“I remain grateful for your support and generosity, and am filled with hope as we joyfully embrace our future and carry out our vision, Courageously Living the Gospel.”
– Bishop Gregory L. Parkes
Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,
In 2018, we joyfully celebrated the Golden Anniversary of our diocese and continued working together to spread the compassion, mercy and love of Jesus Christ throughout our five-county area of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas. Our diocesan family includes 125,000 Catholic households, 80 parishes and missions, 42 Catholic schools and centers and more than 50 ministry and outreach offices. Yet, we are called to spread the Good News and to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to all people.
We celebrate with gratitude, hope and joy our diocesan ministries, programs and services which assist our parishes and missions, Catholic schools and centers, and serve those in most need. This is made possible through the support of our generous donors. May I offer you our 2018 Annual Report where we hope to account for income received and how it has been utilized, as well as our endowment funds, Bethany Center and Catholic Foundation and to provide a Forward in Faith Campaign update.
I invite you to view my video message above, click here to download and review the 2018 report and scroll down the page below to watch our short videos. These videos highlight the stories of our brothers and sisters served by diocesan ministries, programs and services, including the Office of the Bishop, as well as Parish Share projects funded through donations to the Forward in Faith Campaign.
As we continue our journey to invite others to experience the joy of a life filled with the Lord, I thank you, once again, for your support in carrying out our mission. Blessed are we in the Diocese of St. Petersburg!
Sincerely in Christ,
+Bishop Gregory L. Parkes
A Look at the Numbers
We always strive to be good stewards as we fulfill the mission of the Church. As responsible stewards of the financial resources and obligations that are entrusted to us, we are committed to transparency. Our 2018 Annual Report includes a comprehensive overview of the operational expenses and revenues associated with our traditional diocesan ministry and service areas, as well as their associated assets and liabilities, our endowment funds, Bethany Center and The Catholic Foundation.
- Please click here to download a PDF of the full version of the 2018 Annual Report.
- For the audited, condensed financial statement of expense activity, click here.
- If you would like to view our audited financial statements for 2018, please click here.
It is important to note that gifts to special campaigns, such as Forward in Faith, are not included in total operating revenue because these are immediately directed to the outlined projects of the campaign. An update on the Forward in Faith Campaign is included with this annual report because we want to report back to our donors on the good works accomplished through their generosity.
Inspiring HOPE through Priestly Formation: Seminarian Education and Formation
The Office of Vocations, supported by financial gifts to the Annual Pastoral Appeal, works with the St. John Vianney College Seminary and St. Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary. In 2018, $2,055,154 was utilized to support clergy, religious, vocations and seminarian education throughout our diocese. Click here to download our condensed statement of financial activities which provides expense information for this group of ministries, programs and services, including our Vocations Office.
We currently support 21 seminarians who commit to 7 years of education and formation beyond a bachelor’s degree, study to provide sacraments in at least 2 languages and complete 1 pastoral year serving in a parish in our diocese. To learn more about how your support of our seminarians inspires hope, watch the clip above.
Spreading JOY in our Catholic Schools: Tuition Assistance
Generous donations to the Annual Pastoral Appeal from across the Diocese spread joy through education and formation of our youth. In 2018, $1,784,867 was utilized for Catholic Education and Formation. Click here to download our condensed statement of financial activities which provides expense information for this group of ministries, programs and services, including our tuition assistance program.
As one of our largest evangelical ministries, Catholic schools are vital to our Church. Ensuring our schools remain available and affordable to all who wish to attend is a priority This past year, 528 individual students in 392 families and 32 schools received tuition assistance. To learn how Tuition Assistance has a lasting impact on our faith family, watch the clips to the left.
Leading our Catholic Faith with GRATITUDE: Office of the Bishop
The bishop is charged with caring for the people of God in all five counties, not just Catholics. He is commissioned to sanctify, teach, and govern. All diocesan ministries, services and programs fall under the supervision of the Bishop’s executive staff. In 2018, total expenses for this group of services totaled $1,167,877. To review our condensed statement of financial activities for the Office of the Bishop, as well as all diocesan ministries, programs and services, click here.
The bishop shepherds more than 3,226,450 people throughout our five counties. To learn more about the Office of the Bishop, watch the clip above.
Providing HOPE to our Brothers and Sisters in Need: Catholic Charities Shelters of Hope
Donations to our Annual Pastoral Appeal enable us to offer many services and programs to help our brothers and sisters in need. In 2018, $1,530,955 of our total outreach dollars were directed toward services for the poor, marginalized and vulnerable. Click here to download our condensed statement of financial activities to see the breakdown of funds used for Catholic Social Services as well as all programs, services and ministries serving thousands across our diocese.
Our efforts focus on providing shelter to low-income, homeless and/or individuals and families facing a crisis. Catholic Social Services and Catholic Charities Family Housing provide emergency temporary shelter, transitional housing and affordable permanent housing.
To eradicate homelessness and to assist the most vulnerable with housing needs, Catholic Charities Shelters of Hope served 4,271 people and provided 1,900 total housing units. To learn more about Catholic Charities Pinellas Hope and how it provides hope to our brothers and sisters in need, watch the clips to the left.
Finding JOY through Multicultural Celebrations: Multicultural Office
Financial commitments to the Annual Pastoral Appeal from our faith-filled community provide support to and enhance the ministries across our diocese. In 2018, $3,336,556 was allocated to Parish, School and Diocesan Services. Click here to download our condensed statement of financial activities which provides expense information for the offices, programs and services included in this group.
In addition to multicultural celebrations and traditions, Masses are celebrated in 10 languages in 37 parishes across the Diocese. Our goal is to promote the Church’s vision of one intercultural faith community, and our Multicultural Office strives to make that goal a reality. Many services are supported by our Multicultural Office through APA donations. To learn more about how the Multicultural Office recognizes, celebrates and supports ministry efforts for and with our many ethnic families, watch the clips to the left.
Building HOPE for Our Future: Campaign Update
As the redemption for Forward in Faith Campaign is wrapping up, we are pleased to report that we have received more than $27 million from our 16,971 donors from all 80 parishes and missions. A major component of the campaign included Parish Share whereby each Parish received 20 cents of every dollar paid to the campaign. Through this initiative 20% of all funds raised in a parish would be returned to the parish for local projects. In January 2018, the Diocese was pleased to return more than $2.4 million to 50 parishes that completed campaign efforts in 2014 and 24 parishes that completed campaign efforts in the fall of 2013.
Please click here to contact the Office of Stewardship & Development for more information.