A Letter from Fr. Rich

Dear Parishioner;
Over 50 years ago the Diocese of Duluth instituted the United Catholic Appeal (UCA) as a way to make sure the diocese could function.  The funds from all the parishes make it possible for our diocese to exist and minister as it should.  As a parish, during the years I have been pastor we have done an excellent job at making our goals and I want to thank all of you for that.
The UCA has been treated as a tax to the parishes which has its limitations because no one ever pays more taxes than what they are owed.  Bp. Felton has been very good at explaining how we as a missionary diocese need to organize as mission so we need to realign our goals as a diocese.  If we look at UCA as a tax we only box ourselves in.
UCA is now changing to what is being called The Ministries Appeal which is much more than a name change.  In Canon Law there is something called “Cathedraticum” (say that 10 times fast) which literally is the “bishop’s tax” and that is supposed to be levied on all parishes throughout the world.  What was done with UCA starting back in 1971 they suppressed the mandatory Cathedraticum into the UCA goal.  This tax will now be separated from The Ministries Appeal which will incentivize us to give rather than thinking of it as a tax.
So what is going to happen now is the Cathedraticum and The Ministries Appeal will be separated to cover different elements of what the pastoral center does for the whole diocese.  The Cathedraticum covers the things that are essential to canon law.  It will be funded from each parish paying a percentage of our parish operating budget.  We will need to allocate funds to cover this which will be paid as a parish at the end of each fiscal year.  The Ministries Appeal will support the different ministries the pastoral center offers like youth ministry and seminarian support etc.  The Appeals will operate on the regular calendar year.
Initially, The Ministries Appeal will operate similar to UCA with parishes making set goals but eventually the hope is that it will operate as a true appeal.  That means in the future, if we don’t make our goal, we won’t need to make up the difference from our operating budget.
The bishop’s goal is not just to give a new name to the old and keep doing what we have always done.  Rather he wants us to begin to operate differently.  The old ways need to be modified so that we can better accomplish the mission which God has given us.
Next week in the bulletin I will outline the practical as to how this will affect us on a more concrete level.  It will be a bit different at first, and the office here at the parish will help with any adjustment you will need assistance with.  Please watch for next week’s important information.
 
Fr. Rich