CHARLOTTE — The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed more people to the brink of poverty in western North Carolina, and parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte are stepping up to help through the annual Diocesan Support Appeal.
“Our Faith in Action,” the theme of the 2020 Diocesan Support Appeal, encourages the faithful to live the Gospel call to join our faith with works. A little more than halfway through the year, their efforts ring clear: the DSA has received $4.2 million, about two-thirds of its $6.2 million goal with six more months to go in this year’s campaign.
In his 2020 DSA appeal letter to the faithful published earlier this year, Bishop Peter Jugis shared a Scripture passage from James 1:22 that reflects this truth: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
“This is a shining reminder and an opportunity to put our faith into action to help others,” Bishop Jugis said.
The DSA campaign funds more than 50 programs within the core operations of 30 ministries and agencies that serve thousands of people across the diocese. Most notably, the DSA is a significant funding source for Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte for its counseling, food pantries, pregnancy support, refugee resettlement, elder ministry, Respect Life and other programs, as well as the programs and ministries of the Education Vicariate.
Catholic Charities receives 33 percent of the funds collected through the DSA campaign. Other DSA funds are allocated to: the Education Vicariate (29 percent); vocations (14 percent); multicultural ministries (11 percent); and the Eucharistic Congress and the diocesan housing ministry (7 percent).
Parishioners in all 92 parishes and missions in the diocese fund the annual DSA campaign. Each parish has an assessed goal. Parishes that exceed their goal in donations receive a rebate for 100 percent of the additional funds collected; parishes that fall short of their goal in donations from parishioners make up the shortfall from their operating budgets.
“We encourage parishioners to give to the DSA this year, as it’s important now more than ever to support the ministries that are responding during this challenging time,” said Barb De Mase, the diocese’s associate development director.
How to support the DSA
- Donate online: Go to www.charlottediocese.org/dsato make a secure online donation.
- One-time gift: Give a one-time contribution in response to a mailing you have received.
- Pledge: Make a pledge in response to a mailing you received. (Pledges must be paid by Dec. 31, 2020.)
- Stock donation: Make a donation of publicly traded securities. Instructions are online at www.charlottediocese.org/ways-to-give.
- IRA contribution: For donors over 70 1/2 years of age, contact your financial advisor to request a charitable distribution from your IRA.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter