Annual ministries appeal

This, is better known as 'Bend Over for The Bishop' appeal.

Every year, for many years, I have gotten these pleas to increase the coffers of the Catholic Church.

If The Bishop and the Diocese would do something worthwhile for the people, I would be more inclined to donate generously to this appeal.

LMAO at 'Bend Over for The Bishop'.

Time they put on their big girl pants, tighten their belts, take pay cuts, buy only what is needed.

Don't you know the priests need new cars and the best food and alcohol to stock their rectory bars.

"The money goes to programs like Catholic charities, Catholic education programs, and support of the Vatican."

They must be joking, "...support of the Vatican." Well there you go, stop sending money to the Vatican.

maybe the vatican should open up the vaults and stop hoarding money and historical items and documents

Absolutely agree with all of the above! Clark is living in a fantasy world. Begging for money during these hard economic times, when everyone knows the Catholic church is one of the wealthiest institutions in the world, is classic bureaucratic gobbledygook. He doesn't prioritize spending very well- just look at what he has been up to- refurbishing his memorial (the cathedral) while closing 5 churches. If you support the worthy charities that service the community, give to them directly. Don't let him squander your money!

This year's campaign targets young people. The bishop says that's a missing group in the church. I wonder why? The Bishop has closed half the schools. That means many have left with the kids and do not donate anymore and will not be back. The poor blacks in the city are still attending Catholic schools for free but the members have been forced to go to other churches and schools. The Bishop is now loosing a whole new generation for good. Go see the Fathers house in Chili. Many are from the Catholic church and are fed up. All young with young kids. The young are not being fed Bishop. You are in another world. They are leaving and will never be back. Why? Because you did not feed them. You have feed the freeloaders that will never attend church and donate. The only ones left are the old folks and they are dying off. The Catholic church in Rochester will die with the old folks as well. The Bishop has just about destroyed the church in Rochester. They young have suffered the most because many have lost half their money and have lost jobs. They need support from the church not a leach.

Over the past five years 18,000 fewer people are attending mass throughout a 12-county region. Sex scandals, school closings and church closings are doing this church in. I expect in 10 years 35,000 less will attend. Closing the schools was a big no no. You have killed a whole new generation off by closing so many schools. In fact you have killed the future of the church in Rochester Bishop Clark.

Our school was among the first wave of closings in 1992, We fought the bishop with every resource we had, and still lost. The deck was stacked and no matter what solution we offered, he had his mind made up. So what happens? 17 years later, our church is closing. Why? We lost two generations of kids- the lifeblood of the parish! Without the kids to bring us all together, we floundered. Without the kids, there was no continuity- no new young adults to become members of the parish. Instead, folks scattered, looked for new schools, and supported that parish. Clark doesn't GET IT. He is killing the diocese. Soon it won't be a matter of closing another school or church. Instead he will have to shut down the diocese. Nice going! Nice legacy, Matty!

maybe they should sell some soap-on-a-rope endorsed by the pope ?

give your money to the united way or local red cross if you want to see it actually help someone in need ;)

I. too, agree with the above. The priorities are messed up if he is looking to attract the youth. Closing schools and churhs is not the answer. Allow priests from our countries to come here on a greater scale to minister. Get off the focus of the almighty dollar in running the diocese and focus on saving souls, and evangelizing. Leave the redistribution of wealth to Obama.
Churches are losing members because of the constant threat of closures, increases in appeamonies and a total disconnect from the middle class.

nina wrote:

maybe the vatican should open up the vaults and stop hoarding money and historical items and documents

They don't want you to read the documents! They only want you to know what they feel is appropriate. Documents might shed light on things they would rather keep secret.

angels and demons and the da vinci code

go watch em, a better way to spend your money then donating to them

No Priest left, no Nuns left, deacons now run some churches, Pedophiles in the church costing millions in lawsuits, school closings, church closings all over town, free school for poor inner city kids but parish members that donate get to pay full price even if they have lost jobs, money from one church gets taken and given to other churches, 500K for a new organ and 3 million for a NEW cathedral yet we are closing churches down. Sounds screwed up to me. Bishop Clark sounds like the CEO's in American that have run their companies into the ground only he does not have a company jet. He is out of touch and in another world. He has no clue how to run the church but thinks he is doing a great job. I see a church with no future in Rochester. To ask young people for money is a very bad move. Many fear that they may not have a job soon. Many have large debt. Wrong move Bishop.

The bishop said our youth are not involved in the faith today.DUH,he closed the lifeline to almost all catholic parishes.Yes,catholic schools were that lifeline.There were self-supporting parishes that He would not save.I think the bishop and his advisors should donate their salaries for a year.

Maybe if Bishop Clark would end the liturgical abuses in his parishes (lay preaching, nuns running churches like Sr. Joan and Nancy, and liturgical dancing) there wouldn't be such problems in our local church. But no, he has his own stupid vision for Catholicism, and it's killing our diocese. His retirement will be celebrated by many, and mourned by few. See ya later, jerk.

Obviously all the Catholic church and bishop clark know how to do is hold out there hand [again] and expect people to just fork over money for any cause they come up with .
Why don't they just go out begging on the streets.... amounts to the same thing

I thought it said "mistresses appeal", and I was getting my card out...then I realized that I left it in the car at the fecal soup park and it was stolen. Man. I hate Mondays. Oh no, it's Tuesday?

where does the money go? a deacon in garfield hts ohio stole $300000 from the strugling church that that was barely surviving. and the two priest in fla. that stole millions. and the law suit settlements. time for someone to be accountable!!

Bishop Clark has destroyed the Rochester Dioceses. It is time for him to leave. Soon no one will be left. Money? The young people have no money. Many have left already and attend other churches. Why? They were fed up with the church closings, school closings, pedophile priests and the way money is wasted like the 600K on an organ. St Anne on Mt Hope is about to close? I wonder why. The school was closed years ago.
No new young people left. Just people 65 plus attend now. No priest. I use to attend their but now it soon will be closed as well. They had thousand of families attending and then they closed the school. Now only a few old folks attend. The church will be closed in a year as I hear. Sad. They also spent lots of money for an organ and new meeting hall. All will be wasted. I am sick of it all. I agree with the rest here. The children and families have been forced out because of school closings and thus have created church closings like SAt Ann.