For the Universal Church
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A Message from Bishop Malloy:
October 2023
Dear Friends in Christ,
The Gospel of Luke tells us that when the disciples heard Jesus explain the Scriptures on their way to Emmaus after the Resurrection, their hearts burned, their eyes opened, and their feet set out. Their journey long ago to share the Good News of Jesus Christ is the same journey we are all called to take today. Through our own baptism we are fueled by the Holy Spirit to bear witness to our faith and share the hopeful message of salvation with the world.
As we live out our shared mission, we often encounter struggles and difficulties – some more than others. Your support of our annual Mission Appeal helps address these challenges and helps our brothers and sisters in Christ continue to share the vital Gospel message of salvation, both in our own country, and abroad.
Our annual Mission Appeal is the last of the three combined appeals held in our diocese throughout the year (the National Appeal is in January, and the International Appeal is in March). This Mission Appeal supports several important efforts in the Church in one combined collection. Instead of separate parish collections for World Mission Sunday; Black and Indian and Catholic Home Missions in the United States; the Church in Africa; the Church in Latin America; and the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, this one opportunity allows you to support them, the Rockford Diocesan Priests’ Pension and our needy Catholic schools, all at once.
Our generous response to this Mission Appeal will help ensure that our brothers and sisters in the United States and abroad will have access to resources that will help build up the Church. Your gift makes it possible for today’s disciples to evangelize and share the Gospel message of salvation.
Thank you for your support of this appeal!
Most Reverend David J. Malloy
Bishop of Rockford
The Mission Appeal Supports:
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
World Mission Sunday is a unique, global effort for the entire Church to provide for the building up of over one thousand local churches in Asia and Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe. Through the work and witness of these churches to Christ, the poor receive practical help and experience God’s love and mercy, His hope and peace. With your help, last year the Diocese distributed $49,816.
missio.org
BLACK AND INDIAN MISSION COLLECTION
The Black and Indian Mission Collection (BIMC) provides helpful grants to dioceses across the country to operate schools, parishes, and other missionary services that build the Body of Christ in Native American, Alaska Native, and Black Catholic communities. With your help, last year the Diocese distributed $30,070.
blackandindianmission.org
THE CATHOLIC HOME MISSIONS
The Catholic Home Missions Appeal funds important pastoral projects in our poorer dioceses, where there are not enough resources to provide evangelization, religious education, and ministry training to their faithful. More than 40% of dioceses in the United States are considered home missions. With your help, last year the Diocese distributed $30,070.
usccb.org
CATHOLIC SCHOOL FINANCIAL SUPPORT
This part of the appeal is a special way for you to assist the Diocese of Rockford in supporting schools that have operating deficits and need your help to become financially viable. Thanks to your generous gifts, we gave $70,000 to needy schools in our Diocese last year!
rockforddiocese.org/donate
MEMBERSHIP IN THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH (SPF)
Would you consider making an extra special commitment to the missionary work of the Church as a member of the Propagation of the Faith? As a member, you will pray daily for the Church’s missionary work, offer your personal cross in union with the suffering of Christ for the redemption of unknown men and women, and donate financially whenever you can during the year.
By designating this appeal on the Mission Appeal envelope, your name and address will be sent to the National SPF Office. Last year $6,577 was contributed.
propfaith.net/onefamilyinmission/default.aspx
THE CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA
Religious sisters and nuns serving in Latin America are among those supported by this appeal. They are the very heart of the Church. By supporting their material and educational needs, you help them give their gifts of selfless prayer and service to the Church and to the entire world. Your generosity ensures that their mission to children and entire families continues into the future. From this collection, $23,245 was sent to the US Bishops’ Office for Latin America last year.
usccb.org/latinamerica
THE CHURCH IN AFRICA
This appeal supports the Church in African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe.
The Church in Africa is growing rapidly, but often there are not enough local resources to provide pastoral care for all the communities. The Church in this part of the world needs your help to ensure that all the faithful have access to resources to help them grow in the faith. With your help, last year the Diocese distributed $27,004.
www.usccb.org/committees/church-africa
ROCKFORD DIOCESAN PRIESTS’ PENSION
After devoting their lives to bringing people closer to Christ, in retirement our priests still continue to serve as spiritual leaders, counselors, ministers to the sick and much more. With gratitude for their years of faithful ministry, the Diocese has a Priests’ Pension Plan to support our 39 current retired priests and those that will retire in the future.
Father Robert Sherry, who was ordained nearly 60 years ago in faithful service of our diocese, is one of our retirees. Throughout his time serving the people of our diocese, Father Sherry was vocations director, served on the National Council of Catholic Bishops Priestly Formation and Vocations, and supported the Rockford Cursillo Movement. Thank you, Father Sherry, and all our retired priests, for your dedicated service. Last year, the faithful of our Diocese contributed $211,751.
rockforddiocese.org/donate
