“I am grateful to be serving with you and beside you as we strive to bring the Lord’s love, mercy, and compassionate presence to others, inspiring hope through our daily lives and ministry.”
-Bishop Gregory L. Parkes
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
What does it mean to be a diocesan family? As part of the Roman Catholic Church, we are one faith family here in the five counties of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas. This is our geographic boundary with 80 parishes and missions and more than 400,000 Catholics. As the Diocese of St. Petersburg, we are called to share the joy of our faith with others, to care for the poor and marginalized, to defend human life, and to protect and promote religious freedom, the dignity of marriage, and Catholic education and formation.
One way we answer that call through our diocesan ministries, programs and services which assist our parishes and missions, Catholic schools and centers, and bring hope to those in most need. These services would not be possible without the support of generous donors.
Our ongoing journey of discipleship calls for us to acknowledge gifts given to us from God and then use them to serve others. Just as each person must be accountable, the Church must also be accountable for the gifts entrusted to us. Accountability demonstrates organizational responsibility and transparency, and shows our people that the gifts they have entrusted to us are being well-utilized to carry out the work of Christ. Donations to diocesan ministries, services and programs serve thousands of people, truly changing lives for Christ. Through our 2017 Annual Report, we hope to account for income received, and show how that income was utilized. We also want to provide insight into how donations are impacting lives.
In addition to viewing my video message above, you can also download and review the 2017 Annual Report, and scroll down the page below to watch short videos. These videos shed light on those served by diocesan ministries, programs and services as well as larger 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 am thankful for the gifts and treasure that God has bestowed on us, and that we, in turn, have answered our call to share. Hope is alive in the Diocese of St. Petersburg!
Sincerely in Christ,
+Bishop Gregory L. Parkes
A Look at the Numbers
No financial accounting would be complete without stating revenue and expense figures. The ministries of the Diocese of St. Petersburg operate on a very tight annual budget, relying on specific revenue sources. These sources include investment income, bequests, donations and grants, program fees, parish assessments and direct donations to the Annual Pastoral Appeal. Of our 2017 total revenue of $15,311,495, almost $10 million came from APA donations from our people.
Our goal is to maintain a balanced budget every year. This means we enter into a planning period and try to keep our total operating expenses equal to projected income, or revenue. A review of our 2017 total revenue and expenses revealed we were able to spend just below what we received.
- Please click here to download a PDF of the full version of the 2017 Annual Report.
- For the audited, condensed financial statement of expense activity, click here.
- If you would like to view our audited financial statements for 2017, 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 Vocations
Through generous donations to the Annual Pastoral Appeal from across the Diocese, there is hope for the future of our Catholic faith. In 2017, $1,721,265 was utilized to support clergy, religious, vocations, and seminarian education. Click here to download our condensed statement of financial activities which focuses in on this group of ministries, programs and services.
Two of the many vocation promotion and awareness programs funded through APA donations are Focus 11 and Refocus. The Office of Vocations works in collaboration with parishes and schools across the Diocese to host these incredible discernment events each year. This year, 960 11-year-olds, 700 9th graders, and 1,000 11th and 12th graders participated in these vocation awareness programs. To learn more about our Focus 11 Vocations Rally, watch the clip to the right.
Providing HOPE to our Brother & Sisters in Need
Donations to our Annual Pastoral Appeal enable us to offer many services and programs to help our brothers and sisters in need. In 2017, $1,784,858 of our total outreach dollars were directed toward services for the poor, marginalized and vulnerable, and to promote the common good and restore the community with justice and charity. Click here to download our condensed statement of financial activities which focuses in on this group of ministries, programs and services.
Our collaborative efforts focus on education and raising awareness of the sanctity of life. Catholic Social Services and the Office of Life, Justice and Advocacy offers hope to pregnant and alienated women whose future seems dim. The Respect Life ministry has provided these women the encouragement and resources they need to consider life as a successful alternative to abortion. Over 550 Catholic leaders work with our Life Ministry Offices to orchestrate pro-life efforts throughout our five counties, saving lives for Christ. To learn more about Respect Life and our Office of Life, Justice and Advocacy, watch the clip to the right.
Finding HOPE through Worship
Part of our services focuses on programs that offer ministerial, organizational, temporal and/or fiscal support for our parishes, schools as well as various diocesan ministries and services. In 2017, total expenses for this group of services totaled $3,602,469. Click here to download our condensed statement of financial activities which provides information about which offices, programs, and services are included in this group.
Some of the many trainings offered under this category are Liturgical Ministry Workshops, The Order of Celebrating Matrimony Workshops, Sacristans Workshop, and The Diocesan RCIA Institute. These educational workshops through the Office of Worship are offered to enhance worship in all 80 parishes across the Diocese. At the end of 2016, the new ritual book for The Order of Celebrating Matrimony was presented. To assist in implementing the changes, the Office of Worship offered five workshops for 145 attendees from 57 parishes consisting of priests, deacons, musicians and anyone responsible for the preparation of the wedding liturgy at the parish. To learn more about the workshops held for The Order of Celebrating Matrimony and how they impact parish life, watch the clip to the right.
Giving HOPE to Our Youth
Financial commitments to the Annual Pastoral Appeal from our faith-filled community give hope to our youth through Catholic education and formation programs, which provide opportunity for spiritual, academic and social growth. In 2017, $2,131,556 was allocated to these ministries and offices. To review expenses for these offices and programs on our condensed statement of financial activities, click here.
One of the programs supported through APA donations is our award-winning Good Samaritan Project. This annual week of service, sacraments, and fun led by the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry continues to grow and in 2017, more than 250 youth and young adults participated. To learn more about the Good Samaritan Project, watch the clip to the right.
Building HOPE for Our Future
In the fall of 2013, Bishop Emeritus Robert N. Lynch launched the Forward in Faith Campaign in every parish throughout our diocese. The purpose was to conduct a special effort for special projects which we could not fund through normal operating funds.
By December of 2016 over 16,600 donors from our 80 parishes and missions raised $32 million in pledges with almost $22 million in payments to support specifically projects. The donations collected also supported a major component of the campaign: Parish Share. Through this initiative 20% of all funds raised in a parish would be returned to the parish for local projects. In January 2017, the Diocese was pleased to return more than $1.6 million to the 24 parishes that completed campaign efforts in the fall of 2013.
Watch the clip to the right to see how Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Land O’ Lakes is using their Parish Share to complete their Mater Dei Center.