Aust gifts set charity record

Sydney
21 July 2002

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Aust gifts set charity record

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Aust gifts set charity record

A 94 per cent increase in donations from Australia has helped boost the income of the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need last year to a record $136.8 million – up almost $22.8 million.

In all, Australia donated $3,221,689, greatly assisted by two legacies totalling almost $1 million.

The Australian donations showed the largest percentage increase, followed by Brazil (up 51 per cent), Ireland (44 per cent), and the US and the United Kingdom (both up 33 per cent).

France gave the largest amount, with $28.9 million, followed by Germany ($22 million) and Switzerland ($13 million).

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) used the money to support some 6,700 projects submitted by local parish communities and dioceses in 134 countries.

It increased its aid to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe – its traditional priorities – by 21 per cent to a total of $39.9 million, including support for construction of a national theological faculty in Western Ukraine.

Aid was also increased for Church projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

As in previous years the largest proportion of the aid (33 per cent) went to construction projects.

Following this was aid for the training of priests, religious and lay pastoral workers, the promotion of media projects and support for needy priests.