Each year at this time, as your Bishop I seek your support and your help. I ask you to pray and consider how you can assist the Church and the Diocese of Rockford by participating in our annual Diocesan Appeal. I do so again now.

This year, our theme is “God’s Mercy Leads Us.” That is, of course, a direct reflection of the Jubilee Year of Mercy that has been proclaimed for the whole Church by Pope Francis.

In proclaiming this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis urges us to concentrate on efforts to seek the Mercy of Jesus for ourselves and to bring it to others. In a special way we do that by living out those classical works of mercy that are part of the Church’s tradition. Those works, both spiritual and corporal, guide us to practice our faith, grow closer to Christ, and assist those who are in need in any way.

Every one of us can carry out the spiritual works of mercy in our own circumstances and especially in our families. Those tasks include instructing the ignorant, counseling the doubtful, admonishing sinners, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving offenses willingly, comforting the afflicted, and praying for the living and the dead.

Each action begins with a recognition of our own spiritual weaknesses and strengths. But for that very reason we also need to be attentive to the spiritual needs of those around us. The first goal of the mercy of God is to fulfill His calling for every man and woman to be with Him for eternity. And so we begin with the spiritual life.

The Diocesan Appeal helps to train teachers and catechists so that our young know the faith and adults are strengthened for a life-long commitment to our Catholic teaching. Our Catholic Education Office, supporting our network of diocesan schools is greatly helped by your financial contributions.

Of course our spiritual lives are directly related to the sacraments and therefore to priestly vocations. The 2016 Diocesan Appeal supports our work to foster vocations and then to form them in the various seminaries. At the same time, the inspiring service of our permanent deacons also benefits from the formation and support funded by the Diocesan Appeal. Taken together, that work builds our future in faith for all our diverse Catholic communities!

And speaking of the future, each year the Diocese of Rockford gathers thousands of Catholic young people for a Youth Summit. It has been a great success and, once more, through the appeal you can again make this opportunity possible.

The Diocesan Appeal is also an organized and directed effort by the Church in the Diocese of Rockford to bring forth the corporal works of mercy. At the top of that list is feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty and clothing the naked.

Day in and day out, our Catholic Charities, funded in part by donations to the Diocesan Appeal, allow all of us to respond directly to the Lord’s call to help the less fortunate. At St. Elizabeth Catholic Community Center in Rockford, food, clothing and support are made available to those in need.

Catholic Charities also supports needs related to pregnancy and parenting as we seek to implement Pope Francis’ call to support marriage and family. Those efforts are joined to the work of our LiFE Office that prepares our young people for marriage and fosters the great news about Natural Family Planning. Your contributions also help those in need of counselling and emergency assistance among other great works.

Behind all of these efforts is the work of the staff and the offices at the diocesan Chancery. That work is completed by the spiritual and very skilled contributions of our full and part-time personnel. Be it in the Finance Office, ensuring the transparent and accurate use of funds, including the donations to the appeal, or the diocesan Tribunal that assists in questions relating to sacramental marriage, your gifts help their work make a difference.

Allow me to make a personal appeal to each one of you. Can you join me in the great work of the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Rockford? Please give as generously as you can to the 2016 Annual Appeal

Thank you for your help to me as Bishop of Rockford as together we seek to be led by God’s Mercy, especially during this Jubilee Year.