To ensure that the local Church can continue to uphold this sacred duty, Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski will launch the 2003 Bishop’s Annual Appeal during the last weekend in September.

The theme of Sharing God’s Gifts . . . In Faith and Hope is meant to encourage members of the diocese to express their gratitude for God’s blessings by responding to Christ’s call to discipleship.

"It challenges us to share God’s gifts and to give back as a gesture of thanksgiving," Bishop Bootkoski wrote in a letter enclosed in the fundraising brochure. "The annual appeal is all about Church — God and his People. It is not about buildings or property. It is not about offices and ceremony. It is about people — you and I — who at Baptism made a faith promise to serve in the name of our Lord.

"Together we can improve education for our children, provide works of charity for those in need, and thereby make the compassionate presence of Christ real to those who hunger and thirst for him each and every day."

In presentations recently made to pastors Sept. 5 and 8 in the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center, Piscataway, the bishop applauded the success of the 2002 appeal.

"We managed to reach our goal last year with what the Church, our country and the economy have been through," he stated during the Sept. 5 gathering. "It can be done again, but I need your leadership . . . I ask that you walk together with me as brother priests to serve the people of God."

The 2003 appeal goal is set at $5.4 million, which is an increase of $200,000 over last year’s goal. Fifty percent of total contributions will be used for the pastoral, educational and personnel ministry programs of the diocese, while 19 percent will go toward the health and social services outreach conducted by Catholic Charities. The remaining 31 percent will fund a number of special ministries, ranging from the Maria Regina Senior Priest Retirement Residence and the Office of the Missions, to the diocesan radio program and the Tribunal, through which petitions for annulments are made.

As in prior years, a multifaceted campaign will serve to impart essential information to members of the diocese and ask for their support of the fundraiser.

At the end of the month, brochures will be mailed out to the majority of Catholic households in the diocese. In the parishes, pulpit announcements will be made, banners promoting the appeal will be displayed and a video that further details the appeal will be shown the weekend of Sept. 27 and 28. Parishes are asked to appoint a Bishop’s Appeal committee to facilitate the campaign within their local faith communities.

Throughout October, a 30-second commercial which features Bishop Bootkoski discussing the appeal will air on Comcast and Service Electric cable television stations.

Several new developments are designed to boost awareness of the appeal, and add to the convenience and efficiency of the process.

Most notable is the diocese’s ability to accept on-line donations from an individual’s credit or debit card, or through an electronic funds transfer. This feature is now available. Click here for more information.

According to Vincent Stahl, director of the diocesan Office of Development, this added component will greatly enhance the annual appeal process.

"More and more people are using the Web to pay all of their bills and don’t even use checks anymore," he explained. "It is likely that they would prefer the convenience of donating on-line. Also, it’s a way to reach out to people beyond our mailing list. People may come to our site for another reason, and then happen to come upon an invitation to donate to the appeal.

"And, if we’re able to develop a constituency that regularly chooses to donate this way, we’ll be able to save on mailing costs."

Specifics about donating on-line are included on pledge cards which will be sent to most parishioners in the diocese by the end of the month. Interested donors can also go directly to the diocesan website.

To further spread the word about the bishop’s appeal, the diocese will post approximately 25 billboards throughout Middlesex, Somerset, Warren and Hunterdon counties next month reminding the faithful of the appeal theme, Sharing God’s Gifts . . . In Faith and Hope.

For the first time, posters will also be printed in Spanish to ensure that all members of the diocese are aware of the appeal and have the opportunity to contribute. The Spanish-language posters will be distributed to parishes with Hispanic congregations.

In lieu of the regional meetings which were held last year to promote the appeal, the Office of Development has organized special dinners and receptions during September and October for past donors who have generously supported the fundraiser.

Stahl reported that in last year’s appeal, the $5.2 million goal was met through the contributions of more than 32,000 donors, representing approximately 22 percent of the total number of Catholic households. He is hopeful that even more parishioners will participate in the 2003 appeal to help the diocese reach its overall goal. Each parish is given a goal to meet, based on past support and the average donation made for the last three years. In 2002, 43 parishes exceeded their goal.

In considering a donation to the annual appeal, "the most important thing to remember is that there are many people in the diocese who are in great need of the services we provide on the diocesan level," noted Stahl. "By sharing our gifts with others, it goes a long way in alleviating their suffering and anxiety, and gives them a chance at having a better life."