7 Sample Letters This section is useful to: All Pastors, Parish Chair, All Coordinators Introduction: The following pages contain sample letters and a sample email for the various projects outlined in this manual. While the Appeal can provide you with a basic letter, it is important that each letter be personalized for your specific parish. You know your parish best. All of these letters are also available in the Leadership and Volunteers section of the Annual Catholic Appeal website at /aca. Just click on Leadership/Volunteers Resources. Often, the information needed to mail these letters (i.e. names of appropriate parishioners, addresses, etc.) are available for download from the Annual Catholic Appeal Online Reporting System (AAR) in the form of a spreadsheet. Once the spreadsheet is downloaded and reviewed, it can be mail-merged with the appropriate letter from this section. This makes sending these letters easier than ever. If appropriate, the sample letter notes the corresponding report on the AAR system to make this mail-merge easy. See the Annual Catholic Appeal Online Reporting Tools section for more details. Each letter can be downloaded from the website, customized, and then mail-merged with the appropriate online report. Section Title and Contents Section Summary Page A. Sample Letter from Pastors to Those Who Gave Last Year (LYBNTS) Sample letter from pastor to those who have given last year. 7.2 B. Sample Letter from Pastor to Those Who Have Given in the Past But Not Last Year (SYBNTS) Sample letter from pastor to those who have given in past years but not last year. 7.3 C. Sample Letter from Pastor to Those Who Have Never Given Sample letter from pastor to those who have never given. 7.4 D. Sample Letter to Those Who Have Not Yet Given After Appeal Sundays Follow Up Letter Sample letter from pastor to those who have not yet given after Appeal Sundays. 7.5 E. Sample Letter to be Sent Home by School Principal/DRE Prior to the Appeal Sample letter to be sent home with school-aged children from the principal or DRE. 7.6 F. Sample Email to Parishioners Sample email to be sent to parishioners, either from the parish or from various organizations in the parish. 7.7 2/11 Sample Letters 7.1
A. Sample Letter from Pastor to Those Who Gave Last Year who made a gift last year. When: Just prior to Appeal Sundays. Associated Report: Current Year LYBNTS Dear (Name), Each year we Come Together in Christ as an Archdiocese. Through the Annual Catholic Appeal, we join Christ. It is important that we all participate and encourage every family and individual in our parish to do so as well. whether it is a marriage preparation class, a Respect Life event for teens, or tuition assistance for a child at action, and for more information please visit /aca. Here is one simple way your gift has returned to <Parish Name>. ( EG: <Name> is a seminarian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and helps out at our parish on weekends ). Your gift will touch lives and change hearts. Thank you for your generous support in the past. Every neighborhood, every community and every parish in all eleven counties that make up the Archdiocese are impacted by your gift. I ask for your support for the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal. <Insert information about how the pledge card will be made available to them.> 2/11 Sample Letters 7.2
B. Sample Letter from Pastor to Those Who Have Given in the Past But Not Last Year (SYBNTS) who have given in the past but did not make a gift last year. When: Just prior to Appeal Sundays Associated Report: Current Year SYBNTS Dear (Name), Each year we Come Together in Christ as an Archdiocese. Through the Annual Catholic Appeal we join Christ. It is important that we all participate because when we come together and serve, Christ is truly present. Your past support has had a tremendous impact on the lives of many. We missed your support for the Annual Catholic Appeal last year, and encourage you to participate, once again, in this vital effort to assist those in need. Your gift will touch lives and change lives in every neighborhood, every community and every parish in all eleven counties that make up the Archdiocese. The Annual Catholic Appeal has made a difference here at (Parish Name.) ( EG: <Name> is a seminarian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and helps out at our parish on weekends ). whether it is a marriage preparation class, a Respect Life event for teens, or tuition assistance for a child at action, and for more information please visit /aca. I ask for your support for the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal. (Insert information about how the pledge card will be made available to them.) 2/11 Sample Letters 7.3
C. Sample Letter from Pastor to Those Who Have Never Given who have never made a gift to the Appeal. When: Just prior to Appeal Sundays Associated Report: Never Givers Dear (Name), Each year we Come Together in Christ as an Archdiocese. Through the Annual Catholic Appeal, we join Christ. It is important that we all participate because when we come together and serve, Christ is truly present. whether it is a marriage preparation class, a Respect Life event for teens, or tuition assistance for a child at action, and for more information please visit /aca. Your gift will touch lives and change hearts. We encourage you to participate in this vital effort to assist those in need. Every neighborhood, every community and every parish in all eleven counties that make up the Archdiocese are impacted by the Annual Catholic Appeal. It has made a difference here at (Parish Name.) ( EG: <Name> is a seminarian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and helps out at our parish on weekends ). I ask for your support for the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal. (Insert information about how the pledge card will be made available to them.) 2/11 Sample Letters 7.4
D. Sample Letter to Those Who Have Not Yet Given After Appeal Sundays Follow Up Letter who have not yet made a pledge after Appeal Sundays have occurred in your parish. When: Soon after Appeal Sundays Associated Report: Current Year Not Given Dear Name, Everyone can be a powerful witness of Christ s love and compassion through our community at <Parish name>. When we Come Together in Christ and give what we can, our gifts can have a real impact on the lives of others throughout the Archdiocese of St. Louis and right here in our parish. According to our records, we have not yet received word from you regarding a pledge to the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal. We miss your participation. Your gift will touch lives and change hearts. If you can imagine a need, the Annual Catholic Appeal is likely to be involved in meeting that need... whether it is a marriage preparation class, a Respect Life event for teens, or tuition assistance for a child at a Catholic school. The Appeal supports education for seminarians and retirement for priests. Many in need receive assistance at food pantries and homeless shelters. The Appeal has made a difference here at (Parish Name.) ( EG: <Name> is a seminarian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and helps out at our parish on weekends ). In the coming weeks (insert information about how they will be contacted for follow up.) This follow up is done by your fellow parishioners who volunteer their time and talent for this vital effort. By calling (name and number) with your pledge, you can help your fellow parishioners. Thank you for your consideration. May God bless you and your home. 2/11 Sample Letters 7.5
E. Sample Letter to be Sent Home by School Principal/DRE Prior to the Appeal What: The following letter could be sent from the School Principal or Parish DRE families with children in the parish school or PSR program. When: Prior to youth Appeal in parish., Dear Parents, As we at (name of parish) Come Together in Christ to support the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal, our students will have a unique opportunity to demonstrate stewardship in the spirit of thanksgiving and charity. The children of (name of school) will participate in their own student pledge drive held <date> for the Annual Catholic Appeal. I am writing to ask for your support. The Appeal is critical to the success of Catholic Religious Education in our Archdiocese. Over 1/3 of the funds raised by the Appeal are used to support Catholic Education, including support for PSR programs. This money helps train catechists and support increased teachers salaries while keeping the cost of tuition affordable for more families. Our own school receives support from the Annual Catholic Appeal through a direct grant of <amount>. Catholic families will receive help from Catholic Family Tuition Assistance. Teachers in our school are assisted with their ongoing education process through the Elementary Teacher s Professional Growth Fund. Teachers in our PSR program receive training from the Paul VI Institute, supported by the Annual Catholic Appeal. Schools and PSR s across the Archdiocese rely on the Appeal for help. You can learn more about the Appeal at /aca. All classrooms will have the opportunity to watch the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal video to see Catholics living their faith in service of others. The video can be viewed at /aca. We ask that the student s pledge come from the student. By participating, your child will better understand your participation in the upcoming Annual Catholic Appeal and the importance of joining together to support the Church s mission. The school goal is 100% participation. Every gift makes a difference. Thank you. Sincerely, 2/11 Sample Letters 7.6
F. Sample Email to Parishioners What: The following email can be sent from the pastor to parishioners, either through the parish itself or through various organizations in the parish. When: Just prior to Appeal Sundays Each year we Come Together in Christ as an Archdiocese. Through the Annual Catholic Appeal, we join Christ. It is important that we all participate because when we come together and serve, Christ is truly present. whether it is a marriage preparation class, a Respect Life event for teens, or tuition assistance for a child in action, and for more information please visit /aca. Your gift will touch lives and change hearts. Every neighborhood, every community and every parish in all eleven counties that make up the Archdiocese are impacted by the Annual Catholic Appeal. It has made a difference here at (Parish Name.) ( EG: <Name> is a seminarian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and helps out at our parish on weekends ). I ask for your support for the 2011 Annual Catholic Appeal. (Insert information about how the pledge card will be made available to them.) 2/11 Sample Letters 7.7