Catholic Services Appeal (CSA)
Your Support Matters
The Catholic Services Appeal provides essential support for ministries and programs that serve people throughout our Catholic community. Your gift helps fund Catholic education and formation, support families and individuals in need, strengthen parishes, and sustain the many services provided by our local Church.
Every contribution helps make these ministries possible. By participating in the Catholic Services Appeal, you help ensure that the Church has the resources to continue its work of serving others and sharing the Catholic faith.
Thank you for considering a gift. Your support makes a practical and lasting difference.
CSA Myths and Facts
Fact
The previous year’s C.S.A. drive has nothing to do with this year’s mandatory target. Targets are based on an objective formula which looks at the average amount a parish receives in Sunday and Holy Day contributions over a three-year period. An adjustment is made for parishes with schools (10% reduction) and then a percentage of that three-year average (13% for us) becomes the mandatory target. Thus, as a parish’s income grows its C.S.A. target grows. As a parish’s income stabilizes or even declines its C.S.A. begins to go down. A parish can go way over the mandatory target in their yearly C.S.A. and that has no effect on the target it will receive the following year.
Fact
Just the opposite. The C.S.A. is the most effective way to donate money since every dollar directly benefits the parish 100%. It either helps the parish pay its mandatory target, which otherwise must come from its other funds, or it comes back to the parish “tax-free” unlike other contributions that are taxed at 7%. This means if someone has a significant donation to give to the parish, the most effective way to do so, and the way that benefits the parish the most, is through the C.S.A.
Fact
If we don’t reach our target, the parish must pay the difference out of its other funds. That means we either reduce other operating expenses or take it from our savings. This is a very significant consequence to the parish for not reaching the mandatory target.
Fact
The majority of parishes make their C.S.A. target every year, including this past pandemic-affected year. Most parishes use the C.S.A. to raise additional funds because they know they will go significantly over their targets and not have to pay any diocesan assessment on that money. It all comes back to the parish “tax free.”
Fact
If you want to show displeasure at the diocese or the bishop, withholding C.S.A. donations only hurt the parish, not the diocese. The diocese will receive all the budgeted money either through the C.S.A. drive or by billing the parishes for the missed target. The best way to show displeasure to the diocese is through a thoughtful, direct letter to Archbishop Vigneron, detailing what your concerns are.
Fact
No C.S.A. dollars have ever gone toward projects outside the diocese. Also, no C.S.A. dollars have gone toward defending allegations of sexual misconduct or for payouts to bring such situations to a close. The C.S.A. budget is pre-approved and C.S.A. money goes toward funding those programs and offices for which it was budgeted.
Fact
The budget for the C.S.A. (approximately $16 million this year) represents the largest portion of the overall yearly Archdiocesan budget. Money is also received by assessing all parishes 7% of their Offertory and parish fund-raising money (raising approximately $11 million) and by investing reserves in the financial markets. The Archdiocese also receives at times some bequests from wills and other donations. Without the C.S.A. monies the Archdiocese would not be able to maintain most of its many ministries (over 170 different programs and ministries) such as: Church: Parish, School and Faith Formation Support, Christian Service Outreach, Marriage Tribunal, Sacred Heart Seminary, Vocations Office, Communications, and Bishops’ Ministries.