It seems that every time our friendly neighborhood American Bald Eagle decides to perch atop the cross on top of the church, no one has a decent camera. Once again last week, this magnificent creature decided to take a break on top of our cross. Considering that the eagle is symbolic of St. John the Evangelist, this was truly a beautiful and significant sight. Sorry, but this is the best picture we could round up.
Did you see that our “Lest we Forget” Veteran’s Memorial finally made the Naples Daily News? Although it was via a letter to the editor, there was a picture included and a brief, yet well done narrative on the interpretations of those who may see the work of art. I think we should all be very proud of this amazing Veterans Memorial and the support our parish has shown for our troops!
Thank you to all of our parishioners for your strong showing the first Sunday of “Undy Sunday.” The bags were overflowing by the end of the weekend and as a result, many deserving children in Collier County will have appropriate undergarments as they head back to school this week. There were also numerous donations brought directly to the parish office. Donations at St. John the Evangelist are up over last year. Let’s finish strong this final week of “Undy Sunday.”
The Visiting Nurses Association will once again offer Flu and Pneumonia shots right here at St. John the Evangelist on Thursday, October 10 and Thursday, November 7 beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the ballroom of the Parish Life Center. The seasonal Flu shot is $25, preservative free Flu shot is $30, High-Dose Flu shot is $50 and the Pneumonia shot is $65. All vaccinations are covered by Medicare Part B and Railroad Medicare. In addition to the Flu Shots and Pneumonia, they will also be offering Tetanus Booster and Pertussis. Did you know that the proceeds from the Visiting Nurses Association will be used to provide Flu, Tetanus and Pneumonia shots to Immokalee Farmworkers free of charge? This should be reason enough to get your shot right here in the friendly confines of St. John the Evangelist.
I published the paragraph below in my column last year at this time. Considering that we finished last year’s appeal with a surplus of $60,000.00, I felt it prudent to include again this year. With that said, I also feel it very important that our parishioners understand the mechanics of the CFA, how the assessment is derived and the importance of meeting our goal.
Over the past ten+ years, I have explained in detail from the altar and in writing the importance of the Catholic Faith Appeal and the financial implications of reaching and exceeding our goal. However I will once again lay it out in detail. As you know, the CFA is the single most important component of our annual budget. This year’s assessment/goal is $454,000.00. How is this number derived? We are assessed at a rate of 26% on all receipts which the Diocese of Venice deems to be assessable income. This includes regular offertory, rental income, and special gifts and donations. Jamaica Outreach, Habitat for Humanity and all Diocesan Collections (Catholic University, Peters Pence, etc…) are non-assessable. We then receive a credit (30%) for all donations made for tuition subsidies and gifts to other parishes. The net of the assessable receipts and credits results in our annual assessment which is based on the prior fiscal year. Beginning in February with kickoff Sunday, we have approximately 11 months to raise the funds to meet our goal. Everyone receives a mailer from the Diocese and has the option of making an annual pledge. We strongly encourage all parishioners to make a pledge. Many choose to forego this option and make donations to the CFA through the offertory during the course of the year. These checks are then sent directly to the Diocese of Venice. The funds allocated for the CFA are non-assessable and every penny of every dollar donated will be used to offset our assessment. Your contributions to the CFA are not recognized by the parish and therefore you will not see your gifts on the annual statement from St. John the Evangelist. You will receive an acknowledgement from the Diocese of Venice at year’s end detailing your contributions to the CFA if you gave in excess of $250.00 during the calendar year. If not, you will need to retain your cancelled checks or copies for tax purposes. If we exceed our $454,000.00 goal by the last week of December 2013, the excess will be returned to the parish free of assessment to be used for whatever programs or ministries we choose. This could be a huge windfall for the parish as we could use these funds to create reserves to replace the aging Parish Life Center air conditioning units or to purchase materials for Faith Formation, Music, etc… Conversely, if we fall short of our goal, we must use funds out of our general operating income to pay the shortfall. Our budget for 2013/2014 is based on meeting our CFA goal, therefore if we fall short, this could certainly be a “budget buster.” I hope this lengthy explanation has cleared up any questions you may have about the mechanics of the Catholic Faith Appeal. It is imperative that we reach our goal and with your help, I am confident that we can do so. If you are able, please consider making a pledge or contribution to the Catholic Faith Appeal. Please make your check payable to the CFA with St. John the Evangelist in the memo line.
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA
General Manager