Only 52% of the funds expended by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Catholic Relief Services Collection in 2023 were allotted to Catholic Relief Services, according to the collection’s 2023 annual report, which was released in early January 2025.
The collection received $13,669,210 in contributions in 2023. Investment revenue brought in an additional $264,489, for total revenues of $13,933,699, according to the annual report (p. 6).
Out of total expenses of $13,163,258, only 52% ($6,849,470) was allotted to Catholic Relief Services, according to the report (p. 7). The percentage of total Catholic Relief Services Collection revenues ($13,933,699) that went to Catholic Relief Services was even lower: 49.2%.
Much of the collection was allotted to offices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), though some funds were directed elsewhere:
- 15.4% ($2,031,216) of the total expenses were allotted to the USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services
- 13.5% ($1,775,187) was allotted to the USCCB’s Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church
- 6.1% ($801,732) was allotted to the USCCB’s Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development (now the Secretariat of Justice and Peace)
- 6% ($787,866) was allotted to CLINIC, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
- 3.8% ($500,000) was allotted to the Holy Father’s Relief Fund
Administrative and promotional expenses were minimal, totaling 3.2% of expenses.
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