This week, we are asked to review the Annual Catholic Appeal brochure that you  received with the Parish bulletin last week.

The Annual Catholic Appeal campaign is much different than a one time special collection. It is a pledge campaign where you can make a gift, payable over five months.

A significant gift to the Annual Catholic Appeal will touch the lives of many others in a very positive way. The Annual Catholic Appeal provides a significant portion of the budget of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Most dioceses in the country conduct an appeal, once a year, to help with the costs of providing services and programs to their parishes and people. The Archdiocese of Chicago is no exception.

As you review the work enabled by your contribution to the Annual Catholic Appeal, please reflect on God’s gifts to you. He has given you all that you have. Your gifts to our parish, to the Archdiocese and to the work of the Church throughout the world are given in gratitude for the continuing gifts that God gives you.

Sometimes it is difficult to envision how one pledge can help an organization the size of our Archdiocese, how it can make a real difference. But each pledge does make a difference because all parishes participate in the campaign and the gifts of many enable our Archdiocese to deliver needed ministries and services.

Our combined gifts not only signify our gratitude to God, they glorify Him by enabling the work of our Archdiocese.     

If you received your pledge form in the mail, please complete it and mail it back or bring it to Mass next weekend.  For those of you that did not receive a mailing or have not had time to respond to it, we will conduct our in-pew pledge process at all Masses next weekend and the following weekend.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration and generous response.

Fr. Michael Davitti, SX
Pastor