The Archdiocese of Dublin has announced it is to review a major new fund-raising initiative amid concerns over the targeting of some parishioners and excessive demands for donations.
The “Living the Joy of the Gospel” initiative, which American fundraising firm CCS is helping to operate, has been piloted in four Dublin parishes, with parishioners asked to contribute as much as €1,000 (£700) per year for five years.
The aim of the campaign is to fund the cost of parish pastoral workers and catechists to offset the decline in priest numbers, as well as to form and support serving priests and promote vocations. CCS has worked with the Archdioceses of Armagh and Westminster on similar fundraising campaigns.
According to Fr Andrew O’Sullivan, Episcopal Vicar for Financial Development, the fundraising campaign has been “focused on three pillars; strengthening parishes, building strong pastoral teams and ensuring support for clergy in active ministry”.
One north Dublin parish sought to secure pledges of up to €300,000 from a specific number of parishioners. However, a number of them complained about being “targeted” after filling out a census in the parish. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Dublin said: “A wide ranging financial review at diocesan level has been underway for some years and the fundraising campaign was part of that process.”
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