Catholic Family Services  • Catholic Schools •  Catholic Charities  • Vocation Awareness  •  Office of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization  •  Sisters and Priest Retirement  •  At Home With the Church • Theology on Tap  • Discipleship Camp • Native American Ministries • St Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion •  Friends of Faith  •  Project Rachel  •  Operation Andrew
Catholic Family Services  • Catholic Schools •  Catholic Charities  • Vocation Awareness  •  Office of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization  •  Sisters and Priest Retirement  •  At Home With the Church • Theology on Tap  • Discipleship Camp • Native American Ministries • St Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion •  Friends of Faith  •  Project Rachel  •  Operation Andrew

Sample Letters
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Letter Announcing CFSA Weekend #1
Letter Announcing CFSA Weekend #2
Parish Follow-up Letter #1
Parish Follow-up Letter #2
Parish Follow-up Letter #3
Parish Follow-up Letter #4
Parish Follow-up Letter #5
Parish Follow-up Letter #6
Thank You Letter
Thank you letter #2

Telephone Follow-up Directions and Scripts
 

Letter Announcing CFSA Weekend #1

Dear Parishioner,

On Sunday, February 3^rd each family in our parish will have the opportunity, once again, to share in our work with the wider Church in eastern South Dakota through the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008. You will receive a letter from Bishop Paul Swain that will be sent to you during the week of January 28, 2008.  Included in this letter you will find a pledge card and envelope.

Putting ourselves at the service of others and not holding back in how we live our faith life challenges us to share our gifts and our talents with the entire community. With our single CFSA pledge each year, you and I help provide services and programs that touch the lives of thousands of fellow Catholics in the 155 parishes that comprise the Diocese of Sioux Falls.

I am most grateful for your extraordinary generosity to our parish and to CFSA in the past.  So, it is with hopeful confidence that I come to you and ask you to please consider making a pledge once again.

 Thank you for all you do for our parish.  May God continue to bless you and your loved ones. 

Gratefully yours in Christ,

(It is very effective to sign each letter personally)

Name
Pastor

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Letter Announcing CFSA Weekend

Dear Parishioner (personalize if possible):

Greetings in Christ.  I wanted to drop you a note in regards to Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008.   

Putting ourselves at the service of others and not holding back in how we live our faith life challenges us to share our gifts and our talents with the entire community. Understanding, also, that those gifts will be used to build the kingdom of God.  

The upcoming weekend of February 11^th and 12^th is Catholic Family Sharing Appeal Education Sunday. This is when we make our appeal on His behalf to provide funding for the diocesan operations.  This appeal offers us an opportunity to demonstrate our love and concern for others as well as providing essential works of services and ministries in our diocese. In essence, we enable the diocesan Church to reach out to build the kingdom of Christ to all of eastern South Dakota. 

As individuals and as parishes, we are called upon to ensure that the religious, educational and charitable efforts in our diocese may continue.  Many of these needs are beyond the scope and resources of any individual or parish.  Therefore, we must meet these needs as a united community of faith. 

These vital ministries continue only with your support.  I ask you to consider making a pledge to our appeal this year.  Every dollar donated is a gift in support of the many ministries of the Church here in the Diocese of Sioux Falls.  You will receive a letter from Bishop Swain with a pledge card attached.  Please fill out the pledge card and return it in the collection basket or mail it to the parish office (give address) by _________. If you do not received this letter from Bishop Swain please call or stop by the parish office and you may pick up a duplicate card.  

Assuring you of my continued prayers and on behalf of those who will benefit from your gift, I express my sincere appreciation for your prayers and support.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father (Pastor)



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Parish Follow up Letter

Dear

We would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008, conducted in our parish this past month, is moving forward.  Thus far _____% of our parishioners have pledged $_____ toward our parish goal of $_______.  We still need $______ to meet our goal. 

This years theme to the annual appeal is “Give Praise to the Lord” our new Bishop Paul Swain's motto  which challenges all of us to search our hearts as to how we can participate in the work of Christ.  

We have not yet heard from you.  We hope that you will make a pledge and thus contribute toward the needs of our wider Church. Your pledge of any amount will be gratefully received and deeply appreciated.  Your generosity at this time will help support the 30 diocesan ministries and services.
Enclosed you will find a pledge card for the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008.  Please return it as soon as possible, either to the collection basket or by mailing it in the enclosed return envelope. 

Thank you for your great generosity. 

Sincerely yours in Christ,         

Pastor   
      
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Parish Follow-up Letter #2

Dear (parishioner), 

A few weeks ago, you may have received a letter from Bishop Paul Swain asking for your support to the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2007.  If you have not made your pledge, I ask that you take a few minutes to prayerfully consider a gift for this year. 

Your gift helps support over 30 ministries across our eastern South Dakota diocese such as education of priests, ministry to the homebound, emotional and spiritual counseling and a respect for life.  While we have needs in our own parish, we also have a call to help support our Catholic brothers and sisters in parishes throughout our diocese.  We are a part of a community that must reach out to people beyond our parish lines, sharing our gifts given to us by God as good stewards to Christ.  

Our parish CFSA goal is $_________ and your financial support will assist us in attaining that goal.  Once we reach our goal, any amount over and above will remain in our parish for (the following cause). 

Please give prayerful thought as you return the pledge card received in the Bishop’s letter.  If you do not have one, please contact the parish and we will send another one to you.  If you are unable to commit financially, please fill out the pledge card and note if you are able to give of your time or talents. If you have already responded, thank for your continued support and generosity. 

I am grateful for all you do for our parish and pray that God continues to bless you and your loved ones.

Sincerely yours in Christ, 

Pastor or Parish Administrator

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Parish Follow-up Letter #3

Dear

On the weekend of February 3rd 2008 parishioners were asked to contribute to the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008.  Today I am writing to ask that you prayerfully consider a gift to CFSA and return the enclosed pledge card.  Funds raised through the appeal help our diocesan church family continue its many needed services and programs.  Additionally, your gift can directly help our parish's education and formation ministries.  We are able to receive all gifts over our goal through the parish. (Maybe name an item that you would like to direct your overage)

At this time we have received responses from (Fill in % or number of households who have responded) of our parishioners.  Our goal is to contact all members of our parish and ask for their participation and financial support. I invite you to consider a pledge that you can pay over a 10-month period.

Also enclosed with this pledge slip is information about the ministries and the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal supports.  Please prayerfully consider how you can help.  A gift to the Appeal is one important way you can participate in the work of our Catholic Church on a wider scale.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor

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Parish Follow-up Letter #4

Dear (Name of parishioner):

A few weeks ago you were invited to contribute to Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008 for our diocese.  I was counting on the people of our parish then and I continue to do so.  To date, (name of parish) has to total of $ ______ pledged from (# of pledges) households or individuals.

I realize that you have limitations on your resources.  Yet, if we continue to share our love and our concern for the work of the Church, many who need us will continue to be served.  All of our programs need your help.

Please consider this letter a cordial reminder.  Grateful and mindful of all the support we have received in the past, I want to express my complete confidence in your generosity again this year.

I ask and urge you to make a commitment today.  Your help will be deeply appreciated and I am sure your gift will give you a warm and wonderful feeling.  Thank you for what you have done in the past and for your willingness to give this appeal attention and response.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Please complete the enclosed envelope and return it by (DATE).

Sincerely in the Lord,
Pastor

Follow up Letter #5

Dear Donor

I need you help.  (Name of Parish) has set the goal of 100% participation for Catholic Family Sharing Appeal here in the Diocese of Sioux Falls.  Our hope is that every household will complete and return a pledge card.

Since we have not yet received your pledge envelope, and in the event you may have misplaced it or did not receive it originally, we have enclosed another.  If you choose to pledge, please return the envelope in the collection basket or to the parish office.

It is my sincere wish that you will consider a gift to help us reach our goal for the appeal.  Of course, I realize that circumstances may prevent some making a pledge at this time.

Catholic Family Sharing Appeal gives our parish an opportunity to share in the cost of providing ministries, services and programs that may directly or indirectly benefit our parish or people of our parish.  However, you can be assured that it provides the kind of help and guidance to.

Thank you for everything you do for our parish.

Sincerely,

 

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Follow up Letter #6

Dear

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008, conducted in our parish this past month, is moving forward.  Thus far _____% of our parishioners have pledged $_____ toward our parish goal of $_______.  We still need $______ to meet our goal. 

This years theme to the annual appeal is "With Grateful Hearts" emphases the need for all of us  to search out in our hearts how we can participate in the work of Christ.   We have not yet heard from you.  We hope that you will make a pledge and thus contribute toward the needs of our wider Church. Your pledge of any amount will be gratefully received and deeply appreciated.  Your generosity at this time will help support the 30 diocesan ministries and services. 

Enclosed you will find a pledge card for the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008.  Please return it as soon as possible, either to the collection basket or by mailing it in the enclosed return envelope. 

May your generosity at this time be a sign of your own understanding of the words from scripture “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another” as good stewards of God’s varied grace. 

Sincerely yours in Christ,         

Pastor                                                                        

Chairperson       

Enclosure 

P. S.  Thank you for your help.  We need your pledge.
 

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Thank You Letter

Dear Parishioner:

I would like to personally thank you for all that you do to help our parish and our diocese. 

Your gift to Catholic Family Sharing Appeal 2008 helps to reflect Christ’s love to many people whose lives are touched by the ministries and services of this diocese. 

Because of your generosity, we are able to make an impact in the lives of thousands of our diocesan brothers and sisters.  The enthusiastic response of so many is a wonderful testament of how we reach out to others.  It gives me confidence that we will continue to journey in faith and grow in understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. 

Thank you again for all of your continued support of these ministries. May the Lord bless you and your loved ones. 

Yours in Christ, 

Pastor   

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Thank you letter #2:

Dear Donor

On behalf of our entire parish family, I thank you most sincerely for your generous pledge to our Catholic Family Sharing Appeal. 

You know, of course, that your pledge directly benefits our parish in two very important ways: 1) it helps us pay our fair share of funding for much-needed diocesan programs and services, and 2) by the assistance and support our parish receives from those same programs and services.  In other words, there are literally thousands of you fellow Catholics in eastern South Dakota whose lives you have touched with you contribution. I thank you also on their behalf.  

May Our Lord reward your generosity with every kind of blessing for you and your loved ones.  

Gratefully in Christ Jesus

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Catholic Family Services  • Catholic Schools •  Catholic Charities  • Vocation Awareness  •  Office of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization  •  Sisters and Priest Retirement  •  At Home With the Church • Theology on Tap  • Discipleship Camp • Native American Ministries • St Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion •  Friends of Faith  •  Project Rachel  •  Operation Andrew
Catholic Family Services  • Catholic Schools •  Catholic Charities  • Vocation Awareness  •  Office of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization  •  Sisters and Priest Retirement  •  At Home With the Church • Theology on Tap  • Discipleship Camp • Native American Ministries • St Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion •  Friends of Faith  •  Project Rachel  •  Operation Andrew