal, 197 E. Gay St., Columbus OH 43215 with checks made payable to The Diocese of Columbus or by visiting www.columbuscatholicgiving.org/appeal to offer a pledge.
Contributions can be spread over 10 months, from June 2023 to March 2024, or made in other increments or a one-time payment.
“Every dollar that everyone can participate in giving to The Appeal really adds up,” Pannell said. “Every parishioner should feel good about being able to participate in the cause of this appeal and what it’s supporting.”
So far, The Appeal has been well received in meetings with priests, parishes, benefactors and diocesan offices.
“Bishop Fernandes, as did (his predecessor) Bishop (Robert) Brennan, talks about the future and reaching the next generation, welcoming those who have fallen away, healing those who maybe have something that has caused them to fall away and walk back with them,” Brown said.
“He’s not looking at this as who we are today, and we’re excited at The Catholic Foundation to help him be successful.”
More information is available at ColumbusCatholicGiving.org. Questions may be directed to Pannell at (614) 674-1772 or [email protected].
