Bishop launches “Let Your Light Shine!” Appeal

Bishop launches 2010/11 Catholic Ministries Appeal

Asking each Catholic household to “Let Your Light Shine” to help others in need, Bishop of Rochester Matthew Clark has launched the 2010-11 Catholic Ministries Appeal.

This year’s campaign goal is $5.6 million. Pledge cards have been mailed to approximately 115,000 households and parishes throughout the diocese have begun promoting the campaign. Check parish-by-parish results thus far

This year’s Catholic Ministries Appeal – also known as the “CMA” – follows the most successful campaign since the annual appeal was begun 30 years ago. A record $5.132 million was raised in the 09/10 campaign, the most ever collected in the history of the CMA and more than $200,000 dollars ahead of the year before. In addition, the 2009/10 campaign marked the third consecutive year that more than $5 million was pledged, as well as the sixth straight year the average gift has climbed (to $155).

“Despite the continued uncertainty over our national economy,Catholics gave – and abundantly,” Bishop Clark said. “They have a remarkable sense that their gift is even more important in tough times, because the need for the church and its ministries grows in hard times.”“The ministries and services the CMA funds affect every facet of Catholic life and every Catholic in our Diocese in some way,” Bishop Clark said. “I ask every Catholic family to participate if they can, knowing they are helping their parish, their friends and their neighbors. Every gift, large or small, helps us to let our light shine for others.”

The CMA helps fund ministries for more than 314,000 Catholics in Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Cayuga, Livingston, Steuben, Tioga, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Tompkins and Yates counties.

Supported Ministries
• Educating youth in the Roman Catholic faith
• Serving the homeless, families and individuals in crisis and other people in need through Catholic Charities
• Supporting Catholic Schools
• Ministering on college campuses and to young adults
• Hospital chaplaincy and programs for prison and jail inmates
• Reaching out to children and adults of migrant farm families
• Supporting the work of our priests and promoting priesthood vocations
• Supporting Pope Benedict XVI’s ministries worldwide and U.S. ministries through the Bishops’ Conference
• Providing parishes with professional services and programs vital to their daily operation
• Spreading the Gospel message through media
• Promoting Catholic values on the sanctity of life from conception to death.
• Developing positive relationships with people of other faiths through interreligious and ecumenical dialogue
• Preparing couples for the Sacrament of Marriage
• Properly preparing people who wish to become Roman Catholic

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