A signature that symbolizes welcome, solidarity and hope. The new communication campaign to encourage taxpayers to donate 0.8% (‘Eight per thousand’) of their annual income tax return to the Catholic Church kicks off on 13 April. The campaign aims to highlight the value of this choice that each of us can make and its impact on the lives of many. It tells the story of a Church that goes forth and reaches out to people grappling with new forms of poverty, as well as the increasingly complex challenges faced by different segments of the population. Outpatient clinics offering free services, dormitories, soup kitchens, after-school activities, funds for natural disasters, wars and humanitarian relief efforts around the world are just a few examples of the Church’s far-reaching solidarity network that leaves no one behind. Every year since 1990, thousands of projects have been funded through the allocation of taxpayers’ “Eight per Thousand” contributions to the Catholic Church, with spending focused on three main areas: worship and pastoral care, support for diocesan priests, and charity in Italy and in developing countries.
Eight per thousand: increasing resources and services for the common good
In 2024, donations of over EUR 275 million were allocated to charitable causes (including EUR 150 million to dioceses for charitable works, EUR 45 million to charitable activities carried out at national level, about half of which went to Caritas Italy, and EUR 80 million to projects in developing countries). In addition, EUR 389 million went to support more than 32,000 priests who devote their life to serving their parish communities and are often at the forefront of initiatives to help the most vulnerable. More than €246 million went to worship and pastoral care, including activities for the preservation of cultural and ecclesiastical heritage, to ensure that art and faith are passed on to future generations, as well as being an indirect driver of local economies and tourism.
“Eight per thousand”: a veritable multiplier of resources and services
The initiatives funded by donations from the Eight per thousand tax scheme benefit the entire community. The Catholic Church not only provides for the needy, but also promotes personal growth and social reintegration. The numerous projects promoted by Catholic dioceses testify to the opportunities offered by local charitable activities. In fact, the Church is deeply committed to helping the elderly, the disabled and the sick, providing in-home assistance and care or assistance in dedicated residential facilities (worth EUR 20 million). Furthermore, it provides support to the homeless, to families in need and to people living in poverty, helping them to get through their daily economic difficulties (EUR 40 million).
The Church devotes considerable resources to youth education, with educational support activities and socio-educational day centres for minors (EUR 16 million), to prevent early school drop-out and juvenile delinquency. Equally important is support for the poor, needy and marginalised. Food parcels, items of clothing, medicines and other essentials are donated to those in need thanks to the Eight per Thousand Fund (EUR 82 million). The Catholic Church also uses the Eight per Thousand contribution from taxpayers to provide job counselling and placement through vocational training programmes for the unemployed, especially young people and women (€9 million). The Eight per Thousand Fund also finances protection and reception programmes for women victims of trafficking, material and spiritual support for prison inmates, support for victims of extortion and usury, including protection, counselling and assistance to become debt-free and regain inner peace (€6 million). Last but not least, the funds have been allocated to the victims of tragedies around the world, including the war in Congo: €1 million has been earmarked for this humanitarian emergency.
“Donating to the Catholic Church,” says Massimo Monzio Compagnoni, director of the Service for Promoting Financial Support to the Catholic Church, “means participating in a vast network of solidarity that offers assistance to thousands of people, both in Italy and in the poorest countries of the world. In fact, the Church is welcoming and open to everyone, believers and non-believers alike, leaving no one behind: the sick, the unemployed, the elderly, the young, single women and vulnerable families. Through what amounts to a complementary welfare system, the Church provides not only material support but also emotional support, working alongside other local organisations to create integrated and effective support networks. ‘If it weren’t for the Church and the volunteers’ incredible commitment, – adds Monzio Compagnoni – all these services would be sorely lacking.”
A multi-channel campaign to spread a message of joint responsibility
The “Eight per Thousand” communication campaign of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) was developed by the VML agency, directed by Edoardo Lugari, with photographs by Francesco Zizola and produced by Casta Diva/Masi Film. The campaign will be broadcast on TV and online with eight themes in 20″, 15″ and 6″ formats, depending on the channel and the different target groups. It will also be promoted in the press, on billboards, on radio, on video screens and through video strategy. Explanatory videos are available on the website www.8xmille.it, focusing on the various charitable activities at the heart of the campaign, while another section provides a detailed account of the past national and diocesan allocations of the voluntary “Eight per thousand” tax contribution, as a mark of transparency.
