The 2009-2010 Catholic Ministries Appeal has been officially launched, according to a story on the Catholic Courier website.
Bishop Matthew H. Clark launched the Diocese of Rochester's 2009-10 Catholic Ministries Appeal Sept. 21, asking parishioners to pull together to help meet the campaign's $5.49 million goal, thus keeping the spirit of faith and service alive in the diocese.
"Keeping the Spirit Alive" is the theme of this year's annual campaign, which funds ministries touching the lives of more than 314,000 Catholics in the 12-county diocese. (emphasis mine)
However, last year's CMA kickoff letter cited a significantly higher number of Catholics.
Calling on Catholics to help bolster the Church’s ministries and ensure a strong Diocese for future generations, Bishop Matthew Clark today officially launched the 2008-09 Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA).
The CMA funds ministries for more than 350,000 Catholics in 12 counties. The campaign goal is $5.39 million. (again, my emphasis)
Hmmm, let's see here ... "More than 350,000" minus "more than 314,000" equals just about 36,000 Catholics who have simply disappeared in just one year.
One would think that over 10% of our Catholics vanishing in 12 months would rate some kind of acknowledgement from DOR.
Apparently not.
7 comments:
I am sorry, but I no longer believe one word that comes out of Bishop Clark's mouth.
The saddest part of the story is that so many thousands of poor souls are falling away from the Catholic Church.
All of the blame has to go to Bishop Clark.
Time to write my annual letter to the Bishop about why I won't support the CMA.
Seriously. Where have 36,000 people gone? We are hemorrhaging Catholics and all we get are band-aids like "Spirit Alive." What a dismal failure that initiative has been. And I wonder how much that cost?
36,000 less Catholics than last year? Looks like "more of the same" (liturgical abuses, closing parishes and schools, promoting dissent) is not bringing the people in. Maybe its time to embrace orthodoxy? No, they'll never try that. They've dug their hole, and they can't get out.
~Dr. K
Regular weekend mass attendance is said to be around 81,000 these days.
Interstate,
I got the same number (2008 AOA) from my PPNM source. In 2000 it was 108,000. That's a loss of 25% of our weekend Mass attendees in a mere 8 years.
Buffalo Rd. couldn't care less.
"DOR "loses" 36,000 Catholics in just one year."
Must be a series of alien abductions. (Where else could all those Catholics have gone?) I'll keep my eye out for UFOs*...
*Unorthodox Floundering (church) Officials
Gretchen,
I LOVE it!
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