Tips & Best Practices for Success

Each year our theme verse and image changes. This image was chosen to reflect our scriptural theme for this year’s Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) of “The Light shines in the darkness” John 1:5. This theme verse was chosen after prayer and discussion as a team in the Stewardship Department. As we reflected on the state of our world including the pandemic, the political climate, and even some Church scandal, this verse captured our hope and our focus for this year. Yes, there is darkness all around us, but Christ, our Light, has shown through the darkness and the Light will not be overcome. It’s for that reason that in our theme image the light is on the crucifix and the tabernacle – it is clear where our focus needs to be.

This theme also provided a complementary message to Archbishop Dennis Schnurr’s recent Pastoral Letter, Radiate Christ, released in conjunction with the Bicentennial celebration of our archdiocese. That complementarity allowed not only Stewardship messaging, but all diocesan messaging in this important year to hold together well. This same verse, imagery, and thematic elements are utilized for consistency in many of our other annual appeal marketing pieces as will be shown in the following pages.