Would you like to learn more about the Catholic Stewardship Appeal? Click on the question link and you will be directed to the answer. For additional information, contact Rob Bohlmann, Director, Catholic Stewardship Appeal, at 414-769-3320 or e-mail him at bohlmannr@archmil.org.

• Where does money contributed to the Catholic Stewardship Appeal go?
• The Catholic Stewardship Appeal provides more than one-quarter of the archdiocesan budget. Where do other funds come from?
• Are Catholic Stewardship Appeal funds used to pay legal fees or settlements from sexual abuse cases?
• How much does it cost to run the CSA?
• Why are there three separate Appeal mailings?
• If some parishes have not met their goal, why not just solicit their parishioners rather than solicit individuals from parishes that have met their goals?
• Why aren’t the parish goals based on a per capita amount?
• How does a parish benefit from the Catholic Stewardship Appeal?

What does your gift to the Catholic Stewardship Appeal support?

The Catholic Stewardship Appeal provides more than one-quarter of the archdiocesan budget. Where do other funds come from?

Funds to run the archdiocese come from various sources and are expended in many ways. These include the archdiocesan assessment to parishes (which at 4 percent is one of the lowest in the country), estates and bequests, grants, cemetery and mausoleum revenues, rentals and interest income.

Are Catholic Stewardship Appeal funds used to pay legal fees or settlements from sexual abuse cases?

Absolutely not! No CSA money has ever been used for legal costs including those regarding sexual abuse. The Safeguarding All God’s Children program educates adults and children about appropriate and inappropriate physical contact and teaches children to consult a trusted adult if they feel uncomfortable with someone’s touch. The Office for Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response has done remarkable work in helping victims and their families begin the healing process that is so necessary after an instance of sexual abuse.

Why does it cost so much to run the CSA?

It doesn't. Only 8 percent of the dollars collected from the Appeal are used for its administration. Other expenses are underwritten through grants and restricted donations.

Why are there three separate Appeal mailings?

Actually, the Catholic Stewardship Appeal generates more than 65 percent of its gifts from the one major mailing in February to all 230,000 registered households in our archdiocese. When any person responds to that letter with either a gift or refusal, this response is recorded. A second mailing is sent in April to households that didn’t respond to the February Appeal. A third mailing in September, which includes a carefully crafted second ask, allows parishioners (1) who aren’t comfortable pledging the opportunity to make a second cash gift, and (2) gives those with completed pledges a chance to increase their contribution. Contributors with open pledges do not receive the September request. We don’t know which are potential donors and which choose not to give, since not everybody is prepared to respond to a February letter. More than $1 million comes from our follow-up mailings, so they cannot be eliminated.

If some parishes have not met their goal, why not just solicit their parishioners rather than solicit individuals from parishes that have met their goals?

To solicit only those who appear to have the least ability or inclination to do more is to guarantee failure. We need to continue to educate and reach out to those people in the hope that someday they will understand their stewardship obligations. The fact is, however, that the parishes which have been most successful will probably be made up of people who are the most able, the most generous or the most loyal in support of the Catholic Stewardship Appeal.

Why aren’t the parish goals based on a per capita amount?

Our parishes are all over the map in terms of per capita gifts, percent of participation, dollars raised and the socio-economic circumstances of their parishioners. All we can do is estimate what will likely be given based on historical giving patterns. The number of parishioners isn’t a “fairness” criterion, since some parishes have wealthier families or individuals than others. Thus a “per capita” assessment wouldn’t be any fairer than “giving history.”

How does a parish benefit from the Catholic Stewardship Appeal?

Here are some of the ways:

We are blessed with 342 archdiocesan priests and 321 religious order priests in our archdiocese. Of these, 157 are in parishes, 22 are in other archdiocesan assignments, 17 are assigned outside the diocese, and 146 are retired, on leave or unassigned. Thanks in part to the Appeal, our archdiocese has had an excellent seminary for more than 150 years.

There are 180 permanent deacons in our archdiocese. Preparation for the diaconate is a four year program of comprehensive formation. The CSA helps to support the John Paul II Center’s diaconate formation program.

The Office for Diaconate Formation provides a discernment process for men exploring a potential vocational calling to the diaconate. This process involves screening and selection for admissions and specific formation in the theological, spiritual, pastoral and human dimensions of ordained ministry preparation. The Diaconate Formation Program is specifically tailored to those men seeking a deeper, permanent response to be of service to God’s people through ministry in the Church. Currently, there are 12 men enrolled in diaconate ministry formation through the John Paul II Center of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Approximately 25 men anticipate starting diaconate formation soon.

The Office for Parish Mission promotes pastoral renewal through parish, cluster, district, and archdiocesan planning/implementation as well as mission review and enhancement. The Coordinator helps with parish mergers, parish clusters, and the development of new models of collaborative governance structures. A major focus of the Office is to provide training, resources, and on-going formation for parish councils, committees, and staffs in order to enhance leadership skills and to encourage lay ministry in parishes. This Office helps parishes build a common understanding and a spirit of collaboration within the parish and among clustering parishes.

Parish Stewardship Ministry offers consulting and mentoring services to parish leadership groups in their efforts to foster stewardship education in their parishes. The Parish Stewardship Office provides stewardship education and formation; stewardship committee formation and training; time, talent and treasure renewal resources for adults; youth and children; parish stewardship baseline assessments; long and short-term stewardship program planning; one-onone mentoring of parish staff with stewardship responsibilities; stewardship focused retreats for Parish Councils; committees and parish staffs; and consultation with parishes in areas such as lay witness preparation; ministry fair planning; development of stewardship communication plans and capital campaign readiness.

The Office for Parish and School Financial Services serves parish and school staffs, finance committees and parish organizations by providing policies and procedures for accounting and general business functions, performing financial reviews of parishes, and collecting and analyzing budgets and financial statements. Much of the director’s time is spent in the parishes, meeting with pastors, reviewing parish books, and helping finance committees.

The Archdiocesan Office for Religious maintains a bond between Archbishop Listecki and nearly 3,000 religious women and men within the archdiocese.

The Office for Worship provides consultation, presentations and training for parish councils, staffs, liturgical ministers, Rite of Christian Initiation teams (RCIA), pastoral musicians, parish liturgy and evangelization committees, and all aspects of liturgy.

Annually, about 65 couples are trained to work with engaged couples in their respective parishes.

There were 42,599 students enrolled in parish religious education programs throughout the archdiocese. A total of 29,545 students were enrolled at the elementary level (pre-K to 8) and 13,654 students at the high school level.

There are approximately 4,100 catechists (religious education teachers) serving in the archdiocese.

There are 32,544 students currently enrolled in Catholic elementary schools and high schools served by the Office for Schools.