ATM's at Oregon Churches, Extorsion of Priests and Parishoners for Money

"It seems the only answer to the new Church collection is that we are no longer at Sunday Mass for spiritual nourishment, but to be treated as if we're ATM's.  Our priests and parishes will be penalized if they don't have a good reason for not getting to their goal. Money forcibly taken for this reason?  Sounds like extortion. (The term extortion is often used metaphorically to refer to usury or to price-gouging, though neither is legally considered extortion. It is also often used loosely to refer to everyday situations where one person feels indebted against their will, to another, in order to receive an essential service or avoid legal consequences due to social or political beliefs.Thanks wiki) The love of Christ is nowhere to be seen, or read, in the campaign manual. Click on link.  It might take time to view, thirty-six pages to read...but here's a sample

      "Sharing Our Faith" - Manual on Capitol Campaign  (Click on link above. Might take time to view, thirty-six pages to read...but here's a sample)If the link doesn't work go to http://www.archdpdx.org/

          Page 3   Hiring Nebraska Firm to Run New Campaign
"The Archdiocese of Portland retained the services of the Steier Group, a Catholic fund raising and development firm, to help manage the campaign."
Steier Group says:  "We assign a team of professionals to each client. Your campaign manager will be dedicated to your project – and only your project – throughout the effort and will handle the day-to-day campaign activities. Your campaign manager will be directly supervised by a campaign services director, as well as our CEO, Jim Steier. Your campaign manager will be supported by a staff of public relations and media specialists, full-time graphic designers, full-time grant writers and experts in planned giving, direct mail appeals, online fundraising, stewardship programs, major gift solicitations and event planning."

      Page 4.  Penalties for Priest and Parish
120% of collections are goal or parish will be penalized without a good reason. 75% collected goes to Archdiocese and 25% to parish.  Any funds over targeted amount are divided 50/50 Archdiocese and parish.

"Parishes will be asked to make every effort to achieve their goal. A parish seeking to adjust its target must provide the archdiocese with justification for  the adjustment in order to be approved by the Archbishop.  Plans to raise funds for new construction or renovation must be approved by the Archbishop in writing.  If a parish follows the recommended campaign procedures, the parish will
not be assessed any financial penalty if it does not reach its campaign target."
(VOCAL- priests have confirmed this form of penalty for other campaigns as well.)

      Page 4.  Annual Archbishop Catholic Appeal
"The Annual  Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal (ACA) will be conducted during the Capitol Campaign. Ministries and programs remain in need of the funds generated by the ACA.  The ACA and the capital campaign may fund similar needs. Extensive communications and marketing is planned to clearly explain the need for such levels of funding."

       Page 7  Parishioners are judged on giving abilities.  Large Donors are "courted".
"All parishioners will be evaluated and assigned to a specific campaign phase and section based on their gift request for the five-year campaign.

Whereas the evaluation needs to include local knowledge regarding the donors’ ability to give, each family’s current annual adult envelope giving will provide a starting point for the evaluation.  To assist in the evaluation of donors, the following matrix will be employed at the parish-level (and the Steier Group will train parish administrative  assistants and secretaries in the use of the matrix."

       Page 13  Collection Agency to Assure Giving
"Pledge collection and tracking process is being reviewed and proposed to be handled by the Cavan Corporation, a Catholic consulting and redemption company specializing in parish and diocesan offertory,pledge collection, tracking and redemption.
      For Pilot Phase Parishes, these meetings will be held from mid-May-August, 2010.
For Wave #1 Parishes, these meetings will be held from September, 2010-January,
2011.
 (There is a quiet period of a few weeks in the campaign for Advent)
For Wave #2 Parishes, these meetings will be held from mid-January-May, 2011.
For Wave #3 Parishes, these meetings will be held from May-August, 2011.

NOVEMBER 20-21  CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (CCHD)
USCCB's "Renewal of CCHD"
CCHD How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot.
December 12, 2010 -  Retirement Fund for Religious
January 16, 2011 -  Catholic Communication Campaign
April 3, 2011 -  Catholic Relief Services
May 8, 2010 - Collection for Catholic Charities of Oregon
May 22, 2011 - Collection  for Catholic Home Missions
June 26, 2011 - Collection for the Holy Father (Peter’s Pence)
 
N.B.  The Archbishop's Annual Appeal spends almost $400,000 to oversee the yearly $3,600,000.00 they ask for annually to pay for salaries and perks for employees (that includes one million dollars from Oregon Catholic Press as a grant)
We can only imagine what it costs for $50,000,000.00 overseen for five years.  It will assure those involved a hefty salary for those years.  Funded by us.
The new campaign has no loving kindness or fruits which we would be able to see for families or the unborn.  We need to be good stewards of our money. 


"Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God - the rest will be given."
Mother Teresa