ST. FRANCIS — When Debra Lethlean looks at numbers, they can mean encouraging news or discouraging news. Lately, most of the news has been encouraging.

Lethlean, director of the Catholic Stewardship Appeal for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, is encouraged by the nearly $7.6 million contributed to the appeal in 2004. That was more than $200,000 over the archdiocesan goal. She is also encouraged by the CSA’s pursuit of a record archdiocesan goal — $7.4 million — in 2005.

“We’re off to a strong start,” she said, noting reports comparing last year’s progress with this year’s totals would be available near the end of March.

If there is discouragement, it comes from the fact that while there are 230,000 names in the appeal’s data base, last year’s total came from 25 percent of those people or 56,209 donors.

“We share the same trend with other organizations,” Lethlean said. “Those that are giving, are giving more, but the number of givers is going down.”

From 2003 to 2004, the appeal lost nearly 1,800 donors, but it could be worse.

“At the height of the pedophilia scandal (2002), we lost 14,000 donors,” she said.

Lethlean, who has been director of the appeal for six years, credits Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan for the resurgence in the CSA.

“The archbishop has done an amazing job,” she said. “He has established trust with the people,” noting that he sent an “accountability report” in September 2003 and 2004 to the home of every registered parishioner in the archdiocese.

Goals for each parish are set by the CSA office, which looks at what the parish has raised previously, the area in which it is located, whether it has been part of a merger, percentage of people participating in previous appeals and “other things that would affect giving,” Lethlean said. Pastors are then asked to look at the goals and to provide input.

“Thirty-five percent or more is considered good participation,” she said. Noting that pastors “are strong partners in promoting the CSA,” Lethlean also gave credit to the lay people who volunteer to chair the appeal in their parishes.

“Their role is to help the priest promote the CSA,” she said. Last year, 111 of 219 parishes reached or passed their goals.

Aware that more people handle financial transactions via their home computers, the CSA is equipped to handle on-line contributions through credit cards and electronic transfers.

“We’re doing more and more on-line,” Lethlean said.

A critical part of the CSA is the Campanile Society which, at the end of 2004, numbered 1,266 members — 132 more than in 2003. Members give a minimum of $1,000 and account for nearly 29 percent of the amount contributed to the CSA. A campanile is a church’s freestanding bell tower.

The Campanile Society is one of the keys in the CSA reaching its annual goal, according to Lethlean. Recruitment of new members is one of the responsibilities of the society’s executive committee.

“We are encouraging Campanile Society membership, finding folks who have the wherewithal to give at that level,” she said.

Lethlean considers Archbishop Dolan the other key to the appeal’s success.

“It’s his leadership,” she said. “And he’s not shy about asking folks to give.”

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