In a time of increased need brought on by the struggling economy, the Diocese of Wilmington is again asking Catholics to help support the church through the Annual Catholic Appeal.
The diocese has set a target of $3,978,100 for the 2009 Appeal, a 4 percent increase over last year’s goal of $3,825,100.
In-pew solicitations will take place during Commitment Weekend, set for April 25-26. The campaign theme is “Disciples of Christ — Witnesses of Hope,” taken from the Gospel reading for that weekend, the Third Sunday of Easter.
“For the Christian man and woman, hope is confidence that God who loves us and calls us to eternal life will never abandon us,” Bishop Malooly wrote in his annual letter urging parishioners to support the Appeal. “As disciples of Christ, we believe we are created to love and serve God and to share the good news of hope and salvation. Today, more than ever, there are so many people in need of hope that we as disciples of the Lord can give.”
Parishioners can learn more about the campaign’s purpose and importance in upcoming weeks through The Dialog and special mailings as well as parish presentations and pulpit announcements.
Diocesan leaders emphasize that contributions to the Appeal not only assist individuals and families with great financial, emotional and spiritual needs throughout Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore but also provide the resources to operate diocesan programs and essential services that parishes cannot deliver on their own.
“We have noticed a continued uptick in people seeking services” – needing food, help with paying rent or utility bills, family and mental health counseling, and coping with depression, said Richelle Vible, executive director of Catholic Charities. “Without money from the Appeal, we would have trouble keeping most of these programs afloat.”
The Appeal helps serve constituencies with special needs, such as those in hospitals, nursing homes and correctional facilities “who feel the need for spiritual outreach and comfort,” said Monsignor Joseph E. Rebman, secretary of Pastoral Services. “The church must be there to extend the healing touch of Christ.” Similarly, he said, the Appeal helps underwrite programs of the diocese’s ethnic ministries, making it possible for Hispanic, black and Korean Catholics “to keep the faith of their ancestors.”
“As a church we run a lean organization, relying on a small professional staff and a huge corps of volunteers,” said Edmund F. Gordon, secretary of the Catholic Education Department. “With support from the Appeal, we provide services and training to support the principals, directors of religious education, youth ministers and campus ministers in the work they do in our schools and parishes.”
This year’s target, while greater than the 2008 goal, is still below the amounts collected during the 2007 and 2008 campaigns. Contributions to the 2008 Appeal totaled $4,160,519, nearly matching the 2007 campaign record of $4,164,139.
Advance solicitation began with Circle of Honor dinners Feb. 15 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Bear and Feb. 22 at St. John the Apostle in Milford, where Bishop Malooly thanked major donors to the 2008 campaign and encouraged them to continue their leadership and support. A third dinner was held Sunday (March 1) at St. Ann in Wilmington.
Annual Catholic Appeal gifts are used solely to fund existing ministries, programs, and services that benefit the formation and well-being of individuals and families throughout the diocese. No gift has ever been or will be used to satisfy legal fees or settlement costs associated with matters of sexual abuse.
These ministries and agencies recieve funds from the Annual Catholic Appeal:
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Catholic Education (Campus Ministry, Catholic Youth Ministry, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Catholic Schools, Deaf Ministry, Religious Education and Special Needs Ministry)
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High Schools (Padua Academy, St. Mark's St. Elizabeth, St. Thomas More Preparatory and Ss. Peter and Paul)
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Pastoral Services (Institutional Chaplains, Hispanic Ministry, Ministry for Black Catholics, Office of Worship, Office for Religious, Archives, Tribunal and Ordained Deacons)
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Catholic Charities (Adoption and Pregnancy Counseling, AIDS Ministry, Bayard House, Catholic Thrift Store, Clinical and Children Services, Crisis Alleviation, Energy Program, Family Life Bureau, Immigration and Refugee Resettlement Program, Parish Social Ministry, Casa San Francisco and Seton Center)
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Communications (Office of Public Relations and Media, The Dialog)
Catholic Education
Catholic Schools educate 11,000 students in Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 27 schools. Improved curriculum guides for science and mathematics, introduction of a teacher mentoring program and emphasis on professional development characterize the quality education provided by our Catholic schools.
Catholic Youth Ministry helps parishes meaningfully engage young people in the spiritual life of the community by providing opportunities for spiritual growth, teamwork through athletics and human skill-building events.
Campus Ministry is present on area college campuses to uphold, educate, support and serve the Catholic community, providing a “home away from home” to young adults struggling to grow in mind, body and soul CM lives by six ministerial functions to reflect the Church’s general mission in the world: forming the Faith community through liturgy and prayer; appropriating the faith; forming Christian conscience; educating for justice; facilitating personal development; and developing leaders for the future.
Office for Religious Education promotes vibrant religious education programs in the parishes and schools of the diocese; catechesis addresses all of the adults, youth and children in the diocese; primary services include Catechist Formation programs, workshops for parish leaders, curriculum, accreditation of parish religious education programs, working with the parish directors of religious education, special religious education and ministry with the deaf. Religious education for the Special Needs population is provided at two sites in New Castle County. The diocese also sponsors regular prayer groups based on the L’Arche model for members of the adult Faith and Light community. A chaplain for the Deaf Ministry provides pastoral services including a monthly signed Mass. When needed, interpreters operating through St. Catherine of Siena parish are available for children participating in religious education programs.
Pastoral Services
Institutional Chaplains offer sacramental and other spiritual comfort and services to those in hospitals, nursing homes and correctional facilities. Institutional chaplains are the hands and feet of Christ, bringing healing and strength to those they serve in special corners of the diocese.
Ordained Deacons provide services of preaching, marriage preparation, instruction in the faith and liturgical assistance as they live a vocation of service.
Hispanic Ministry fosters the development of spiritual formation, community building, and social action programs for the diocese’s growing Hispanic population. With two new sites opening on the Eastern Shore this past year, the diocese now offers assistance through 19 parish-based Hispanic Ministry Centers.
Office of Worship implements the vision of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. The office develops and deepens the liturgical life of parishes through support, education and formation of liturgical ministers and other pastoral leaders.
Ministry for Black Catholics explores and implements evangelization efforts needed to uplift the spirits of Catholics of African descent into the family of the body of Christ. The ministry seeks to generate opportunities for Black Catholics to share their gifts with the larger community and participate more fully in the Church as individuals.
Tribunal is a court established by the bishop to administer justice according to the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church. Most cases heard relate to the validity of marriage in the Catholic Church. Priests, deacons, and advocates in the parishes assist those wanting to petition the Tribunal regarding the validity of a particular bond of marriage.
Catholic Charities
Clinical Services provide out-patient therapy, both individual and group, transition planning, crisis intervention, and case management. In New Castle County, specialized behavioral assessments for youth with developmental disabilities are offered.
Bayard House provides residential care and supporting services for pregnant women who are typically experiencing a crisis pregnancy and who are often homeless. Residents are provided secure housing, prenatal medical care, emotional support, and educational opportunities. A mentoring program to teach essential parenting skills is offered through a core of volunteers.
Casa San Francisco in Milton, DE provides emergency shelter for homeless persons, financial assistance for those facing eviction and loss of basic services, food programs, and counseling services for low-income residents of Sussex County.
Catholic Thrift Store provides furniture, gently used clothing, furniture appliances, mattresses and household goods, at no or little cost, to low and moderate income families. The center also serves as a link to many services provided by catholic Charities as well as other local organizations.
Crisis Alleviation Program provides emergency financial assistance for families through rent, mortgage or basic utility grants in order to avert homelessness or loss of essential utilities. Hard-working, low and middle income families are struggling with higher costs for fuel, food and health care, record mortgage foreclosure rates, layoffs and loss of pensions. Those on fixed incomes, especially our senior citizens and those working poor who live paycheck to paycheck, simply cannot absorb these increases.
Family Life Bureau promotes healthy families through a variety of programs including marriage preparation, support groups for the widowed and divorced, domestic violence and anger management networks, abortion counseling, and pro-life programs.
Parish Social Ministry services parishes throughout the diocese through a variety of social justice programs including RCIA, adult education, Youth Ministry presentations on Catholic social teaching, and a variety of social justice topics. A 7-week program, Salt and Light, providing formation in the principles of Catholic social teaching and leadership skills is also offered.
AIDS Ministry is a multi-service program providing emotional, educational, material and emergency financial support to persons living with HIV/AIDS, as well as the families of those infected by the virus.
Immigration and Refugee Resettlement Program assists individuals and families with immigration and citizenship issues as well as those related to their legal status in the U.S. that are causing or may cause family separation and challenges in their personal, social and economic adjustment.
Seton Center is a multi-purpose neighborhood community facility located in a low-income area of Somerset County, MD. The center provides crisis alleviation assistance, children’s programs, community food programs, a thrift shop, and a variety of services to the Hispanic community.
Communications
Office of Public Relations and Media establishes and maintains positive relationships with the secular media. The office distributes news releases, oversees the diocesan website, and produces radio programs with the goal of advancing a greater understanding of the Church, Church teachings, diocesan and parish ministries and services, and the Bishop’s priorities.
The Dialog is the official newspaper of the diocese, reporting local, national, and international Church news as well as features about people who embody Gospel values. The weekly paper presents editorials and instructive opinions on matters of the faith and is the bishop’s chief form of communicating with and teaching the people of the diocese. The Dialog is distributed each week to more than 55,000 homes.
