The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is today providing to its faithful a Pastoral and Financial Report for the Fiscal Year July 2001 - June 2002 (the last year for which audited financial figures are available). The report is being mailed to 480,000 registered Catholic households in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is also being posted to the archdiocesan web site at www.archdiocese-phl.org. Today's issue of the archdiocesan newspaper, The Catholic Standard and Times, offers coverage on the report.

This report presents a broad overview of archdiocesan programs and services as well as finances for the Fiscal Year 2001-2002 in order to provide to the faithful detailed information about archdiocesan operations, income and expenditures.

In an introductory letter to the faithful contained in the report, Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, says "The report provides a glimpse of the initiatives, which flowed from our Archdiocesan entities, that have a uniquely pastoral dimension to them...The purpose of the report is two-fold. First, it provides me the opportunity to thank so many people for the generosity they offer the Archdiocese through their gifts of time, talent, or treasure. Secondly, it affords me the occasion to illustrate just how zealous the faithful of the Archdiocese are in carrying out the work of the Church. In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, all of the offices and institutions, including parishes, schools, hospitals, youth programs, ethnic communities, family life services and formation efforts exist to announce the Kingdom of God proclaimed by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Director of Communications, Catherine L. Rossi, says "The Cardinal wants people to better understand the mission of the Catholic Church in Philadelphia. This report makes visible the varied initiatives of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia which extend to the entire community, regardless of religious affiliation. The archdiocesan endeavors presented are complimented even further by the outreach of our 282 individual Catholic parishes, which are not included in this report. Surely, this information will generate a new appreciation for everything the Catholic Church in Philadelphia does day in and day out to better peoples' lives."

As of December 2001, the Catholic population of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware Counties) was 1,494,883.

###

Contact
Catherine L. Rossi
Director of Communications
215-587-3747