Church raised $10.8m in 2004

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston raised slightly more money last year than in 2003, despite intense controversy over the closing of parishes, archdiocesan officials said yesterday.

The archdiocese took in $10.8 million in its 2004 appeal, up nearly 5 percent from the $10.3 million raised in 2003.

The director of the archdiocese's Annual Catholic Appeal, Damien DeVasto, said he viewed the results as ''extremely encouraging."

''Clearly the results demonstrate that we as an archdiocese are moving forward," he said. ''We are going through some challenges, but we're moving forward."

DeVasto said Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley had held three fund-raising receptions in support of the appeal, taking questions from parishioners about issues facing the archdiocese and introducing people who have been helped by programs supported by the archdiocesan budget. DeVasto added that the archdiocese tried to increase lay involvement in fund-raising by appointing regional leaders for the campaign.

The campaign is the archdiocese's major annual fund drive, helping finance a variety of programs, including religious education, youth ministry, and subsidies for low-income parishes, as well as support of the archdiocese's central administration.

The fund-raising, which was known as the Cardinal's Appeal until the resignation of Cardinal Bernard F. Law, is still down significantly as a result of the clergy sexual abuse crisis that led to Law's resignation. After plunging 45 percent following the crisis, the drive has rebounded somewhat -- up from a low of $8.8 million in 2002, but down from $17.2 million in 2000.

O'Malley says the archdiocese remains in dire financial straits, running an annual operating deficit of just over $10 million, owing about $35 million to the Knights of Columbus, and facing an unfunded pension liability of $80 million. But the archdiocese also has the potential to reap several hundred million dollars from the sale of the property owned by the 80 parishes the archdiocese began closing last year.

DeVasto said the number of people contributing to the annual fund drive has risen steadily since the abuse scandal erupted in 2002. He said nearly 54,000 donors contributed in 2004, up 19 percent from 2003.

''Many of our long-time donors have increased their level of support," he said in a statement. ''Donors who had stepped away are returning, and new donors are coming forward."

The archdiocese plans to launch its 2005 fund drive in early May.