The 2025 Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) kicks off the first weekend of May. The 2025 theme is "DO YOU LOVE ME? FEED MY SHEEP.". You may have already received your pledge form in the mail. The parish appreciates your support of last year’s CSA, as we met our goal with funds being returned to the Parish. We invite you once again to reflect upon God’s many gifts in a spirit of Christian stewardship. The CSA enables us to carry out Christ’s ministry of mercy and love throughout Southeast Michigan and beyond — works no individual or parish could possibly do alone. When we embrace the CSA for carrying out the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, we witness Christ, and in turn, we open doors so others may also develop a deeper relationship with Him. We also extend our personal involvement in our local church beyond our home parishes.

Your CSA Donations Make a Difference
Your support of CSA helps support many diocesan services as noted below. These services help all parishes within the diocese to support the vital services and ministries that help bring the love of Christ to all we encounter. “Love and good works” of the Church occur through dozens of ongoing ministries, which are made possible through your CSA pledge. These are difficult times;  we ask each parishioner to do their best to help meet our 2025 goal. Updates will be provided in the bulletin.
The Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) is an important way for parishioners to support the larger mission of the Church. Here’s a simple breakdown of why it matters, especially with the recent changes to how it’s assessed:

1. The CSA is a way to fund the Church's broader work: While your local parish needs donations to cover everyday costs (like maintaining the church, paying staff, etc.), the CSA helps fund the broader work of the Diocese. This includes things like supporting schools, helping people in need, funding programs for youth and families, and even assisting with training and supporting clergy.
2. Now, there’s an “assessment” based on your parish's income: In the past, each parish had a set goal for how much to raise for the CSA, but now the Diocese calculates an "assessment," which is based on the income the parish generates. This means that if your parish does well financially, your assessment could be higher, reflecting the capacity of your parish to contribute.
3. Why this change matters: The assessment system ensures that wealthier parishes contribute more to support the entire Diocese. This means that resources can be spread out to help all parishes, especially those that are smaller or less financially stable. It’s a fairer system that helps ensure the health and growth of the Church as a whole, making sure that every parish, no matter its size, can still benefit from the Diocesan programs.
4. How this affects parishioners: When parishioners give to the CSA, they’re helping fund these diocesan-wide efforts, ensuring that every parish, program, and ministry can thrive. If a parish doesn’t meet its assessment, it may have to cover the difference, which can strain its finances. So, your donations help avoid this situation and ensure the Church’s mission continues smoothly.

In short, CSA is not just about helping your parish; it's about supporting the larger Church and making sure everyone, no matter where they live or how big their parish is, can continue to benefit from the Church’s services and programs.

CSA is a bill that the parish must pay.
If we do not meet our target goal, the shortfall comes out of the parish's general fund. If we exceed our goal, donations over our goal will be returned to the parish. Again this year, you have the option to make your pledge or payment electronically, by credit card or electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a bank.  
 
Thank you in advance for your continued stewardship at St. Joseph Parish.
May God bless you for your heartfelt donation and continued support.
 
Sincerely,

St. Joseph Parish
Cathy Germaine, CSA Chairperson