Serving Christ and Connecting Catholics in Western North Carolina
- Jan. 19-20: Combined Mission Collection. This annual collection funds five separate initiatives: the Collection for the Church in Latin America, the Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, the Catholic Home Missions Appeal, the United States Mission Appeal (Black and Indian Missions), and the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa. (See above for details about this special collection.)
- April 20-April 21 (Easter Sunday): Seminarian Education Collection. The Seminarian Education Program, in which 36 men are currently enrolled, is primarily funded through the annual Diocesan Support Appeal, the Friend to Seminarians Program, and this second collection.
- May 18-19: International/National Combined Collection. Donations received from this collection benefit five organizations: Catholic Relief Services, Collection for the Holy Land, Collection for the Works of the Holy Father (Peter’s Pence), The Catholic University of America, and the Catholic Communications Campaign.
- Sept. 14-15: Priests’ Retirement and Benefits. This collection taken up the weekend after the Eucharistic Congress goes to support the Diocese of Charlotte’s 87 diocesan priests actively serving the faithful of western North Carolina, and 44 religious order priests from nine religious orders for whom retirement contributions will be made.
- Oct. 19-20: World Mission Sunday (Propagation of the Faith). This collection supports the work of the Church in its missions around the world.
- Nov. 9-10: Collection for the Archdiocese of Military Services. Currently, 285 Catholic military chaplains provide pastoral care to more than 1.5 million Catholics on ships, in combat, on bases and in 153 Veterans Affairs hospitals. The Collection for the Archdiocese of Military Services, taken up every three years, will fund its co-sponsored Seminarian Program, which identifies vocations within the military and is now educating 30 men for the priesthood and subsequent military chaplaincy.
- Nov. 23-24: Catholic Campaign for Human Development. This collection funds the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, established by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to help break the cycle of poverty by funding organizations that help people help themselves. With its mission of improving education, housing situations and local economic development, the CCHD continues to make a positive impact in communities nationwide. Twenty-five percent of the funds from this collection are put to use in the Charlotte diocese.
- Dec. 7-8: Religious Retirement. This appeal, coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, offers support for senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose communities lack sufficient retirement funding. Nationally, some 33,000 women and men religious past the age of 70 benefit.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
More online
At www.charlottediocese.org/development: Learn more about these special collections as well as other ways to financially support the various ministries of the Church in western North Carolina, including the Diocesan Support Appeal and the Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte