All Saints
$246,000

Blessed Sacrament
$53,000

Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe
$137,000

Church of the Incarnation
$31,000

Christ the King
$274,000

Corpus Christi
$11,000

Divine Mercy of our Lord
$60,000

Epiphany
$3,000

Good Shepherd – Garland
$98,000

Holy Cross
$27,000

Holy Trinity
$141,000

Holy Family of Nazareth – Irving
$109,000

Holy Family – Van Alstyne
$8,000

Holy Spirit – Duncanville
$108,000

Immaculate Conception – Corsicana
$35,000

Immaculate Conception – Grand Prairie
$51,000

San Juan Diego
$39,000

Mary Immaculate
$174,000

Mater Dei – Irving
$17,000

Mother of Perpetual Help – Garland
$62,000

Nuestra Senor del Pilar
$41,000

Our Lady of Lourdes
$33,000

Our Lady of Perpetual Help
$29,000

Our Lady of San Juan
$10,000

Our Lady of Angels – Plano/Allen
$85,000

Our Lady of the Lake – Rockwall
$116,000

Our Lady of Fatima – Quinlan
$1,000

Prince of Peace
$217,000

Sacred Heart of Jesus Chinese – Plano
$13,000

Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ Vietnamese – Carrollton
$39,000

Sacred Heart – Rowlett
$50,000

Santa Clara of Assisi
$42,000

SMU Campus Ministry
$7,000

St. Andrew Kim
$45,000

St. Ann – Kaufman
$26,000

St. Ann – Coppell
$404,000

St. Anthony
$6,000

St. Anthony – Wylie
$78,000

St. Augustine
$80,000

St. Bernard of Clairvaux
$52,000

St. Cecilia
$51,000

St. Edward
$57,000

St. Elizabeth of Hungary
$75,000

St. Elizabeth – Bonham
$11,000

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
$330,000

St. Francis of Assisi – Frisco
$202,000

St. Francis of Assisi – Lancaster
$34,000

St. Francis – Whitesboro
$6,000

St. Gabriel – McKnney
$198,000

St. James
$32,000

St. John Nepomucene – Ennis
$76,000

St. John – Terrell
$29,000

St. Joseph Vietnamese
$13,000

St. Joseph – Commerce
$15,000

St. Joseph – Waxahachie
$61,000

St. Joseph – Richardson
$165,000

St. Jude Chapel
$23,000

St. Jude – Allen
$231,000

St. Luke – Irving
$94,000

St. Martin of Tours – Forney
$31,000

St. Mark the Evangelist – Plano
$293,000

St. Mary – Sherman
$72,000

St. Mary of Carmel
$21,000

St. Michael the Archangel – Grand Prairie
$81,000

St. Michael the Archangel – Garland
$88,000

St. Michael the Archangel – McKinney
$80,000

St. Monica
$211,000

St. Patrick
$148,000

St. Patrick – Denison
$36,000

St. Paul the Apostle – Richardson
$113,000

St. Peter the Apostle
$13,000

St. Peter Vietnamese
$16,000

St. Philip the Apostle
$26,000

St. Pius X
$165,000

St. Rita
$302,000

St. Thomas Aquinas
$268,000

St. William – Greenville
$45,000

There are multiple ways to make a contribution:

DONATE ONLINE

If you wish to donate by credit card or EFT on a one-time or recurring basis please click here. Please pledge first using the form below if this is a new promise. The information you give is secure and compliant with industry standards.

DONATE BY MAIL

If you prefer not to donate online or wish to donate using a check, you may send it via mail.  You can pledge using the online form below or you may download and print a pledge form by clicking here. Mail your pledge form along with your payment to:

Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries
P.O.Box 190507
Dallas, Texas 75219

NEED ASSISTANCE?

If you have any questions about your Appeal ID number or this process please call the Appeal Office at (214) 528-2540 or Paul Vitanza, Director of the Appeal at (214) 379-2862.

ONLINE PLEDGE FORM

You can make your pledge online using the form below.

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By Jim Urbanus
Diocese of Dallas

Every so often it is a good idea to take some time to reflect upon the year that has passed.

When I allow myself the opportunity to think about the fantastic people I have met in my travels as Development Director, I am blessed and fortunate to live in this wonderful community. In many cases, it is ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

As you may have seen over the last few weeks, the 2011 Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries set records for the number of donors (35,949), pledges ($7,839,616) and collections ($6,512,192). That type of commitment from so many people is indicative of the selflessness and generosity exhibited daily in our community.

As impressive as those numbers may be, it is more notable to understand the number of people whose lives were changed in a positive manner because of the generosity shown by so many people here.

Whether it is youth ministers positively affecting our children’s lives, hospital chaplains walking us or family members through a difficult time, seminarians dedicating their lives to our faith journey, or Catholic Charities providing compassionate, loving assistance to our brothers and sisters in need, we are blessed to live in a community that cherishes the opportunity to help others.

Ministries funded by the Bishop’s Appeal affect many aspects of our daily lives.

I have been blessed to work closely with the pastors who have embraced their responsibilities for the Appeal in addition to their other important and considerable duties. It is their tireless effort and leadership that articulates the importance of the Appeal.

I have been blessed to work with the leaders of all the ministries funded by the Appeal. Their passionate dedication to the people they serve daily is unequalled and awe inspiring.

I have been blessed to meet some of the beneficiaries of the ministries supported by the Appeal. Their humility and sense of dignity while receiving assistance from these ministries provides a model of stateliness through challenging and difficult times that is both moving and impactful.

I have been blessed to work with committed associates at the Pastoral Center who work diligently to improve the lives of everyone in the diocesan community.
And lastly, I have been blessed to work with some of the generous donors to the Bishop’s Appeal who have quietly and unassumingly made a better life for others in our community by supporting the Appeal.

I am reminded of the donor who recently thanked me for the opportunity to help someone by giving to the Appeal. They wanted me to know how good it made them feel to know that their support of Bishop Farrell and the Appeal was making a real difference in the lives of people within our community.

Thank you to all who allowed me the opportunity to share your faith journey by helping others through the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries. Have a safe and blessed 2012.

Jim Urbanus is Development Director for the Diocese of Dallas.

By Seth Gonzales
Special to The Texas Catholic

Bishop Kevin J. Farrell initiated the 2011 Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries under the theme of “I will not forget you” from Isaiah 49:15.

And parishioners far and wide heeded the call with impressive generosity, pledging a record-breaking amount of $7.7 million to support of Catholic ministries across the Diocese of Dallas.

With more than $6.6 million in pledges collected before the end of December, the actual amount raised also was a record.

“Every year, the bishop invites Catholics around the diocese to participate and support ministries that, while outside their own community, impact the community in one way or another,” said Jim Urbanus, the diocese’s director of the Development Office. “This year, as was the case last year, people have been incredibly generous.”

Dozens of parishes across the diocese answered the call by exceeding their pledge targets.

The Annual Appeal, as it is known in short, supports 27 diocesan-led ministries ranging from vocations and social services to hospital ministry and diocesan schools. Officials stress that100 percent of the funds raised goes directly to these ministries, and are divided among each ministry according to need.

One of those offices that regularly strike a chord with parishioners is the education of seminarians.

“I don’t think people realize how much it really costs to help educate our young men who are training to be priests,” Urbanus said. “On average, we have to spend about $50,000 per year, per seminarian. We’ve been blessed with many young men training for the priesthood, but we need all the help we can get.”

Father Edmundo Paredes, pastor of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Dallas, says that the education of seminarians has been a big motivator for people in his parish.

“You have to show people how the Annual Appeal benefits the parish, and in our case, the school as well. I pointed out one of our deacons to them, Gerardo Garza. I told them that without the education and formation our seminarians and deacons get, we don’t have Gerardo,” said Father Paredes.

“I tell them, ‘This isn’t some idea floating around in the sky. This is real. It affects all of us.’ When my parishioners saw how the Annual Appeal directly affected them that made the difference. This year, we reached our goal of raising $51,000,” Father Paredes said.
Support of seminarian education was also a motivating factor for parishioners at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Dallas.

Father Cruz Calderón has been the parish priest at OLPH for only six months, having been transferred from St. Michael the Archangel in McKinney. He was not surprised by the generosity of his community, which borders Love Field.

“I know people in our community don’t have a lot of money, but they support the church any way they can,” he said, adding that OLPH reached its goal of $29,000.

“They knew where their money was going and for them supporting new priests was a priority,” he said. “When we hit our goal, I told them how grateful I felt for their support.”

By The Texas Catholic

Even with a backdrop of a rocky U.S. economy, pledges and contributions to The Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries set records in 2011.

Approximately 36,000 donors pledged $7.7 million to the fund. At the beginning of December, $6.2 million already had been collected by the office of The Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries.

“Your gifts are currently helping people throughout the nine counties that make up our diocese,” Bishop Kevin J. Farrell said. “Your kindness enables us to make a positive impact on thousands of lives in our community.”

In 2010, pledges topped $6.2 million and actual donations collected were approximately $5.4 million.

The gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries helps fund various diocesan entities, departments and missions over the 7,330 square miles in the nine North Texas counties of Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro and Rockwall.

Among the ministries receiving assistance through the fund are the ministries for marriage, deacons, youth and young adults, addiction and prison and jail.
Other recipients include liturgy and worship, catechetical services, Catholic Charities, Vocations and the education of seminarians.

“The Diocese of Dallas has been blessed this year with many records,” said Paul Vitanza, CFRE, director of the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries. “Three young men have been ordained priests, dozens have been ordained as deacons, and 36,000 families listened to the need and participated by giving to The Bishop’s Annual Appeal and set a new record. We are truly blessed.”

Over the next few weeks, Catholics across the diocese will be receiving reports about the 2011 Bishops Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries through various forms of communications within their parishes and through The Texas Catholic.

Almost simultaneously, the 2012 Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries will kick off its campaign.

As Catholics, we are challenged everyday to make the world a better place. But where do we start? It is a daunting task that sometimes goes undone simply because of its enormity.

“When you give to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries … you give to us.” That is a phrase we have used this year because we want to emphasize and highlight some of the people positively affected by gifts to the Bishop’s Appeal. Ministries supported by the Appeal assist people in need daily within our community.

Every day someone in our community is helped by a ministry supported by the Bishop’s Appeal, many times silently and without fanfare.

Maybe you, a family member or friend has been touched by one of the many ministries supported by the Bishop’s Appeal. It might be that welcoming visit from a chaplain during your or a loved one’s stay at the hospital or your conversation with one of the seminarians currently studying to become a priest.

You might have encountered a young person who is taking part in his or her parish youth ministry program, or you may be familiar with the assistance provided the poor in our community by Catholic Charities of Dallas. Our priests who provide us wisdom, guidance, and leadership throughout our faith journey can never be adequately thanked. All these and many more essential ministries and people continue their work here to make this a better place.

Real people are the recipients of your donations to the Bishop’s Appeal. Day after day, committed individuals are working in numerous ministries to assist you and me on our journey. Without their help and guidance, we can lose our way. They make our world a better place.

As daunting a task as it may seem for each of us to make a difference in our world, I do know that one place you can start is with the Bishop’s Appeal.

You can and will make a difference in the lives of so many in our diocese by making a gift. Please prayerfully consider the positive impact you can have on someone’s life by giving to the Appeal. Imagine what we can do with the opportunities presented before us to make our world a better place.

Jim Urbanus is the development director for the Diocese of Dallas.

Our Catholic Church is present for us, at all moments of our lives, committed to meeting all of our needs, whatever they may be.

The ability of the Church, our Church, to meet these needs is directly related to your ability to support those ministries and programs that rely upon the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries for essential operating support.

I now ask you, as your Bishop, recalling the words of Paul, to support, generously, the 2012 Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries. In so doing, you will ensure the healing, teaching and redemptive presence of the Church, forever.