Annual Catholic Appeal
ACA Ministries bring the love of Jesus Christ to
men, women and children in our Diocese. Will You Help?
Parishes receive full credit for all ACA gifts made on or before December 31.
Your 2010 ACA pledge can be fulfilled in 12 monthly payments through our EFT (electronic giving) option. It allows you to make pledge payments directly from your checking account. Please review our EFT Authorization Form for details. Since making this pledge fulfillment option available in 2004, we have successfully processed 13,800 monthly withdrawals and have saved the Diocese $6,000 in printing and postage expenses.
The ACA is administered by Chris Ringkamp, Development Director, at (814) 695-5577 or ringkamp@dioceseaj.org.
Campaign History
Although calls for support can be traced to both the Old and New Testaments, the current Diocesan annual campaign began with the Diocesan Development Fund (DDF) in 1980, almost 30 years ago. The DDF was temporarily suspended during Bishop Hogan's Silver Anniversary capital campaign of 1985-1987.
The campaign was re-established as a Diocesan assessment in 1988 by both the Diocesan Finance and Presbyteral (Priests') Councils to fund operating expenses of previously unavailable ministries within the eight counties of the Church of Altoona-Johnstown.
The Diocese, through the Development Office, conducts a direct mail campaign in which parishioners can help the parish meet its ACA assessment, while supporting Diocesan ministries at the same time. All gifts received through December 31 are credited toward your parish's portion of the Diocesan Goal.
Parishes keep 100% of "over goal" receipts. The majority of parishes that exceed goal every year attach a special parish project to the campaign. Such "over goal" receipts have begun new parish-based ministries or were invested in physical plant deferred maintance projects. To learn how campaign goals are calculated, please click here.
Promotional expenses for the ACA are held to fewer than three cents for every dollar raised. This means that 97% of your gift directly supports many essential ministries and those among us who depend on them for spiritual nourishment or temporal assistance. Only through the generosity of all Catholics are the Diocesan ministries able to advance the mission of Jesus Christ to their maximum potential.
New or additional gifts may be made through your parish, or through the Development Office by using this ACA Pledge Card. We are grateful for your ongoing support!
