On Saturday/Sunday, September 23rd and 24th, 2023, Fr. Marc Bishop, Pastor, spoke at all Masses to announce the beginning of an Increased Offertory Program at the Catholic Parishes of Arlington. In an effort to keep the entire parish as up-to-date as possible, Fr. Marc’s talk is reproduced exactly as it was presented and is being mailed to all registered parishioners.

After reading the entire talk, we are hopeful all parishioners will respond to the request for additional parish support.

Over the next several weeks, all registered parishioners will be asked to consider increasing their contributions to the Catholic Parishes of Arlington by making a yearly commitment which may be fulfilled through Online Giving or weekly through the envelope collection. Some might wish to make their donation monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. The choice is up to the parishioner.

This weekend, I will preach at all the Masses of our collaborative in support of an Increased Offertory Program. When I was ordained, I promised myself that I would never preach about money. That was more than a little naive. As pastor, I have a responsibility to keep parishioners informed about the Church’s financial stability. So, today, I come to you to do just that.

In the Gospel we read about the landowner who generously pursues laborers and gives them all a full wage no matter when they joined in the work. The mercy and generosity of God is on display. We are called to embody those attributes of God- generosity and mercy.

I have always been very impressed by our Faith Family’s commitment to each other and worthy causes. I also know that we have become weary over the last few years. The challenges of a pandemic, for many, have given birth to a new set of priorities. Church for many of our families is better online, if at all. This has seriously affected our ability to meet our mission: “The Catholic Parishes of Arlington is a family of families proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ and forming missionary disciples sent to transform the world through prayer, study, generosity, and evangelization.” Truly a lofty mission but one that should animate all our thoughts and actions.

As your pastor, I am always seeking new ways to address parish needs while growing and improving our current programs. I find these challenges to be daunting at times. I am willing to give these issues due attention no matter the sacrifices required. Because I know that when I look around, I will be surrounded by staff and parishioners who are sacrificing along with me. Helping me to make the difficult decisions that are best for our Faith Family. I reflect often on the responsibilities I have as your pastor, and I prayerfully beg God to lead me to make decisions and take actions that serve the parishioners and His will.

This leads me to the point of this homily.

I know you are aware of the rising cost of living. The cost of maintaining a household has steadily increased each year. The Catholic Parishes of Arlington, our Faith Family, St. Agnes, and St. Camillus Churches our faith home, experience the same stresses. I must constantly keep up with the increased maintenance expenses and allot for increases in fuel, salaries, insurance, etc. (you know the list better than I do), all while planning for our Faith Family’s healthy and stable future. I am grateful for our active finance committee members who help me evaluate our expenses in order to produce an accurate budget. Many factors need to be taken into consideration. For example, the budget at St. Camillus relies heavily on lease income, and at St. Agnes, the aging Church requires constant improvements, especially regarding its HVAC and electrical systems. Both Churches require extensive work to be done to repair their organs and organ pipes.

Next week, we will publish an accounting of income and expenses for the fiscal year which runs from July 1 to June 30. As you will see, our parishes are just making ends meet. Our expenses are increasing while our current regular support income is leveling off. We must always consider the cost of repairs and maintenance, which are inevitable and unpredictable. We frequently access our savings to fund maintenance projects, which is depleting our reserves.

I am not asking you for a Grand Annual gift. The Grand Annual Collection will take place as it has in previous years.

I am asking that, after serious thought, prayer, and family discussion, for your help through regular participation in an Increased Offertory Program for the Catholic Parishes of Arlington. What I am asking you to do is to please consider prayerfully the contribution you currently give to our Sunday Collection and consider whether you are able to commit to a sacrificial and prayerfully increased contribution. Presently, the Catholic Parishes of Arlington has about 1,600 registered families with vastly varying levels of giving, some a few dollars and others a sacrificial gift according to their means. This Increased Offertory Program invites each adult wage earner to participate by contributing at a new level. I am humbly asking each family or wage earner to prayerfully consider increasing their offertory contribution to their respective parish, which would be fulfilled through Online Giving or each Sunday through the weekly envelope. Some may wish to make their oblation monthly, quarterly, or annually, whichever is most convenient.

In the past, only a small number of our registered families have shouldered the financial burden of meeting our Faith Family’s expenses. I must ask all members of our worshipping community to rethink their current level of giving and help us move forward on a sounder financial footing. Remember the widow's mite; any increase discerned prayerfully and given faithfully is a blessing.

How much should you give? This is not a question I can answer. The brochure that you will receive in the mail this week will offer some helpful guidelines for giving at various levels. Please take this question to prayer.

As I alluded to earlier, asking for money is one of the least appealing chores of a pastor's responsibilities. It is necessary, however. Your past generous response to appeals gives me confidence that this Increased Offertory Program will be successful. When you receive the brochure, I ask that you please read it carefully and prayerfully. Within the mailing, you will also find a Commitment Form. Please complete the form and return it on Commitment Weekend, which will be in two weeks.

Increased Offertory Programs have been very successful in other parishes and have raised weekly collections by as much as 10-25%. All wage earners are asked to review their contribution to our Sunday Collection and seriously consider an increase by making an annual commitment. I am truly grateful to those who already financially support our Faith Family, and I invite those who are not using our online giving tool or weekly envelopes to please do so. With your help, we can more accurately predict our regular recurring income and plan for a future of greater impact.

Here at the Catholic Parishes of Arlington, we have been averaging less than $12,000 per week at St. Agnes and less than $4,000 per week at St. Camillus. Prior to Covid, it would not be unusual for the combined offertory to be closer to $19,000. As you can see, the income has leveled off while our expenses have skyrocketed. Our hope is that, through this program, we will increase our parish income by about 15%. This is a reasonable goal and one that I am confident we will exceed.

For our Faith Family to operate as a loving, caring community, we need everyone’s prayerful support. Whatever you decide, your annual commitment will greatly help our Faith Family.

I am grateful every day that I was called to Pastor here in Arlington. Each day is filled with amazing and faith-filled people working side-by-side in service to God and his harvest. Not concerned with their place in line but only that all have a place in the line.

I assure you that you are in my daily prayers and that I trust in yours.

May God’s blessing be upon you.
 

Catholic Parishes of Arlington Increased Offertory Program 

Within a short time, a brochure will be mailed to all registered parishioners outlining the details of the program
and requesting the support of each family.