ABOVE: From left, Hope Appeal staff members Jim O’Neill, Emily Long, Executive Director Beth Hoey, and Elyse Simon. Sun photo
2024 Impact Report illustrates a successful Hope Appeal campaign
By Elizabeth Landry, staff writer
In recent years, the Diocese of Syracuse has faced significant challenges, from filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the abuse crisis to the closing and merging of several parishes and schools for various reasons. When the 2024 Hope Appeal campaign launched last September, many people were uncertain about how successful it would be given the challenges facing the Diocese, explained Foundation Executive Director Beth Hoey.
“There was some apprehension when the Hope Appeal started last fall, most notably due to the [ongoing] settlement [process] and some parishes that had to combine,” Hoey said.
Despite these challenges, this past Hope Appeal campaign, which ended on June 30, was one of the most successful campaigns in recent years. For Hoey, the reason for this great success all comes down to the very purpose of the Hope Appeal itself — the “why” that serves as the driving force behind the Hope Appeal staff and every individual who contributed to the results seen in the Impact Report.
“I would say the Impact Report answers the question, ‘Why? Why should I give to the Hope Appeal?’… Why are we asking for your support? This is the ‘Why,’” she said, holding up the Impact Report document, which was mailed out to all donor households in recent weeks, along with a one-page version that was included in parish bulletins last weekend. “That’s what this is all about — to say ‘thank you’ and ‘look at what we accomplished’. It’s pretty impressive. A gift to the Hope Appeal is not just a gift to the Church, not just a gift to the diocese that sits in some bank account. The purpose of a gift to the Hope Appeal is for these ministries, with an overall purpose of strengthening our Church and strengthening the faith of the people that we serve … There are people in all of these ministries who are giving their all to serve the people in our diocese,” Hoey said.
The Impact Report provides a detailed breakdown of how over $4.9 million in contributions from more than 16,000 households are allocated to the 26 ministries throughout the Diocese. For a better understanding of how each of those ministries provides direct support to the people and mission of the Diocese, the ministries are grouped into three categories: Advancing Social Justice, Cultivating Catholic Leadership, and Empowering Parish Communities.
“The thought is, how do we accompany people in their faith journey, and how do we evangelize and let people know the work of the Church and encourage people to discover, or rediscover their faith and their relationship with Jesus? That is our mission. There’s so much going on that we don’t realize, and so many people with their minds and their time all focused on serving you, your neighbors, people in your parish, and this whole diocese. It’s really quite inspiring and faith-affirming to know that all of this is happening, and to also know that it couldn’t happen if 16,000 people didn’t say, ‘Yeah, we’re in.’ I mean, it’s amazing,” said Hoey.
Another highlight of the Impact Report is the large amount of funds that are directly returned to parishes. If a parish exceeds its Hope Appeal goal, 100% of the amount over the goal is sent back to the parish, which is called Parish Sharing. The 2024 Hope Appeal Impact Report shows that Parish Sharing amounted to over an astounding $950,000, resulting from approximately 102 parishes exceeding their Hope Appeal goals.
Reflecting on the incredibly generous contributions to the Hope Appeal over the past year, it’s clear to Hoey that the future of the Church in the Diocese of Syracuse is one filled with hope, as the theme for this past year reiterates: “Firm in Faith, Active in Charity, Together in Hope.”
“What is the hope for the Church? It’s in these pages [of the Impact Report],” Hoey said. “College kids, young kids who are so excited about the faith, parents learning about the faith, older people who are able to continue to find support. It’s a wonderful time for the Church. Things are happening.”
In addition to the Impact Report mailings and bulletin inserts, the complete 2024 Impact Report can be found online at https://syracusediocese.org/hopeappeal.
