The Annual Diocesan Appeal Supports the People and Parishes IN SOUTHWEST IOWA

2023 Fast Facts

  • The Annual Diocesan Appeal is the major fundraising effort conducted annually throughout our 23‐county Diocese with all parishes participating.
  • The Annual Diocesan Appeal ensures the Church’s mission of serving the people of God in southwest Iowa can continue. Through the ADA we are able to prepare disciples for the domestic church, welcome people into communion, cultivate a culture of servant leadership and draw young people into deeper communion.
  • The ADA provides 72% (nearly three fourths) of the revenue for the Diocese.
  • Each parish has a goal that is fundraised rather than assessed as a cathedraticum (a tax that is charged to the parishes to cover operating costs of the Chancery, health insurance, and/or pension expenses). 
  • Every parish meeting their parish goal has the opportunity to receive 100% of payments received above and beyond their parish goal, free from the Diocesan assessment. 
  • Donors may choose a one time gift, a recurring (ongoing) gift or a pledge that may be paid over 10 months from March through December.
  • Every gift is tax‐deductible.
  • The average gift in 2022 was $507
  • A total of 9,449 households contributed to the 2022 Appeal (as of January, 2023).
  • We ask that each and every family of our Diocese pray for the success of the Appeal and consider a gift to the Appeal.
  • Every gift matters. No gift is too small!

ADA IMPACT

The Annual Diocesan Appeal provides more than $4.7 million in essential support and 72% of ministry and operational needs on an annual basis. This is your faith in action:  

Inviting and Welcoming People into Communion 

  • 36.000 Hispanic Catholics with outreach ministry needs
  • 4 Catholic hospitals offering Mass, Communion and Anointing of the Sick
  • 30,221 Catholic Mirror’s printed and distributed, and additional 387 accessed digitally
  • 25,000 served through Catholic Charities

Preparing Disciples for the Domestic Church 

  • 323 engaged couples undergoing marriage preparation
  • 107  Deacons with training, education and support
  • 14 Seminarian with formation and tuition expenses

Drawing Young People into Deeper Communion  

  • 6,300 children receive a holistic education in our Catholic schools
  • 16 Catholic Schools with professional training, supervision and oversight
  • 9,017 children encounter Christ in parish faith formation
  • 1,546 new members of the faith through Baptism
  • 1,550 Communicants received the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time
  • 1,261 Confirmands sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Cultivating a Culture of Servant Leadership  

  • 54 active priest with medical and insurance provided exclusively by the Diocese
  • 35 retired priests with medical care and retirement income
  • 28 international priests with US Citizenship and immigration services
  • 22,662 employees and volunteers undergo screening ad training to ensure a safe environment for our children

Diocesan Administration 

  • 80 parishes across 23 counties with ministry and administrative services
  • 1,760 employees with managed benefit plans