DIOCESE—Hopes are that the recent, special collections taken up in parishes for hurricane and earthquake relief will not lessen the potential impact of the annual Combined Collection for the Universal Catholic Church the weekend of Oct. 21-22.

This late-October Mission Appeal will benefit people and parishes around the world as well as in the U.S. and the Diocese of Rockford. The one collection will assist several causes, including Catholic
elementary schools and retired priests in the Rockford Diocese.

Missions to benefit from this combined collection include:

⇒ World Mission Sunday

This fund provides support for the more than 1,111 mission dioceses throughout the world.

Last year, this diocese sent $88,294 to this appeal. This year all are invited to “Chat with the Pope” to learn more about his missions.
Info: www.ChatWithThePope.org or www.propfaith.net/onefamilyinmission/WorldMissionSunday.aspx

⇒ Missions in the United States

Causes helped through this fund include: The Catholic Home Missions Appeal, serving poorer dioceses with resources to provide evangelization, religious education and ministry training; and The Black and Indian Mission Collection, which provides assistance among the black, Indian, Eskimo and Aleute communities.

The Rockford Diocese distributed $35,311 to each of these missions through last year’s collection.

Info: www.usccb.org; www.blackandindianmission.org

⇒ The Church in Latin America

Contributions serve the Church in Latin America by funding the formation of seminarians, religious sisters and brothers, and lay leaders, and also by supporting pastoral projects.

The Rockford Diocese gave $10,000 to the U.S. Bishops’ office for this appeal last year, and also provided $14,684 to our sister diocese, the Diocese of Chulucanas in Peru.

Info: www.usccb.org/latinamerica

⇒ Society of the Propagation of the Faith

Those who designate the Society of the Propagation of the Faith on the Mission Appeal envelope will have their name and address sent to the National SPF Office. Those who join this society pray daily for the Church’s missionary work, offer their crosses in union with the sufferings of Christ, and donate financially whenever they can.

Last year, men and women from this diocese contributed $32,229 to the SPF.

Info: www.propfaith.net/onefamilyinmission/default.aspx.

In his message for this year’s Mission Appeal, Bishop David Malloy says, “Jesus did not simply stay home and wait for people to come to Him. Instead, He reached out to all, but especially to the poor, the hungry and the forgotten.”

Through this annual collection, Bishop Malloy says, “Our missionary efforts seek to clothe the naked, shelter the homeless and feed those who have nothing. We do this to not only care for our neighbor, but we do so that Jesus might be known and loved in the world.”

Mission Appeal envelopes and information have been sent to Catholic households of the Rockford Diocese.

The collection will be taken up in parishes Oct. 21-22.