Partners in Charity Exceeds Goal for 2010

September 9, 2010

Partners In Charity Exceeds $4.8 Million Goal

Anonymous donor helps put appeal over the top

September 9, 2010, WORCESTER, MA -- The Office for Stewardship and Development announced today that the Annual Partners in Charity Appeal has exceeded its goal of $4.8 million, having raised $4,804,925.

Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester, noted how moved he was upon hearing the news. “As a bishop and the chief shepherd of the Diocese of Worcester it falls to me to assure the people of the Diocese that we can continue to provide for the needs of so many people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, through our charitable endeavors and through our Catholic schools and educational programs. I will never forget the generosity and goodness of so fine a Diocese as ours. I am truly thankful to God for the manner in which so many parishioners really came through for us. May the Lord continue to bless them for their goodness.”

The appeal made its goal in the final hours thanks to an anonymous donation by a generous supporter of the diocese. Msgr. Thomas Sullivan, chancellor and director for the Appeal, said “We are very grateful to the donor who stepped forward at the end of the campaign and helped us go over goal. This act of generosity was very magnanimous. But we also take great heart in the generosity of the nearly 19,000 donors to the campaign. All of them are our ‘partners in charity.’”

Despite the tough economic climate, the appeal once again exceeded the highest goal ever set since it began in 1961 as the Bishop’s Fund. Similar to last year, more than 100 St. Paul Society members contributed on average $7,000 each. 98 parishes and missions exceeded their goals of the 117 parishes and missions that conducted the appeal.

On this last point, Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan, chancellor and director of development, expressed his appreciation. “I am particularly grateful for the support of our pastors and priests. They have truly led the way. I could not be more proud of my brother priests than I am today.”

Monsignor Sullivan added, “Given the very difficult economic downturn during these past two years, and with this summer’s volatility in the financial markets, I could not be happier with our having achieved our diocesan goal. When you think of it, in the worst economic period in our lifetime, and for several generations, we raised one of the highest dollar amounts for charity, education and ministry ever. That is truly outstanding.”

Following last year’s example, the traditional chairman or chair-couple role was filled by a chair-family led by Richard and Mary Beth Burke. They helped to stress the heart of the annual appeal, which coincided with the Year for Priest’s patron, St. John Vianney.

“We are grateful for the generosity of those who gave to this year’s annual appeal. Despite these difficult economic times, the people of the Diocese of Worcester not only reached the Partners in Charity goal, but also increased parish giving this year and donated more than $500,000 to Haitian earthquake relief. We are very proud to be part of such a generous community,” noted Richard Burke.

A complete list of results by parish, as well as a listing of the 29 agencies and ministries supported by the Annual Partners in Charity Appeal, appears at partners-charity.net.

Parish Results by % of goal

Parish: $ Raised (% of goal) Holy Trinity Evangelization Ctr., Leominster: $2,130 (213%); St. Mary, Brookfield: $12,411 (137%); St. Boniface, Lunenburg: $17,060 (136%); St. Augustine Mission, Wheelwright: $2,405 (134%); St. Anthony de Padua, Fitchburg: $49,112 (131%); St. Joseph, Barre: $7,795 (130%); Madonna of the Holy Rosary, Fitchburg: $23,100 (128%); St. Michael the Archangel, Mendon: $22,665 (126%); St. Patrick, Rutland: $68,713 (125%); St. Matthew, Southborough: $54,249 (123%); St. Camillus de Lellis, Fitchburg: $17,100 (122%); St. Anthony of Padua, Dudley: $38,728 (121%); Holy Angels, Upton: $47,990 (120%); Holy Cross, East Templeton: $15,540 (120%); St. Paul-St. Stanislaus, Warren: $14,401 (120%).

St. Rose of Lima, Northborough: $122,726 (119%); St. Brigid, Millbury: $52,896 (118%); St. Edward the Confessor, Westminster: $25,993 (118%); St. Mary, Jefferson: $70,140 (117%); Our Lady of the Assumption, Millbury: $19,355 (117%); St. Anne, Shrewsbury: $89,375 (116%); Our Lady of Good Counsel, West Boylston: $56,120 (116%); St. Louis, Webster: $53,460 (116%); Sacred Heart of Jesus, Hopedale: $45,305 (116%); St. Aloysius-St. Jude, Leicester: $29,065 (116%); St. Francis of Assisi, Fitchburg: $17,236 (115%); St. Paul, Blackstone: $17,192 (115%); St. Thomas-a-Becket, South Barre: $13,235 (115%).

St. Cecilia, Leominster: $47,815 (114%); St. John, Worcester: $61,131 (113%); St. Andrew Bobola, Dudley: $16,957 (113%); Immaculate Conception, Fitchburg: $12,435 (113%); St. Leo, Leominster: $75,938 (112%); North American Martyrs, Auburn: $47,160 (112%); St. Stephen, Worcester: $46,213 (111%); Our Lady of Czestochowa, Worcester: $39,817 (111%); St. Richard of Chichester, Sterling: $22,747 (111%); St. Joseph, Fitchburg: $22,118 (111%); St. Augustine, Millville: $18,374 (111%); St. Hedwig, Southbridge: $14,384 (111%); Immaculate Conception, Worcester: $87,784 (110%); St. Mary of the Hills, Boylston: $41,995 (110%); Immaculate Conception, Lancaster: $36,425 (110%); St. Mark, Sutton: $35,070 (110%); St. James, South Grafton: $30,917 (110%); Sacred Heart of Jesus, West Brookfield: $20,291 (110%).

Cathedral of St. Paul, Worcester: $100,155 (109%); Holy Trinity, Harvard-Bolton: $90,135 (109%); St. John the Evangelist, Clinton: $53,573 (109%); Sacred Heart of Jesus, Milford: $47,782 (109%); St. Anne, South Ashburnham: $3,660 (109%); St. Mary of the Assumption, Milford: $81,714 (108%); St. Denis, Ashburnham: $21,510 (108%); St. Christopher, Worcester: $25,179 (107%); Our Lady of Vilna, Worcester: $21,746 (107%); St. Anne, Manchaug: $6,615 (107%); St. Anne, Southborough: $79,390 (106%); Our Lady of the Angels, Worcester: $52,800 (106%); St. Peter, Northbridge: $30,595 (106%); Sacred Heart of Jesus, Webster: $29,638 (106%); St. Theresa, Blackstone: $28,086 (106%); Holy Family of Nazareth, Leominster: $18,500 (106%); St. Bernadette, Northborough: $63,114 (105%); St. Peter, Worcester: $41,587 (105%); St. Anne-St. Patrick, Fiskdale: $39,001 (105%); Our Lady of the Rosary, Gardner: $23,123 (105%); St. Joseph Basilica, Webster: $21,186 (105%); St. Andrew the Apostle Mission, Worcester: $11,067 (105%).

St. Mary, Uxbridge: $56,356 (104%); Our Lady of the Lake, Leominster: $54,645 (104%); Mary, Queen of the Rosary, Spencer: $36,562 (104%); St. Ann, North Oxford: $34,445 (104%); Prince of Peace, Princeton: $32,653 (104%); St. Joseph, Berlin: $16,825 (104%); Christ the King, Worcester: $103,176 (103%); St. Columba, Paxton: $35,100 (103%); St. Aloysius, Gilbertville: $7,730 (103%); St. Joseph, Gardner: $7,205 (103%); St. Luke the Evangelist, Westborough : $122,265 (102%); St. Bernard, Fitchburg: $38,650 (102%); St. Denis, Douglas: $27,942 (102%); St. Joseph, North Brookfield: $18,884 (102%); St. Mary, North Grafton: $54,685 (101%); Our Lady of Lourdes, Worcester: $49,322 (101%); St. Joseph-St. Pius X, Leicester: $34,782 (101%); Sacred Heart-St Catherine of Sweden, Worcester: $27,257 (101%); Our Lady of Loreto, Worcester: $24,227 (101%); St. John the Baptist, East Brookfield: $16,095 (101%); St. Martin Mission, Otter River: $8,110 (101%).

St. George, Worcester: $104,413 (100%); St. Mary, Shrewsbury: $175,028 (100%); Our Lady of Mt. Carmel-St. Ann, Worcester: $60,000 (100%); St. Joseph, Charlton City : $45,000 (100%); St. Joan of Arc, Worcester: $40,000 (100%); Our Lady of Providence, Worcester: $33,000 (100%); St. Philip, Grafton: $30,122 (100%); Immaculate Heart of Mary, Winchendon: $16,010 (100%); Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fitchburg: $8,020 (100%).

Blessed Sacrament, Worcester: $78,180 (98%); Our Lady of the Rosary, Worcester: $73,265 (98%); St. Anna, Leominster: $47,150 (97%); Our Lady Immaculate, Athol: $30,484 (96%); St. Charles Borromeo, Worcester: $30,965 (94%); Holy Family, Worcester: $14,225 (92%); St. Mary, Southbridge: $23,944 (90%); St. Patrick, Whitinsville: $36,074 (88%); St. Vincent de Paul, Baldwinville: $14,500 (88%); St. Roch, Oxford: $36,435 (87%); Sacred Heart of Jesus, Gardner: $26,122 (87%); Notre Dame-Sacred Heart, Southbridge: $34,442 (86%); St. Peter, Petersham: $3,625 (86%); Holy Spirit, Gardner: $12,727 (85%); St. Francis of Assisi, Athol: $4,692 (85%); Good Shepherd, Linwood: $28,180 (84%); St. Joseph, Auburn: $48,694 (75%); Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Royalston: $1,640 (75%); Our Lady of Jasna Gora-OL Rosary, Clinton: $18,327 (73%).