DOP 2007: Like a lamp in the night, Christ’s love burns in us

The annual Diocesan Offertory Program will kick off during the last weekend of this month, April 28 and 29, with a goal of $1,690,000. Bishop George Thomas’ message of light continues to be reflected in the DOP theme “Light the Way,” coupled with a new graphic depicting a lantern glowing in the dark.
“Just as a lamp shines in the night, so Christ’s love burns within us,” Bishop Thomas notes in his annual DOP message, a tape recording of which is to be played at Mass in every parish on May 6 and 7 as part of DOP 2007 Commitment Weekend.
At two DOP kickoff dinners this spring – one in Conrad and one in Boulder – Bishop Thomas reviewed all that has happened in the diocese in the last year and described this coming year as one filled with promise as the diocese encounters and begins to implement the Diocesan Pastoral Planning document being promulgated this month.
DOP 2006 was a great success for the diocese, with some 7,869 out of 20,502 families participating. DOP 2006 raised over $1,650,000 in pledges to support some 55 separate and distinct programs ranging from consultative councils to the bishop to the Guatemala Mission to the Catholic School System. A complete list of ministries assisted through the Diocesan Offertory Program can be found elsewhere in this issue of The Montana Catholic. The Diocesan Stewardship Advisory Council and the Diocesan Finance Council, in consultation with Bishop Thomas, have set this year’s financial goal at $1,690,000. The bishop and his advisory councils hope to see a surge in participation in 2007.
Every registered Catholic household in the diocese will receive a brochure in the mail between April 20 and May 5. The brochure shows how DOP dollars will be allocated this coming year. The mailing will also include a copy of the bishop’s DOP message and a return envelope. It is important to note that DOP is a restricted fund and contributions to this program may only be used for those ministries and projects listed in the brochure.
Thirty-five parishes out of 61 met or exceeded their financial goals for DOP 2006 and another six exceeded 90 percent of their goal. The average gift to the DOP in 2006 was $210 per family, compared to the national average of approximately $198 per family in similarly sized dioceses.
Final payment reminders for pledges made for DOP 2006 will be mailed at the end of April. People are encouraged to make their pledge to the DOP on May 6 or 7 but pay or redeem the pledge in monthly or quarterly installments over the coming year. Credit card and electronic debit contributions are also encouraged.
If you have any questions or special needs regarding the DOP campaign, please call the DOP Office at the Diocese of Helena Chancery at 442-5820 or 1-800-584-8914.

Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 23, No. 4, April 20, 2007.