Campaign Preparation and Gift Processing Manual

Campaign Preparation and Gift Processing Manual

Table of Contents The Importance of Asking 2 The 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal Key Dates and Appeal Case 3-4 Parish Goals and Parish Rebates 5-6 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal Calendar 7-8 Parish Leadership Job Descriptions 9-11 Pastor Representatives from Finance and Parish Councils Key Donors/Parish Secretary or Business Manager 2018 Parish Committee Implementation Objectives 12-13 Successful Annual Catholic Appeal Do s and Don t s 14 2018 ACA Gift Processing Instructions and Transmittal Form and Label Ledger Pledge Recording Book 15-17 Annual Catholic Appeal Staff Back Cover This manual is available in English, Spanish and, Polish at www.annualcatholicappeal.com Bannon Associates, Inc. and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago (2017) -1-

The Importance of Asking Cardinal Edmund Szoka Former resident of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See Speaking to the National Catholic Stewardship Council Very few people are self-sufficient. Most need others to provide goods and services. The Church lives in this world, so it needs money to purchase goods and services for its ministries. St. Paul was a fundraiser for the Church in Jerusalem. Fundraising is not bad, nor is it tainted although some bishops and priests may think otherwise. Things are not good or bad; only human acts are. Thus, money is not bad, and asking for money is not bad when it is done in support of the mission of the Church. Inviting support for the Church is something virtuous, and the asking itself is virtuous. The Temple at Jerusalem had a collection box, and Jesus didn t condemn it. Every bishop and priest must have a clear vision of his responsibility for acquiring the resources the Church needs to carry out its mission. It is essential to their mission. We must have personal conviction in order to convince others and touch their hearts. Fundraising in this context is both good and holy. If we are to be effective in development, we must present clearly the purposes and needs for the funds. People have the right to know, since they have the responsibility to support the Church. Priests who do not speak about money are failing to teach their people how to give and how to fulfill their stewardship responsibilities. It s not about asking for money; it s about helping people use their treasure to fulfill their responsibilities to the Church and to other people. Pastors may say, I can t ask my people for money the people are poor. This is wrong. Asking people respects their right to decide. Not asking deprives them of that right. Even in the poorest countries of Africa, the bishops support the right to be asked and to decide. Catholics in America in general are not poor, so don t be afraid to ask. We must teach our young people to be good stewards. A wealthy man once told me, If I hadn t begun to share some of the first dollar I made, I never would have given from the first million. Pastors should never give people a reason not to give. Don t make excuses people already have enough of those. Instead, state the importance of the cause and the reasons to give; then let people make up their own minds. You never insult anyone by asking for more than he/she appears able to afford. They are flattered and encouraged by such a request. Some people read the story of the widow s mite and see it as a justification for giving just a little, because every little bit helps. They don t get the message. The story shows it is the degree of sacrifice that matters, not the absolute size of the gift. Unless you are going to miss at least some of what you give, you aren t doing enough. -2-

The 2018 Annual Catholic Key Dates and Appeal Case 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal Key Dates (The appeal is conducted every year on the three weekends immediately preceding Ash Wednesday.) January 27-28 Announcement Weekend February 3-4 Commitment Weekend February 10-11 Follow Up Weekend 2018 ACA Theme: Come, Follow Me What is the Annual Catholic Appeal? The Archdiocese of Chicago conducts an annual campaign (as is the case in most dioceses in the United States) to help fund the work of its schools, agencies, ministries, offices and other services. Without such campaigns, the training, ministry, education, and administrative services provided by the Archdiocese would have to be funded almost totally through the cathedracticum. While direct contributions made to the Annual Appeal do not come out of parish income, an increase in the cathedraticum would. Two purposes are served by the way in which the Annual Catholic Appeal is designed. First, it provides much needed funding for our schools, parishes, programs of religious education and ministerial formation, efforts to respect life and Catholic Relief Services. Second, it provides additional revenue in the form of rebates to those parishes that exceed their goals in cash raised. Again this year, 100% of paid funds received over a parish goal will be return to the parish. Why should people give to the Annual Catholic Appeal? It is important to provide parishioners with an opportunity to share their financial gifts to help provide Catholic education, ministry and services to the people, parishes and schools throughout our Archdiocese. The Annual Catholic Appeal also provides a teachable moment. It allows parish leaders the opportunity to talk about the connectedness of our Church. Every time that we say the Creed, we reaffirm the fact that we are members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. However, often people don t reflect upon the meaning of these words. The Appeal provides an opportunity to reflect upon the fact that every Catholic is part of our local Church and part of the Universal Church. Each of us is responsible not only for his or her parish, but also for the wellbeing of the Church throughout our Archdiocese and throughout the world. Since we are one community of believers, members of all parish communities throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago are asked to give to this campaign. In addition, the funding provided to the Archdiocese limits the need to increase the cathedracticum. The funding provided to the parishes that receive rebates helps them to meet their needs with funds that are not assessed by the Archdiocese. This is the very definition of a win-win situation. Please note, no evidence exists supporting the claim that parish income is negatively affected by conducting the Annual Catholic Appeal according to the approved plan. On the contrary, studies support the fact that donations to the parish increase once parishioners embrace the concept of pledging. -3-

The 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal fulfills its theme. This year s Annual Catholic Appeal theme is Come, Follow Me. Please review the case elements listed below. Note, the numerous examples of bringing God s love to those in need, not only here in the Archdiocese of Chicago, but throughout the world through support of Catholic Relief Services. Our combined contributions help to make God s mercy and love present to thousands of people. The Annual Catholic Appeal supports the work of the Church in the Archdiocese of Chicago. No money donated to the Annual Catholic Appeal has been or will be used to defray expenses related to misconduct issues. Ministries, programs and services funded by the 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal 1. Support for parishes and schools serving financially challenged communities 2. Programs to support parish vitality evangelization initiatives, liturgy enhancements, etc 3. Support for youth, young adult, campus, and adult religious education ministries 4. Continuing education for lay volunteers and staff serving parish communities 5. Assisting the poor and vulnerable overseas 6. Activities promoting respect for life at all stages; immigration, Kolbe House prison ministry, Peace and Justice Initiatives, etc 7. Continuing education for seminarians and priests ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago 8. Programs for marriage preparation, marriages support, and family ministry 9. Support for Chicago Fire and Police department chaplaincies and other community ministries Lumen Cordium Society When you acknowledge your God-given blessings by making a gift of $1,500 or more to the Annual Catholic Appeal, Cardinal Cupich welcomes you into the Lumen Cordium Society. In addition to the spiritual benefits of God s gifts, Society membership includes: Invitation to the annual Mass and Reception with the Cardinal Recognition in the annual publication of the Lumen Cordium Society members Inclusion in the Prayer Intention Book of Society membership Additionally, those who make a gift of $5,000 or more are invited to an annual reception at The Residence. -4-

Parish Goals and Parish Rebates How are parish goals determined? With very few exceptions, parish goals are set at 6% of the parish offertory income (Sundays, Holy Days, Christmas and Easter) for the previous fiscal year. Are parish goals mandatory? No. In order to provide the best opportunity for success the following steps are highly recommended: 1. Pastors recruit a five to six person Leadership Team. 2. Pastors and Leadership attend an ACA Webinar 3. Pastors and their Leadership Teams follow the steps outlined in this Procedural Manual. 4. Pastors personally lead the in-pew solicitation process that secures at least 30% of the total pledges from your parish. What happens when a parish exceeds its goal? Once the payments received from the parishioners exceed the parish goal, 100% of the excess will be returned to the parish as a rebate. Rebate checks will be received in the parish no later than November 1 and at the end of the Appeal. Parishes pay no Archdiocesan assessment on Annual Catholic Appeal rebates. How can a parish exceed its goal? There are four steps that, if followed, will assure that parishes reach and exceed their goals. 1. All parish members who have given to the campaign in the recent years will receive a mailing from the Cardinal three weeks prior to the in-pew campaign. All contributors who gave amounts close to or exceeding $1,500 will be asked to join the Lumen Cordium Society. New households, added by the parishes that gave permission to update their lists through their envelope companies, will receive the initial mailing also. Pledges resulting from the direct mail produce more income from each parish than in-pew pledges. 2. The next step is the in-pew solicitation process. This process is described in detail later in this manual. When in-pew and mail results are combined, many parishes exceed goal on the first weekend of the in-pew process. However, all parishes are encouraged to conduct the full in-pew process for two weekends to assure that the amount paid by parishioners will reach and exceed parish goals. 3. Because there are so many people who give intermittently to campaigns such as the Annual Catholic Appeal (as many as 1/3 of each year s contributors will not give in the early phases of the next year s campaign), the Archdiocese will conduct follow-up mailings to assist parishes in exceeding their goals and receiving rebates. However, none of these follow-up mailings are as effective as the parish promotion of the initial mailing and its thorough performance of the in-pew solicitation process. If a parish is far short of goal after these first two phases, no amount of mailing will get it over goal. 4. Finally, parishes that have experienced pledge payment problems must concentrate on using the collection announcements (both bulletin and altar) that are contained in this manual. -5-

All parishes should take advantage of the support offered by the Annual Catholic Appeal office. Please call if you are experiencing any problems during the solicitation or collection phases of the Appeal. Pertinent phone numbers and email addresses are listed on the back cover of this manual. Why is the in-pew solicitation process so important? Direct mail and on-line pledges amount to 45% of the total number of pledges and in-pew pledges are about 52%. The remaining 3% of the pledges come from on-line giving. Thus far in the 2017 ACA, the direct mail pledges represent 52% of the dollars pledged and the inpew pledges represent 42%. The remaining 6% of the dollars pledged comes from on-line giving. The Direct Mail Pledge Average is $286.56 The In-Pew Average Pledge is $200.66 Therefore, parishes are encouraged to promote response to the direct mail for several weekends before the in-pew process occurs. Promotion of mail responses is best accomplished by using the bulletin announcements provided in this manual (see Table of Contents). By increasing the response to the mail, a parish will substantially increase its average gift thereby increasing the likelihood that the parish will exceed its goal and the amount of its rebates. Parishes need not fear that strong promotion of the direct mail will cause them to receive less than 30% of their gifts from the in-pew process. The Cardinal s letter, the first mailing that people receive, is sent to past contributors and any new households that have enrolled within the last year. This second group, new parishioners, is only available to us if the parish has permitted us to use its envelope list or has updated the Annual Catholic Appeal mailing list on its own. With a normal response to the Cardinal s letter, the average parish will find that about 25% of those households that attend Mass on Commitment Weekend have already given by mail. Conversely, 75% have not. This is why it is so important to conduct the in-pew process on both Commitment and Follow-Up Weekends. It is also important to do the full in-pew process as directed in this campaign plan because it will succeed in obtaining pledges from far more people than just inviting people to take envelopes home or to stop at a table. The in-pew process assures that each parishioner, who attends Mass on Commitment and Follow-up Weekends, understands that he/she is being invited to consider making a pledge at that time. Why must the in-pew process be done on Follow-up Weekend? Many Catholics do not attend Mass at their own parish every weekend. If they miss Mass on Commitment Weekend, they are more likely to pledge during the in-pew follow-up process than they are to stop at a table after Mass. If the parish nears or exceeds its goal on Commitment Weekend, the pledges from the Follow-up Weekend in-pew process become rebates. If a parish has not made its goal on Commitment Weekend, the Follow-up Weekend in-pew goes a long way toward reaching and exceeding goal. -6-

2018 Annual Catholic Appeal Calendar Date Activity Friday, December 1, 2017 Monday, February 26, 2018 Thursday, December 21, 2017 Friday, December 29, 2017 January 13-14, 2018 through February 10-11, 2018 By Friday, January 19, 2018 Weekly emails highlighting what should be done each week and by whom Bulletin and Altar Announcements and Prayers of the Faithful are posted to the website. 1 st Request Letter from Cardinal Cupich mails to: All parishioners who contributed to the ACA in recent years and newly registered families will receive a letter from the Cardinal with a commitment form and reply envelope. Parishes begin and continue Bulletin and Altar Announcements and Prayers of the Faithful Parishes receive delivery of all campaign materials. Week of January 22, 2018 January 27-28, 2018 Week of January 29, 2018 February 3-4, 2018 Week of February 5, 2018 February 10-11, 2018 Committees Prepare for Announcement Weekend: Bulletin and Altar Announcements, Prayers of the Faithful, brochures inserted in bulletins and pastors prepare their homilies. Parishes conduct Announcement Weekend: Bulletin and Altar Announcements, Prayers of the Faithful, Cardinal s homily, student testimonial and Annual Catholic Appeal brochure inserted in bulletins. Committees prepare for Commitment Weekend: Train those who will distribute and collect commitment envelopes, prepare for playing of the Cardinal's Homily (preplay CD/tape/video), Pastors reflection and direction of the inpew process. Parishes Conduct Commitment Weekend: Play the Cardinal s recorded Homily. Pastors reflect and share words of support for the ACA. Ushers or students distribute and collect in-pew envelopes. Pastors lead the in-pew process. Parishes prepare first weekly transmittal and return of verified and recorded pledges, checks, etc.; Prepare for Follow-Up Weekend. Parishes Conduct Follow-Up Weekend: Conduct final in-pew solicitation activities. (continued ) -7-

Week of February 12, 2018 Wednesday, February 14, 2018 Sunday, April 1, 2018 April 2018 April 2018 Succeeding Weeks Early May through Early December, 2018 Summer 2018 September 2018 September November 2018 September December 2018 October November 2018 Parishes prepare second weekly transmittal and return of verified and recorded pledges, checks, etc. Ash Wednesday 2017 Final Rebate Checks Distributed Easter Sunday Follow-up mailing to parishioners who contributed in recent years who have yet to respond will receive a letter from each pastor on parish letterhead with a commitment form and reply envelope. First monthly pledge billings for in-pew returns sent out depending upon when the parish collection is received. Continue weekly return of pledges. Parishes use monthly bulletin announcements regarding pledge billings (shown later in this manual). Parishes review their payment rates and implement additional collection processes if needed. Pastors authorize the submission of the parish envelope mailing list for updating by the Annual Catholic Appeal Office. This process will identify unregistered donors and provide updates to the parish lists. Archdiocese conducts additional follow-up mailings as necessary. Parishes publish bulletin announcements contained in Manual #2 and located on the website. 2018 First Installment Rebate Checks Distributed -8-

Parish Leadership Job Descriptions The Pastor Objective: To provide leadership to the Parish Community and the Parish Annual Catholic Appeal Committee by publicly endorsing the Appeal and ensuring that the parish plan and schedule are followed. The Pastor is asked to actively participate in and support the following activities: There is no more significant factor in the success of the Annual Catholic Appeal than the enthusiastic support and participation of the pastor. This does not mean that the entire responsibility for carrying out the Appeal falls on the pastor s shoulders. On the contrary, pastors who take the time to delegate logistical roles such as gift processing to qualified parish staff and volunteers are freed up to perform the pastor s most critical role: speaking to the value of the Appeal from the pulpit and inviting parishioners to engage personally in this archdiocesan expression of stewardship. Here are just a few of the key ways in which pastors can make a difference not only in assisting the parish to meet or exceed its annual ACA goal, but also and more importantly in reminding parishioners of the parish s interconnectedness with the Archdiocese and the universal Church: Attend an ACA Training Webinar (November 1 st, 9 th, or 14 th, 2017) Enlistment of the Parish Leadership Team (5-6 members): The Pastor, Business Manager, a Finance Council and Parish Council member, and at least one to two key donors from the parish. Implementation of Announcement Weekend activities, including pastor s homily, January 27-28, 2018. Implementation of Commitment Weekend activities, including playing Cardinal s homily, and leadership of the in-pew process February 3-4, 2018. Encouragement of support for the Appeal by endorsing the Appeal and providing a theological basis for participation during the preaching of homilies at all Masses on Announcement and Commitment Weekends. Note: If the pastor cannot preach at all Masses, other Presiders should be encouraged to provide similar messages. Briefing of all Presiders of Announcement, Commitment, and Follow-Up Weekend activities. The Pastor is asked to assure that the following tasks are completed: Distribution of the campaign brochure, together with your parish bulletin, on Announcement Weekend. Preparation of in-pew envelopes and pencils as well as recruitment of students or ushers to assist with the process on Commitment and Follow-Up Weekends. Regular updates to parishioners about the parish Annual Catholic Appeal results and progress toward achieving its assigned goal. Encourage parish families to consider a pledge payable over six (6) months rather than a onetime gift, thus allowing the family to make a larger commitment. Encouragement of pledge payments on a timely basis. -9-

Representatives from Finance and Parish Councils (2) Objective: To provide overall parish management for implementation of the Catholic Appeal. The council representatives are asked to participate in and/or to oversee the completion of the following activities: Attend an ACA Training Webinar (November 1 st, 9 th, or 14 th, 2017) Follow the Procedural Guide to the best of your ability. Assure that all Annual Appeal Parish Leadership Team members and the parish staff are familiar with the Appeal Plan and implementation dates. Assure that all Bulletin and Altar Announcements promoting the direct mail and in-pew solicitation stages of the Appeal are edited and used. Assure that all Bulletin and Altar Announcements that are needed to stimulate pledge payments are used. Make certain that those who will work with you on the Appeal know how to do the tasks that they have accepted. Assure that the parish has sufficient Annual Catholic Appeal materials: i.e., brochures, in-pew commitment envelopes, pencils, etc. Work with the Pastor to review and edit all Bulletin Announcements, Altar Announcements and Prayers of the Faithful and make sure that they are used on a timely basis. Assure that the Appeal Secretary has enough assistance to accomplish accurate processing and timely transmittal of pledges. Assist in improving parish rebates by monitoring collection of pledges and calling the Annual Catholic Appeal office for assistance when necessary. Key Donors (2) Objective: To provide parish management for implementation of Announcement, Commitment, and Follow-Up Weekend. The Key Donors on the Leadership Team are asked to participate in and to oversee the in-pew process: Attend an ACA Training Webinar (November 1 st, 9 th or 14 th, 2017) Oversee preparations for and implementation of Announcement, Commitment and Follow-Up Weekend activities. Particular attention should be paid to assuring that the in-pew process is accomplished in a thorough, yet efficient, manner on both Commitment and Follow-Up Weekends. Assure that the pencils are inserted in all in-pew envelopes during the week before Commitment Weekend. Recruit and train those who will assist you in distributing in-pew pledge envelopes and pencils at each Mass. If these are not going to be hand distributed, then distribute sufficient pledge envelopes, with the pencils enclosed, in the pews or pew pockets on Commitment and Follow-Up Weekends. Assist in straightening up pews after each Mass on Commitment and Follow-Up Weekends. Make certain that each pew pocket has five (5) pledge envelopes with pencils enclosed. Assure that there is an in-pew coordinator at every Mass on Commitment and Follow-up Weekends. Use students or ushers to distribute and pick up pledge cards. -10-

Parish Secretary or Business Manager Objective: To provide administrative support for the Annual Catholic Appeal. The Parish Secretary or Business Manager is asked to ensure that the following tasks are completed: Attend an ACA Training Webinar (November 1 st, 9 th, or 14 th, 2017) Oversee all record keeping and transmittals. Update the Annual Catholic Appeal office regularly as to any changes, additions, or deletions to the parish mailing list during the course of the Annual Catholic Appeal and throughout the year. Count all materials shipped to the parish from the Annual Catholic Appeal office and ensure that sufficient materials have been provided to your parish. Make sure that the Bulletin Announcements and Prayers of the Faithful are used. They can also be found on the ACA website - www.annualcatholicappeal.com. Organize volunteers to insert the campaign brochures into the parish bulletin on Announcement Weekend. Assist as needed with the Commitment Weekend in-pew process. Recruit and organize volunteers to attach pre-printed labels on all pledge envelopes (if necessary to ensure all envelopes have labels). Collect, sort and place pre-printed address label on in-pew return envelopes and denote pledged and paid amount on the provided ledger to calculate Commitment Weekend totals. Transmit all pledges on a weekly basis. If the donor is new or there is no label, please make sure name and pledge amount is legible prior to including in the packet. Use the Annual Catholic Appeal donor list to update your parish list since there will be contributors through your parish that are not registered as your parishioners. Assure that there are enough in-pew supplies for Follow-up Weekend. Assist as needed with the Follow-up Weekend in-pew process. Please Note: Be sure to forward the in-pew responses as soon as possible to allow plenty of time for pledge processing and pledge fulfillment. -11-

2018 Parish Committee Implementation Objectives Objective 1: To use the materials and announcements provided to assure that your parishioners are well-informed about the Annual Catholic Appeal. Use Bulletin Announcements, Altar Announcements, and Prayers of the Faithful (January 13 & 14, 2018 through January 27-28, 2018). Available in Manual #2 Many parishes that earn sizable rebates have asked us for a digital version of the campaign artwork for use on their bulletin covers and other promotional materials produced on the parish level. You can access the artwork (posters and brochures in English, Spanish and Polish) on our website: www.annualcatholicappeal.com. On Announcement Weekend (January 27-28) put up posters that will remain displayed until after Follow-Up Weekend (February 10-11). Insert the Annual Catholic Appeal brochure in your bulletins for distribution on Announcement Weekend. These will provide plenty of information for those who did not receive or read the mail and they will provide additional information to those who did. Pastors preach enthusiastically about the campaign at all Masses on Announcement Weekend (January 27-28). Pastor introduces and plays Cardinal Cupich s recorded homily, preaches a brief homily in support of the ACA and leads the in-pew process on Commitment Weekend (February 3-4). Objective 2: To study the in-pew process and conduct it as detailed later in this manual. There is no other method of solicitation, except home visits, which will secure as many pledges to the Annual Catholic Appeal. If you have used an in-pew method before, please make sure to use the process recommended in this manual. It will have differences. As you implement the process, make sure that you are not skipping any steps. The steps that are detailed in this manual are all necessary. The pastor s leadership is critical to the success of the in-pew process. No other member of the parish will be as successful leading the process. People will respond in far greater numbers if the pastor is the one reading the in-pew script. If your parish has not tried this method, study it carefully and implement it this year. It represents the only way that leadership can be certain that all of those who attend Mass are conscious of the fact that they have been asked for support. Also, there are scores, if not hundreds, of unregistered people in every parish who attend Mass regularly. Mail will never reach them because the parish doesn t have their names, much less their addresses, on its records. The in-pew process is the only way to provide these people with an opportunity to pledge. -12-

Objective 3: To limit the number of people who do not renew their pledges by conducting the full in-pew process on Follow Up Weekend (February 10-11). Each year as many as 35-40% of the preceding year s contributors do not pledge again during the parish phase of the campaign. This seems to have little to do with an unwillingness to give, since many will pledge when they receive follow-up mailings from the Archdiocese. Limit the number of lapsed contributors by following the full Annual Catholic Appeal Plan. Conducting a thorough Follow-Up Weekend (February 10-11) process will help to limit the number of previous contributors that are missed during the parish phase of this year s campaign. Also, on any weekend, many parishioners will not attend Mass at their home parish. These parishioners and any others that were not at your Masses on Commitment Weekend (February 3-4), deserve the opportunity to be effectively asked to participate. If all parishes conduct the in-pew process on Follow-Up Weekend (February 10-11) and each parish received only 50 pledges, the overall result would be almost 17,500 additional pledges. At an average gift of $100, this would equal $1.75 million in additional pledges and many of these dollars would be returned to parishes as rebates. Follow-up Weekend (February 10-11) is especially important if your parish has a population that is new to pledging, you need to secure pledges of 50-60% over your goal to assure that the goal is reached in cash. Objective 4: To review the pledge payment history in your parish and if necessary, follow the directions given throughout this manual for parishes that have a pledge collection problem. The process of making a pledge may be something very new to some members of your parish community. Please review and implement the actions to improve pledge collection that are described throughout this plan. -13-

Successful Annual Catholic Appeal Do s and Don ts These suggestions have been made or echoed by Pastors in the Archdiocese of Chicago that have surpassed their Appeal goals. Do s 1. Review last year s results, evaluate the approaches that were taken, determine ways to improve results, and develop a plan/strategy that will achieve the 2018 goal. Executing the steps in this procedural guide (particularly on the in-pew process) can make a huge impact on campaign results. 2. The Pastor is asked to recruit a five to six person Leadership Team. 3. Give advance notice from both the pulpit and the parish bulletin so that parishioners are prepared to make a pledge on Commitment Weekend (February 3-4). 4. Exhibit a positive, sincere attitude toward the Appeal, the Archdiocese, and our shared ministries. Describe the Appeal as an opportunity to show love for God and thanks for His gifts by sharing them. Remind people that we belong to a Universal Church, not just our parish; so we serve each other. Ask people to pray to learn what God expects of them. Emphasize generous participation as a sign of unity with the whole Church. 5. Make your own public commitment to the Annual Catholic Appeal. 6. Give a motivational message on Commitment Weekend about how the Appeal helps. 7. Ask every parishioner to fill out a pledge envelope in the pew. Emphasize how important their gift is and that every gift matters. 8. Encourage people to make a pledge that can be paid over time. They do not need to have money with them. The Annual Catholic Appeal office will mail reminders. Give parishioners plenty of time to fill out the pledge envelope during Mass. It is helpful if you walk them through filling out every part. 9. THANK EVERYONE! Don ts 1. Apologize for the Annual Catholic Appeal. 2. Portray Appeal as a chore or just another arduous task. It is an opportunity for stewardship, engagement, and education about the Church s shared mission. 3. Convey that the Appeal is a trial or misfortune that must be endured (unless you want to hurt overall attitudes toward giving to the Church and the parish). 4. Assume someone cannot give a gift. 5. Try to justify the Appeal purely in terms of what s in it for us? Instead focus on your parishioner s willingness to give as Jesus did without expecting something in return. -14-

2018 Annual Catholic Appeal Gift Processing Instructions Each individual parish is asked to follow the new protocol/method of processing the pledges and gifts received. Each individual parish can select either method of processing the pledges and gifts received. Preferred Method: If you do not wish to open the envelopes, bundle all together, complete Transmittal Form, and send to Letter Concepts, Inc. ***MANDATORY*** - Please place appropriate donor name and ID label in upper left corner of pledge envelope. Labels booklets for donors that have contributed to the ACA during the last three years will be shipped to each parish. (This ensures proper gift posting. Make name/address corrections where appropriate.) This label booklet provides room for the parish to record pledge and gift information for each family. OR If you do wish to open the envelopes, please follow the checklist below. Write on the pledge envelope the parish name and parish number. If necessary, write on the pledge envelope the amount of the check or cash included. ***MANDATORY*** - Please place appropriate donor name and ID label in upper left corner of pledge envelope. (This ensures proper gift posting. Make name/address corrections where appropriate.) Bundle together the pledge envelope and check for each donor. Do not staple just stack the check on top of the pledge envelope. DO NOT SEPARATE THE CHECKS FROM THE PLEDGE ENVELOPE If cash is in the envelope, write the amount followed by the letter C in the bottom right corner of the pledge envelope. If this is not done, there will be no way to credit the donor or send an acknowledgement letter from the Cardinal. Add up all anonymous cash received (cash in the basket without identification). Fill in the Total Anonymous Cash amount on the Transmittal Form. Combine the cash received in envelopes with the anonymous cash and deposit into the parish account. Draw a check in the same amount and make it payable to Annual Catholic Appeal. Be sure to attach the pledge envelopes to the parish check so that all donors will receive proper credit and acknowledgement by the Cardinal for their gifts. Fill out Transmittal Form, bundle all together, taking care to keep the pledge envelope and check for each donor together (Do not staple just stack the check on top of the pledge envelope) and send to Letter Concepts, Inc. -15-

2018 Annual Catholic Appeal Transmittal Form (Required for ALL Shipments) Parish Name: Parish Number: Parish Address: Total Anonymous Cash: (Included in Parish Check) Sent by: Date Sent: Telephone: E-mail: Total Number of Envelopes in Bag: SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS Do not separate the checks from the pledge envelopes. Do not staple just stack the check on top of the pledge envelope. To assure proper delivery, we recommend that you ship your packages via UPS, Fed-Ex, etc. Ship to: Letter Concepts, Inc. 33 Massirio Drive Kensington, CT 06037 Attention: AOC Account Manager Carolyn Drew carolynd@letterconcepts.com Telephone Number: 800-525-4963 We do not recommend the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for large bundles. If you determine to use USPS for small envelopes Mail to: Archdiocese of Chicago Annual Catholic Appeal P.O. Box 7256 Kensington, CT 06037-7256 If you need assistance, please contact: Rosa Aguilar Gift Fulfillment Coordinator 312-534-5395 roaguilar@archchicago.org -16-

Sample of Label Ledger Book for Recording 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal Pledges and Gifts Parish Ledger Labels -17-

Annual Catholic Appeal Staff Archdiocese of Chicago 835 North Rush Street Chicago, Illinois 60611-2030 Phone: 312.534.7959 Fax: 312.534.7354 WWW.ANNUALCATHOLICAPPEAL.COM Barbara Shea Collins Director of the Annual Catholic Appeal Phone: 312.534.7944 BCOLLINS@ARCHCHICAGO.ORG Regina Gailiesiute Director of Operations Phone: 312.534.8048 RGAILIESIUTE@ARCHCHICAGO.ORG Teresa Battaglia Donor Relations Specialist Phone: 312.534.7461 TBATTAGLIA@ARCHCHICAGO.ORG Deborah Kozak Benefactor Relations Coordinator Phone: 312.534.7615 DKOZAK@ARCHCHICAGO.ORG Rosa Aguilar Gift Fulfillment Coordinator Spanish Speaking Phone: 312.534.5395 ROAGUILAR@ARCHCHICAGO.ORG Diane DeCampos Carolyn Drew Account Manager Processing Manager Letter Concepts, Inc. 33 Massirio Drive, Berlin, Connecticut 06037 P.O. Box 436, Kensington, Connecticut 06037 Phone: (800) 525-4963 DIANED@LETTERCONCEPTS.COM CAROLYND@LETTERCONCEPTS.COM