I heard about a giving campaign launched in the Archdiocese of Boston called “90 Days Now – For Your Parish.” The point of the campaign is that even though church doors are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for parish services continues.
Many parishes around the country are feeling the pain of not having a weekly collection. Not all churches are offering online giving or, if they have it, they have not done a very good job of encouraging parishioners to sign up. Who would have ever thought that we would encounter a situation as we are today? Sure, some of our parishes battle with the summer slump when our parishioners are taking vacations but nothing of this magnitude.
Which is why this campaign is a great idea. It does encourage people to sign up (whether their parish does or does not have online giving). It makes it easy by providing small incremental daily giving choices; $1 a day equals $7 dollars a week, which is $90 for the entire campaign, etc. In addition, it allows the individual to select a parish of their choice. The money is then deposited directly into the account of the parish and is available immediately for their needs.
The Catholic faith has the advantage of being part of a larger organization. We are not islands like many churches trying to weather this storm. We can leverage the strength and resources of the entire organization to ensure we stay strong. How can your parish take advantage of the resources available through the diocese? Look for diocese-wide campaigns like 90 Days Now from the Archdiocese of Boston, resources to recruit parishioners to sign up for online giving, or even letters that can be used to encourage parishioners to mail in their weekly envelopes. The priest at one local parish is calling all his parishioners to check on them and remind them that the church needs their support.
Comment below and let us know how your church is facing the issue of online giving for catholic churches during this crisis. We can all help share what is working to sustain and further God’s Kingdom.
Read more:
Encouraging Faithful Church Stewardship During the COVID-19 Pandemic
