Our priests walk with us through the most profound moments of our lives. They celebrate our joys—from baptisms and weddings to first Communions—and stand by us in our times of sorrow, offering comfort and guidance through the sacraments of Reconciliation, Anointing and more. Their unwavering dedication shapes our community and nurtures our faith.
This weekend marks the launch of the 2024 Archbishop’s Campaign across the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The focus of this year’s campaign honours the priests who have faithfully served our community of faith in the past and invites us to invest in those preparing to serve the community of faith in the future. This new annual campaign is more than just a fundraising effort; it’s a chance for us to show our gratitude and to support the next generation of priests who will continue this vital and sacred ministry.
We can, like the first disciples, help build our community for the future.
Launching the Campaign, Archbishop Comensoli referred to St Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, in which St Paul provides inspiration by sharing with the Corinthians what the Church in Macedonia had achieved through their generous giving to the struggling Church in Jerusalem. Specifically, the Archbishop references St Paul’s encouragement of the early Christians to give what they could because God loves a ‘cheerful’ giver.
‘Like the early Church, and as the largest Archdiocese in Australia, we here in Melbourne are blessed to have been really generous givers over many, many years to the missionary and charitable works in our local Church,’ said Archbishop Comensoli.
‘By joining everything together and supporting this new approach, we can, I think, like the first disciples, help build our community for the future.’
The goal of this year’s campaign is ambitious: to raise $1 million.
Inspired by Jesus’ call to the first disciples, ‘Come, follow me,’ every member of the vast and diverse Archdiocese of Melbourne is asked to answer this call. Just as the early disciples supported the mission of Christ, we too are asked to contribute to the vibrant, life-giving ministries that sustain and renew our local Church.
Make a single pledge for the purposes of the Archdiocese through a recurring monthly gift online.
Through this new annual campaign, the Archdiocese simplifies its approach, for the first time combining several special collections into one unified effort. Rather than being asked to give multiple times throughout the year, the faithful can now make a single, impactful pledge for the purposes of the Archdiocese through a recurring monthly gift online.
Gifts will support vital ministries within the Archdiocese, including seminarian formation and evangelisation initiatives, including World Youth Day, as well as retired priests.
Donors can choose to make either a tax-deductible or non-deductible gift.
Non-deductible gifts go towards the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Religious Projects Fund, funding seminarian education and evangelisation efforts.
Tax-deductible gifts will go to the Archbishop’s Charitable Fund, which benefits the Corpus Christi College Building Fund, Priests Retirement Foundation, John Pierce Centre, Melbourne Overseas Mission and the University of Divinity Building Fund, among other important charitable causes.
The Campaign kicks off in parishes this weekend, 10 and 11 August 2024, and will continue for three weekends. Campaign posters and envelopes with pledge cards have started to appear in churches across the Archdiocese. QR codes on posters and pledge envelopes make for easy giving online. On 17 and 18 August, at Masses across the Archdiocese, parishioners will be asked to commit to a recurring monthly gift and, on the final weekend, 24 and 25 August, asked to finalise their support.
Hard-copy pledge cards and one-off donations will still be accepted in collection plates over the weekends of 17–18 and 24–25 August.
Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible.
Those wanting to invest in the future of our faith community by supporting the Campaign can do so already by donating online.
Support of the Campaign is not just a gift; it’s a legacy of faith and commitment that will resonate for generations to come.
