Diocese of Biloxi exceeds $14 million education-campaign goal

Published: 2007-07-11

BILOXI, Miss. (CNS) -- The Biloxi Diocese's campaign for Catholic education has exceeded its $14.2 million goal with $16.2 million in pledges, Bishop Thomas J. Rodi announced in June. "This is a powerful sign of recovery for the entire community," he said. The pilot phase of the campaign, "Catholic Faith for Tomorrow ... A Future With Promise," ran from April through June 2005. Parish campaigns were scheduled to continue to take place from September through December of that year, but were set aside after Hurricane Katrina hit the coastal counties of south Mississippi that August and pushed diocesan efforts to focus on recovery and rebuilding. Pre-Katrina, the campaign's goal of $14 million was based on the economy of south Mississippi and the amount of money Catholics gave to their parishes each Sunday, said Paul Barsi, of Community Counseling Service, who coordinated the campaign. Immediately after Katrina, the people of the Biloxi Diocese received help from across the country with prayers, materials, money and volunteers. Bishop Rodi said they were grateful for the assistance they received and also wanted to be part of their own recovery.

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