Greensburg diocese counting on parishioners' generosity during Lent
Although traditionally a time of austerity, Lent in the Diocese of Greensburg has become a time of generosity.
Catholics in the four-county diocese know that once Ash Wednesday rolls around, the Diocesan Lenten Appeal can't be far behind.
The appeal had a record year in 2017, setting the stage for a 2018 goal of $4.9 million. If the goal is reached, the campaign will raise $3.6 million for diocesan ministries and $1.3 million for individual parish projects.
“During Lent, there's always been a practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It's when Catholics tend to be a little more focused on these three practices that draw us closer to God,” said Jim Edwards, managing director of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Greensburg.
Giving to the appeal is one way to practice almsgiving, Edwards said.
The theme of this year's appeal is “Love One Another with Great Love.” Announcement weekend is Feb. 17-18, education weekend is Feb. 24-25 and commitment weekend is March 3-4.
During last year's appeal, the diocese's 53,000 households responded at record levels — the $4.9 million pledged was the most ever and the average gift of $248 per participant was the highest ever, diocese spokesman Jerry Zufelt said, noting that the 2017 goal was $4.7 million.
“I really think there is something very generous about the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania,” Edwards said.
The annual appeal has been in existence, under different names, for 40 years. It has been the Diocesan Lenten Appeal since 2004.
The appeal is one of three main sources of revenue for the diocese, the others being the parish assessment and distributions from the diocesan endowment, Edwards said.
Of the $4.9 million raised in 2017, $1.4 million, or 29 percent, was returned to the parishes for projects ranging from capital improvements to charitable programs.
The amount that is returned to the parishes is the amount by which they exceed the goal set for them by the diocese, Edwards explained. For example, St. Sylvester Parish in Slickville had a 2017 goal of $13,058 but ended up raising $22,324 in pledges.
The small parish also had a high level of participation in the appeal (70.9 percent of households) compared with the diocesan average (37.7 percent).
“Parishes really see a value in using the appeal as a mini-fundraiser for the parish to cover extraordinary things,” Edwards said, noting that 74 out of 78 parishes exceeded their goals in 2017.
The diocese sets a pro rata goal for each parish based on its weekly giving levels, he said. So a large parish such as Immaculate Conception in Irwin had a 2017 goal of $129,188, whereas a small parish such as Seven Dolors in Yukon had a goal of $21,630.
Greensburg Bishop Edward C. Malesic said that while money can be a fraught topic, it is one that is addressed frequently by Jesus in the Gospels.
“Jesus is lord of all of our life. Jesus himself said, ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.' Money and how we spend it is an indication of where our heart is,” Malesic said.
Malesic said generosity and gratitude are biblical principles that can guide people's giving practices. Tithing, or giving a certain percentage of one's income, is a valuable spiritual discipline but is not a requirement, he said.
“The requirement is that we be generous,” he said. “We do understand that we should offer back to God a portion of what he's given to us. When we offer ourselves completely to the Lord and say, ‘What do you want me to do with my life?' the Lord is always going to ask us to do something with our blessings. He blesses us so that we can be a blessing.”
Stephen Huba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-1280, shuba@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shuba_trib.
