Sharing God's Gifts Parish Tithe Report

Fiscal Year 2023

In the third weekend of October, the Catholic Stewardship Renewal process will begin in the Diocese of Jefferson City. Parishioners from across the diocese will pray and reflect on their gifts from God — and consider how they can use those gifts in support of their parish.

As Catholics prepare to engage in this spiritual process, and commit to their parish tithe, the Diocese of Jefferson City is providing this overview of how the diocesan Chancery office utilizes your support to develop and enrich the faith of our community.

To learn more about the Catholic Stewardship Renewal, visit our Stewardship page.

How you support our diocesan ministries

Parish Tithe — $1.10 million
Catholic Stewardship Appeal — $2.00 million
Cathedraticum (parish assessment) — $0.86 million
Catholic Stewardship Renewal transition reserves — $0.50 million
Christmas Special Collection for seminarians and infirm priests — $0.42 million
Easter Special Collection for retired priests and religious — $0.22 million
Missions Special Collection — $0.25 million

Total: $5.35 million

Ministries & Impact

Canon 1254 commits the diocese to “the regulation of divine worship, the provision of fitting support for the clergy and other ministers, and the carrying out of works of the sacred apostolate and of charity, especially for the needy.”

Worship and Catechesis $0.82 million

Under the spiritual leadership of Bishop W. Shawn McKnight, the Chancery office for the Diocese of Jefferson City helps ensure that the liturgical life of the Church is celebrated reverently. This work encompasses the duty to ensure religious education and formation of Catholics is fulfilled in accordance with the teachings of the Church.

Youth Ministry

Catholic Schools

The Diocese of Jefferson City is home to 37 elementary schools, 3 high schools and one stand-alone early childhood center. Our schools serve more than 7,000 students and employ almost 700 faculty and staff. Our schools are dedicated to providing high-quality Catholic education in a Christ-like environment — educating, guiding, and empowering students to be faith-filled stewards of God's gifts in service to one another. Learn more.

Faith Formation Ministries

Women's Ministry

Women’s Ministry helps support women in their journey to sainthood through providing opportunities for growth in prayer, fellowship, service, and faith formation/education. This work includes developing parish-centered groups and regional networks of women who look to the Church as the center of their lives and actively seek to share the joys of their faith with others by participation in the life and mission of their parish. The women's ministry office provides two opportunities for women to gather as a diocese each year. The first event in the Spring of 2023 had over 200 women from around the diocese in attendance. The diocese plans to make these events annual traditions. The office also provides a newsletter and a social media presence to help inform women of the opportunities that are available for women in our community. Their website presence offers support for women looking for faith formation programs and ministry support and the office will continue to grow these resources. Learn more.

Marriage and Family Ministries

The Diocese of Jefferson City offers a wide variety of ministries for couples preparing for marriage and married couples. The diocese partners with our parishes to ensure members of our community have access to marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, natural family planning and other important ministries that support and enrich marriages.

Prepare Enrich pre-marital assessment trainings for priests, deacons and laity (English and Spanish)—237 clergy and laity couples trained
Diocesan Pre-Cana Conferences for couples preparing for marriage—3 a year, total of 95 couples
Prepare Enrich Pre-marital assessments management and allocation for parishes
Online and in -person Natural Family Planning introductory sessions and full courses through Couple to Couple League, Creighton Model and Familia de las Américas (English and Spanish)—Total of 80 couples from around the diocese
Couples retreats (English and Spanish)—3 a year with a total of about 120 couples
Online resources to assist and enrich married couples in different stages of their life (English and Spanish)

Hospital Ministry

Liturgy

The Diocesan Liturgical Commission helps for the various diocesan liturgical celebrations throughout the year: the Rite of Election, the Chrism Mass, prayer and liturgies for Pastoral Days and the Priests’ Institute. The commission also provides workshops on parish and regional levels, as requested and can provide consultations to parishes planning to build or renovate churches or worship spaces.

Intercultural Ministries

With a focus on our growing Hispanic communities, Intercultural Ministries promote a pastoral environment that strengthens the faith, participation and leadership of Hispanic Catholics in our parishes. In addition to responding to the diverse needs of ‘our people,’ it offers information, support, formation, and resources that help form vibrant communities, active in the life of the Church as missionary disciples. Learn more.

Provided support in the evangelization and formation efforts in the diocese:

Two Cursillo weekends for men and women and two retreats for cursillistas — 115 participants.
Two workshops for cursillo leaders and Diocesan Secretariat – 55 participants
Five Life in the Spirit Seminars – 250 participants.
Three Retiros de Servidores (retreats for parish leaders) – 165 participants.
Leadership training for leadership teams and the diocesan Charismatic Renewal Commission – 120 participants.
Four Retiros de Crecimiento (retreats for future parish volunteers) –165 participants.
Two days of reflection in two rural parishes – 98 participants.
Supported the formation of the diocesan leadership of the Cursillo and Charismatic movements – they attended their movement’s regional and national conferences.
A retreat for families and a diocesan conference for families were offered – 450 people participated.
A music concert for families was offered – 250 attended.
Provided formation opportunities for music ministers, choirs, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and lectors in our diocese – 250 participants.
A couples retreat was offered – 75 couples attended.
A diocesan encounter of parish leaders – 80 participants.
A couple of trainings for parish Quinceañera Teams were offered – 6 parish teams were trained.
Supported the organization of a day of reflection and veneration of St. Oscar Romero’s relics – 400 people participated and visited throughout the day.

Supported the efforts of evangelization of the diocesan Evangelizando Juntos Ministry:

Intercultural Ministries

Provided support in the evangelization and formation efforts in the diocese:

Two Cursillo weekends for men and women and two retreats for cursillistas — 115 participants.
Two workshops for cursillo leaders and Diocesan Secretariat – 55 participants
Five Life in the Spirit Seminars – 250 participants.
Three Retiros de Servidores (retreats for parish leaders) – 165 participants.
Leadership training for leadership teams and the diocesan Charismatic Renewal Commission – 120 participants.
Four Retiros de Crecimiento (retreats for future parish volunteers) –165 participants.
Two days of reflection in two rural parishes – 98 participants.
Supported the formation of the diocesan leadership of the Cursillo and Charismatic movements – they attended their movement’s regional and national conferences.
A retreat for families and a diocesan conference for families were offered – 450 people participated.
A music concert for families was offered – 250 attended.
Provided formation opportunities for music ministers, choirs, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and lectors in our diocese – 250 participants.
A couples retreat was offered – 75 couples attended.
A diocesan encounter of parish leaders – 80 participants.
A couple of trainings for parish Quinceañera Teams were offered – 6 parish teams were trained.
Supported the organization of a day of reflection and veneration of St. Oscar Romero’s relics – 400 people participated and visited throughout the day.

Supported the efforts of evangelization of the diocesan Evangelizando Juntos Ministry:

Ministry to Clergy and Vocations $1.87 million

Promoting and supporting vocations to the Priesthood, religious life and diaconate is a vital part of our work. This involves discernment programs, seminary formation and ongoing support for clergy and religious.

Ministry to Priests

The priests of the diocese of Jefferson City dedicate their lives to providing the Sacraments, sharing the Gospel, and ministering to our communities. We have 43 active diocesan priests, 21 missionary priests, and 23 retired priests. The diocese ministers to our priests through continual opportunities for formation, education, and wellness. Two opportunities for retreat, the Priests' Institute for Continuing Education and Diocesan Business, a Lenten Day of Recollection, the Chrism Mass and Banquet, an annual Wellness Day, Ongoing Formation workshops, Sports Day, and occasional social gatherings are held each year for the benefit of our priests.

Infirm Priests

Bishop and Curia

Diaconate Office

As members of our Catholic clergy, permanent deacons play an important role in our parishes. The Diocesan Diaconate Office offers continuing education opportunities for the deacons of the Diocese. It also assists men who are discerning a calling to the diaconate. This includes assistance during the inquiry and application phases. It is also responsible for the management and coordination of the five-year formation program leading to ordination. Learn more.

Seminarian Education

Vocations

The Diocese of Jefferson City has an active vocations ministry with a focus on the call to the vocation of priesthood. The call to priesthood and religious life is heard at various ages and circumstances of life. Programs for vocation education and awareness are offered for children and youth at the grade and high school levels, as well as for men and women at college and adult levels. Learn more.

Senior Communities

Retired Priests

Evangelization and Promotion of Catholic Life $1.75 million

Supporting and nurturing the life of individual parishes within the diocese is a central priority. This includes providing resources and programs to create safe, welcoming environments and providing centralized services that support parishioners across the diocese. These efforts enrich Catholic life across our diocese and call others to our community of faith.

College and University Ministry

Diocesan Pastoral Council

Pastoral Assistance

The Diocese of Jefferson City continually works to find ways that our parishes and communities of Catholics can work better together. Special projects or initiatives that operate across the diocese or between multiple diocesan entities can be mutually beneficial. One example is the recent development of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Child Development Center, which was created to help recruit employees by offering affordable childcare to those who work in our schools, our parishes and our Chancery.

Safe Environment

Matrimonial Tribunal

Communications

Catholic Missourian

Stewardship

As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others and return them with increase to the Lord. Beginning in 2023, our stewardship ministry has successfully implemented the diocesan-wide Catholic Stewardship Renewal (CSR) in every parish of our diocese. Since 2021, 63 Stewardship Councils have been established in parishes across the diocese. The 12-member Diocesan Stewardship Council, made up of a diverse group of lay people and clergy representing the regions of the diocese, was formed in August 2023. The purpose of the Diocesan Stewardship Council is to advise the bishop on many aspects of promoting stewardship as a way of life for Catholics in the Diocese of Jefferson City. This ministry continues with a focus on forming our parishioners in the spirituality of Catholic stewardship. Learn more.

Charity and the Universal Church $0.91 million

Through the Catholic Stewardship Renewal, the Chancery office provides direct support to a wide range of charitable efforts of the Church. The Diocese of Jefferson City holds strong relationships with regions around the world thanks to the service of our mission priests, and we actively engage in charitable mission work in their home lands. Just as parishes support their sister parishes, our diocese supports the work of our Universal Church.

Missions

13 National Collections

With the transition to the Catholic Stewardship Renewal model, parishes in the Diocese of Jefferson City now take up just three special collections during the year. However, through the support provided to the diocese, the diocese continues to provide direct support to a wide variety of national collections, including:

- Collection for Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe
- Catholic Relief Services Collection
- Catholic Home Missions Appeal
- Catholic Communication Campaign
- Peter’s Pence Collection
- Catholic Campaign for Human Development
- Retirement Fund for Religious
- Black and Indian Mission Collection
- CRS Rice Bowl Program
- Pontifical Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land
- Catholic University of America
- World Mission Sunday
- Collection for the Archdiocese for the Military Services

Natural Disaster Relief

Missouri Catholic Conference

Support for our Universal Church

Development

Learn more

Click here to download this report as a PDF.

Click here to download the report in Spanish.

Comprehensive financial reports and audits can be found on our Finance and Accounting page.

Fiscal year is from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023