By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/3/05)

Each diocesan parish is given a goal — a dollar amount based on the number of families — to raise for the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal (BLA). According to Bob Mueller, director of the Office of Stewardship and Development, this is the first year his office has used information about past parish participation, the actual number of families making a gift, when calculating goals. The office hopes that every parish will be able to increase participation this year.

"The ministries and programs at the diocesan level are extremely important to all parishes and parishioners," said Mueller. "It is hoped that pastors and parish leaders can be successful in having all of their parishioners understand how people benefit from this appeal and then respond with a gift to the BLA." He said that this diocese is the third fastest growing diocese and many of the BLA funded programs are seeking to help meet issues associated with our rapid growth.

Also new are video and audio recordings from the bishop. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde will be able to speak, via technology, to many parishes in the diocese about the annual appeal.

Mueller said that parishes that have done well in the past should continue to do well because many of their parishioners understand the mission of the BLA to fund needed diocesan programs and services.

Nearly 40 percent of parishioners at St. John Parish in McLean participated in last year’s effort. According to Father Ed Hathaway, pastor, it’s important to look beyond the parish and help care for the needs of the entire diocese.

"With more participation, it’s easier to meet the monetary goal," Father Hathaway said.

The parish of 1,500 families has had a long history of strong BLA participation.

"The community supports things at the diocesan level," he said, adding that they helped found Bishop O’Connell High School. "The parish makes it easy because of their good tradition of generosity toward the diocese."

Father Hathaway speaks about the BLA at all the Masses during the kickoff weekend. This year, a lay person spoke after communion bringing a new perspective to the fund-raising campaign.

Last year, St. Peter Mission in Washington, Va., increased participation and exceeded its goal by 19 percent.

"The people here love the Lord," said Father Robert DeMartino, administrator. "As a consequence they love the Church."

When Father DeMartino first arrived at the mission in 2003, he immediately noticed the community’s outstanding generosity. He admits that he has never had a strong ability to raise funds, but the mission’s BLA participation peaked at 52 percent in 2004.

"They have a history of giving here," he said, adding that they tithe 10 percent of the weekly collection to give to the poor in Culpeper County.

While there is a strong sense of community at St. Peter Mission, Father DeMartino said it’s easy to lose their connection with the diocese as a whole. He always tries to emphasize and encourage solidarity with the bishop and the diocese, despite their being physically far removed. Of all the diocesan offices, the mission is most conscious of the Office of Vocations.

Some of the people from the mission traveled to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., last year to see where Father DeMartino and his predecessors studied. They also pray and discuss vocations with the altar boys.

"That’s the thing they see most tangibly from the diocese. They see good priests and want more," he said. This year, a lay person spoke at the Masses about how much is needed to put one priest through the seminary — a ministry funded by the BLA.

Holy Martyrs of Vietnam Parish in Arlington exceeded their goal by more than $9,000 last year. With nearly 1,700 families in the parish, Dominican Father John Baptist Nuong Duc Nguyen, pastor, said it is important to support the annual appeal.

"It is the goal of the bishop to make something for the diocese," he said. "We receive a lot from the diocese."

Along with the mailing sent to homes, Father Nguyen places envelopes in the pews of the church and makes information accessible in the bulletin. This way, people who did not receive the notice at their homes will have the opportunity to contribute.

While most people can understand why they should give to their local parishes, it is often harder for people to truly grasp all that the diocese does for them, said Mueller.

"It is our hope that people recognize the needs of the diocese above the parish," he said, adding that parishioners benefit from diocesan offices such as youth ministry, family life and schools. "It’s important to allow diocesan ministries to have the funding they need."

When people gain knowledge of the value of the diocesan programs and services,

Mueller said that most parishioners continue to donate and support the BLA for many years.

Raising participation by just a few percentage points can make a difference in the success of the BLA. Bishop Loverde has asked all parishes to focus on receiving a gift from as many parishioners as possible this year to help exceed the overall financial goal of $5.5 million.