DIOCESE—The Mission Appeal is coming.
This 2016 collection for the universal Catholic Church combines several otherwise-separate collections into one. Gifts to this autumn appeal benefit World Mission Sunday, Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Church in Latin America, missions in the United States, and also assists the Catholic Elementary School Financial Support and the diocesan priests’ pension in the Diocese of Rockford.
World Mission Sunday supports the presence of priests, religious and lay catechists to serve poor and suffering populations of missions around the world in more than 1,111 dioceses. Last year’s collection provided $138,294 to world missions.
The collection also provides an opportunity to enroll in the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.
Members of this organization pray daily for Church missionary work, unite their personal crosses with the sufferings of Christ for the redemption of others, and donate to SPF when possible. Names and addresses of those who designate this appeal on the Mission Appeal envelope provided will be sent to the National SPF Office. Last year, $9,641 was contributed.
The Church in Latin America is an appeal that supports pastoral projects and funds the formation of seminarians, religious sisters and brothers and lay leaders who serve the Church in Latin America. Ten thousand dollars were sent from this collection last year to the U.S. Bishops’ Office, and $18,366 went to the Diocese of Chulucanas in Peru, the sister diocese of the Rockford Diocese.
The Catholic Home Missions Appeal benefits pastoral projects in more than 80 dioceses in the U.S. The Black and Indian Mission Collection is also part of the home missions appeal. Last year the Rockford Diocese gave $47,170 to each of these collections.
Through this combined collection in 2015, needy schools in the Diocese of Rockford received $243,208 and the pension that assists retired priests of the diocese received $158,265.
Bishop David Malloy says this collection “provides support for the life-giving and hope-filled work and witness of priests, religious, and lay pastoral leaders in mission churches world-wide.” It gives people of this diocese an opportunity to “proclaim our faith and encourage others, both near and far, to grow closer to our Lord.”
The Mission Appeal combined collection will be held in parishes across the diocese the weekend of Oct. 23.
Info: http://www.rockforddiocese.org/charitablegiving/mission-appeal.php