Q&A with Bishop Clark

Why is the Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) so critical to building the faith?
"Building the faith" goes back to apostolic times. Jesus directed us to take care of each other, our neighbors, people in need. He asked us to spread and advance our faith to others
now and for future generations. The CMA is responsible for half our budget. All of what we do is aimed at building up the faith, at supporting our parishes, at funding critical ministries
that bring people closer to Christ.

Why was an annual Bishop's appeal established?
When I arrived in 1979, Bishop Joseph Hogan already had asked advisers to review ways to
enhance the Diocese of Rochester's ability to serve our people. Among their recommendations
was a direct annual appeal and thus the first "Thanks Giving Appeal" (TGA) occurred in
1981. We were able to abolish the annual tax on parish income. We are one of the few dioceses in the country that does not have a parish-income tax. Last year, we changed the name
from TGA to Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) to better reflect the purpose and intent of the
appeal.

Which CMA-supported ministries do you see as among the most critical?
Helping young people and sharing our faith is crucial. Our culture is not always friendly to our
faith and religion, and it delivers many messages that undermine the values we hold. We want
to connect young people with the truth and equip them to be critical of often shallow or transient
cultural messages foreign to our deeper traditions and values. We want to help young
people navigate the complexities that life holds before them. On a related note, the CMA funds
curriculum development and training for religious education of young people and in Catholic
Schools. Spreading the Good News in new ways is so important. The CMA also supports our
Communications and Information Technology offices. As technology gets more and more complex, we have to stay current with how people want to receive information. For example, we now are offering podcasts on a range of topics at www.dor.org and offering church-related videos on the site. The world is "wired" and the Church needs to be wired in a reasonable fashion. Helping people in need is our responsibility as Christians. For example, Catholic Charities provides the diocesan structure and works in conjunction with parishes to provide direct human services and advocacy. CMA has provided strong support for regionalization of Catholic Charities and we now have 10 regional offices where we can be very responsive. I am very proud of this and grateful to people who make this work possible through their generosity.
Supporting our parishes is key. The CMA enables the Diocese to help parishes by providing
effective and necessary services such as technology support, communications, human
resources, financial and insurance support.

Why are goals set for parishes and how are they determined?
Goals, accountability, and responsibility are very important for the well-being of the whole
community, helping us to remember that we are part of a larger community effort. Working
with the well-respected Center for Governmental Research and pastoral leaders, reasonable
expectations of giving levels for each particular area are determined based on U.S. Census
data. Every CMA goal receives careful scrutiny. They are as equitable and fair as possible.

What is the value of directing CMA funds to the Diocese?
Funds left at the parish level would leave serious holes in needed services. Could every individual parish develop the resources for Information Technology in today's world? For human
resources? For educational materials and training? Pastoral leaders all agree that we need central services. We need to be linked to each other and to the state, national, and universal Church.

How can families decide what to give?
Begin with prayer! Consider a gift to the CMA in relation to the richness of God's gifts to you.
Even a modest gift is a great help. Participation in CMA is one expression of Stewardship, of
gratitude for the gifts God has given us. What blessings give you hope and strength? How
can you bless others through your generosity? The practice of giving is living the Gospel. In
the Acts of the Apostles, Christians shared everything. Stewardship is not a new development,
but one rooted in the Gospel.

How can the faithful experience joy in giving?
By giving! Ultimately, everything we have comes from God. Giving becomes joyful when it is
in imitation of the One who is the source of all blessings. When you give in good Stewardship,
an inevitable joy fills your heart. Giving connects us to a world that so often is disconnected.
Giving transforms a person, offering purpose and achievement that are often hard to come by
in life. Stewardship is an act of trust, praise, and thanks giving to the Lord, bringing us peace
and joy. The CMA gives us the capacity to apply our gifts in fruitful ways that benefit all in the
Diocese of Rochester. It is the spirit that binds us together, an opportunity to share who we
are and the treasures we hold with those who yearn for Jesus Christ.