Annual Bishop’s Appeal

The Annual Bishop’s Appeal is a yearly fundraising campaign that helps meet the physical and spiritual needs of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, funding roughly half the central diocesan operation budget. The diocesan-wide goal is divided among parishes, with each parish goal set from an algorithm considering the past year’s offertory income and the past three years of appeal donations. All donations above a parish goal are returned to that parish.

I want to:

Donate or Pledge Online

Donate via Check

Donate Stock

Please contact Jeffery Boetticher in the Secretariat for Stewardship & Development: ​

260-888-1224
[email protected]

To donate via check, write a check, payable to “Annual Bishop’s Appeal” and complete a pledge card. Drop both in the collection basket at your parish, or mail to: ​

Annual Bishop’s Appeal
915 S. Clinton St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Make a pledge or give a secure, one-time gift online via credit or debit card. The link below is for donations to the 2023-2024 (37th) Annual Bishop’s Appeal. 

Pledge or Donate

What Your Gift Supports

The overall goal for the 2023-24 Annual Bishop’s Appeal is $5,125,464.

High School Subsidy: $1,400,464
Communications: $600,000
Catholic Schools Office: $500,000
Priest Retirement: $500,000
Tribunal: $470,000
Catholic Charities: $425,000
Grants to Parishes/Agencies: $300,000
Pastoral Ministries and Catechesis: $250,000
Seminarian Education: $200,000
Priest Continuing Education and Formation: $150,000
Hispanic Ministry: $130,000
Office of Worship: $100,000
Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry: $100,000

This information details the 2023 Annual Bishop’s Appeal contributions to specific diocesan ministries and departments. These ministries and departments may have larger overall total budgets and expenses, which are outlined in the diocesan financial report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we have an Annual Bishop’s Appeal?

Before the Annual Bishop’s Appeal, the ministries and work of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend was financed, in part, by a 13 percent tax on all parish income (capital campaigns, tuition–everything).

In 1987 the first Bishop’s Appeal was initiated and resulted in the reduction of parish tax to six percent on the parish offertory only. This has lifted the burden of the tax from parishes while inviting you to prayerfully consider your investment directly into the ministries and work of our diocese.

Where does my parish goal come from?

A parish goal is based on an algorithm considering offertory income from the past year as well as gifts (paid and pledged) from the past three years of appeal donations.

What happens when my parish meets its goal? Should I still donate?

Yes, you should still prayerfully consider donating. 100% of all donations above a parish goal are returned to that parish.

Many parishes in our diocese rely on these appeal overages to fund building repairs or improvements, fund a new initiative, or put towards a major project.

A successful Bishop’s Appeal for your parish means not only success for our diocese, but also success for your parish.

Questions?

The Annual Bishop’s Appeal is managed by the Secretariat for Stewardship and Development.