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Special collections raised $5.7 million in 2020

Generosity with gifts ‘keeps God first in everything’

Catholics of the Archdiocese of St. Louis donated more than $5.7 million in special collections last year — funds that help the Church meet needs in critical areas in the archdiocese and around the world.

The donations were made to the 20 collections supporting various local, national and international programs and two one-time collections related to disaster responses. One was for hurricane relief and the other for a response to California wildfires. These funds are sent the Bishops Emergency Disaster Fund to be distributed where they are needed most.

Each collection is seen as an opportunity to take part in a different part of the life and mission of the Church.

Being grateful and generous stewards of our gifts is “our love response as disciples of Christ,” said Dave Baranowski, director of stewardship education in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. “Generosity with all of our gifts keeps God first in everything; it keeps us from becoming a slave to that thing. ”

Kim Becvar, interim director of the archdiocese’s Mission Office, cited the importance of the collections. For example, the Society for the Propagation of the Faith’s collection for World Mission Sunday aids the more than 1,100 mission dioceses worldwide. Because mission dioceses are where the Church is still considered young or not yet firmly established, the donations from World Mission Sunday are vital to meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the people, Becvar said.

“This collection provides assistance to churches, catechists, religious sisters and brothers, schools, clinics, orphanages and more so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be preached to all the ends of the earth,” she said. “We are grateful for the support of the Archdiocese of St. Louis to the missionary work of the Church.”

Generous Catholics in the archdiocese donated $6,989,050 in various special collections in 2019. Collections to special collections decreased 17% in the past year, in which Mass attendance was affected by the coronavirus pandemic.


Special Collections

In 2020, Catholics in St. Louis gave $5,774,735 to the second collections. List below includes dates for 2021:

St. Louis Review subscriptions   ----   Collection date in 2021: Jan. 17   ----   Assists parishes to cover cost of subscriptions. Money stays with the parish and isn’t counted in second collection total

Church in Central and Eastern Europe $85,301 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Feb. 17    ----   Funds projects in 28 countries to build pastoral capacity of the Church and to rebuild and restore the Faith there

Black and Indian Missions $146,102 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Feb. 21    ----   Helps diocesan communities throughout the United States spread the Good News and respond to pressing needs

Catholic Relief Services $180,591 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: March 14    ----   Supports Catholic Church organizations that carry out international relief and solidarity efforts

Holy Land $131,791 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: April 2    ----   Supports the work of the Franciscans working in the Holy Land in caring for holy places and the Christian community

Collection for Retired Priests (Regina Cleri) $283,138 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: April 4    ----   Provides retired priests and future retirees with support, including health care and disability costs and day-to-day needs

Catholic Communication Campaign $117,223 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: May 16    ----   Helps the Church spread the Gospel message through the media. Half of the funds supports projects in the archdiocese

Catholic Home Missions Appeal $109,660 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: May 23    ----   Financially supports missionary activities that strengthen the Church in the U.S., its territories and former territories

Glennon Sunday $479,857 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: June 6    ----   Assists mission of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in staying at the forefront of pediatric health care

Peter’s Pence (for the Holy Father) $207,020 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: June 27    ----   Assists with universal Church needs, humanitarian initiatives and social promotion projects, and supports the Holy See

Catholic University of America $149,603 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Sept. 5    ----   Supports scholarships for students at the national university of the Catholic Church

Formation of Permanent Deacons $356,893 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Oct. 3    ----   Relieves some of their financial burden for studies to become a deacon

World Mission Sunday $449,726 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Oct. 24    ----   Supports pastoral and evangelizing programs and needs of more than 1,150 mission dioceses

Retirement Fund for Religious $502,773 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Nov. 7    ----   Assists religious institutes in the United States to care for their elderly and frail members now and in the future

Catholic Campaign for Human Development $178,107 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Nov. 21    ----   Supports programs that empower local communities to address the challenges they face

Seminary Collection $603,276 raised in 2020    ----   Collection date in 2021: Dec. 25    ----   Supports the formation of seminarians at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary


Other 2020 collections and amounts raised

Latin American Apostolate, $362,680

Missionary Co-op, $615,215

Rice Bowl, $57,747

Disaster Relief, $489,161

Military Services, $141,046

Disaster Relief, $127,813

These collections are not listed for 2021 for one of several reasons, including they are not held every year or in every parish, or there are various dates, or are in response to timely events

Plan your giving: To download a PDF of the Catholic Giving Guide Worksheet from the Office of Stewardship, visit bit.ly/3q7VeB8.

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