Two Diocesan Campaigns

We are all familiar with the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) for the operational needs of the Diocese of Helena.  This campaign provides for all of the essential expenditures of the diocese anticipated in its annual budget which has been set at about 2 million dollars in recent years. The categories of services supported include Catholic Education and Faith Formation, Relief and Hope, Pastoral and Ministerial Formation and Support, and Parish Support. Just a few of these specific services include Legendary Lodge, Campus Ministries, De La Salle Blackfeet School, Diocesan Catholic Schools, Prison Ministries, Catholic Cemeteries, Catholic Social Services of Montana, the Guatemala Mission, national collections for Archdiocese for the Military Services, Church in Central and Eastern Europe, and the Church in Africa, the Permanent Diaconate, Priests’ Retirement and Clergy Benefit, Seminarian Education, and ongoing support for the Safe Environment/Protecting God’s Children.  This list is not exhaustive, but it illustrates how the funds we each contribute go to support a wide array of good and essential services locally and around the world.  

The He First Loved Us campaign, otherwise known as the Campaign for Catholic Life that we participated in last year was a one time only fundraiser, promoted for the Diocese of Helena and its parishes for the purpose of bringing a greater vitality to Catholic life throughout the Diocese.  The target for the fundraising was set at 30 million dollars. The campaign was completed this month and the pledged gifts from around the diocese not only exceeded the target, but also brought in estate gifts to bring the total anticipated gifts to exceed 90 million dollars.  The funds raised by this campaign are not intended to obviate the gifts necessary to support the annual budgetary needs of the diocese or the parish.  However, this influx of revenue into the diocese and parishes will create opportunities that were previously unattainable.  Approximately half of the revenue raised will go toward the goals of the diocese to increase priestly vocations, support our growing ranks of retire3d priests, provide more robust diocesan support for the parishes, expand its range of evangelical services, and restore and extend the life span of our beautiful Cathedral.  The other half of the revenue will remain in the parishes for their future capital needs and revitalization of Catholic parish life.