Taylor – Sometimes even the volunteers who work to help the annual Catholic Services Appeal achieve its goal don't fully realize what all those CSA dollars make possible.
So, to underscore the connection between what the Archdiocese of Detroit does and how it all gets paid for, volunteers – and anyone else who was interested — had the opportunity to learn more about CSA-funded ministries at four CSA Expos held around the Archdiocese of Detroit.
"We knew it funded a lot of things, but we didn't know just what," said Colleen Murphy, a member of St. Constance Parish in Taylor.
"Now, we know," said, fellow St. Constance parishioner Debbie Wrobel.
They were among the attendees at the first of the CSA Expos, March 20, at St. Alfred Parish in Taylor.
Representatives of the archdiocesan departments and ministries, such as Sacred Heart Major Seminary, the Permanent Diaconate program, the Department of Education, Black Catholic Ministry, Campus Ministry, hospital chaplaincies, the Department of Parish Life and Services, Criminal Justice Ministry, Catholic cable channel CTND, The Michigan Catholic newspaper and others, were on hand at the various information booths in the school gym.
The pledge drive for the annual CSA, which funds almost all the ministries of the archdiocese, begins May 5-6, and volunteers are getting ready for it.
Other CSA Expos were held March 21 at St. Therese of Lisieux in Shelby Township, Monday at Our Lady of Refuge in Orchard Lake Village, and Tuesday at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
"I gained insight into all the services available through CSA. It will help me explain to people what their money goes toward," said Gary Kurylo, a member of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Northville.
Al Fernandez, business manager at St. Joseph Parish in Erie, said, "I'm picking up information about things I didn't even know we did."
He added that he had benefited from the parish bookkeeper training funded by CSA, and was currently taking the parish business manager training that is also offered.
Robert McBrayer, a member of St. Patrick Parish in Wyandotte and moderator of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, said he liked the opportunity to see what all the archdiocesan departments are doing. "This is really the only way to do this, because you can't bring all this stuff to every parish," he added.
Email or call (800) 986-3925 for additional information on CSA
