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for the Universal Catholic Church
Download 2008 Flyer in English (in pdf)
Download 2008 Flyer in Spanish (in pdf)

Supporting:
+Peter's Pence Collection
+Catholic Relief Services Collection (CRS)
+Central and Eastern European Collection
+World-wide and U.S. Disaster Relief


A Message from Bishop Doran
March 2008

Dear Friends in Christ:

At the beginning of Lent, we listened to the Prophet Isaiah who reminded us of what is an acceptable fast before the Lord. He said,

This … is the fasting that I wish:
Releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.
 
Isaiah 58:6-7

Each cause supported by this International Appeal bases its mission on the core theme from this challenging reading from Isaiah - reaching out and responding with generosity and love to the poor and needy wherever they are.

Peter’s Pence provides our Holy Father with funds so that he can respond to hunger, homelessness, war and natural disasters throughout the world. Catholic Relief Services is the US Bishops’ Overseas relief and development agency which is active in every corner of the world. Central and Eastern European Church Collection supports the Church in the former communist countries which is struggling to reestablish itself. Finally, the World Wide Disaster Relief – A Rockford Diocesan Response provides me with funds to immediately respond to requests from around the world without asking for second collections in our parishes all the time.

Please join me in supporting these worthy causes by your prayers and generous donations to the International Appeal.

With every personal good wish, I remain

Cordially yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D.
Bishop of Rockford


Peter's Pence   top of page
Let us make sure that none of God’s children ever feels alone is the theme for Peter’s Pence Collection for the works of the Holy Father. The Collection is an opportunity for all Catholics to share a witness of goodness by helping the world’s most vulnerable people—those suffering the devastating impact of war, oppression, disease, and natural disasters. For more information, please visit www.usccb.org/ppc. Last year, the people of the Diocese contributed $146,941 to this collection.

Catholic Relief Services Collection (CRS)  top of page
The Catholic Relief Services Collection was established 60 years ago as the Bishops’ Welfare Emergency Relief Fund and supports agencies that build the international social ministry of the Catholic Church. Ministries include relief and resettlement services to the victims of war and natural disasters, development programs to improve the living conditions of the poor, advocacy on behalf of the powerless, peace and reconciliation work for people suffering from violence, and assisting vulnerable and poor newcomers with their immigration process needs. Last year, the people of this Diocese contributed $132,214 to this appeal.

Aide to the Catholic Church in Central and Eastern Europe   top of page
Help the elderly of war-torn Sarajevo, Bosnia, with a new Catholic home, already half-completed. Help Catholics in Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, to build churches in places where they still worship in apartments. Support the Catholic primary and secondary school in Prizren, Kosovo. Support Catholic new high schools in Lithuania, Albania, and Slovenia. Spread Catholic higher education in Poland, Hungry, Slovakia, Ukraine and Croatia. Last year the people of the Diocese contributed $46,242 to this appeal.

World-wide and US Disaster Relief Fund: Rockford Diocese Response   top of page
Whenever a natural disaster occurs, Bishop Doran receives numerous petitions for financial assistance from his brother bishops in the affected area. With the creation of this fund, he has resources available to respond. He responds in name of the people of the Rockford Diocese and sends our concern for their wellbeing. This past year Bishop Doran sent $5,000 to Pastoral Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa.

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Page Last Updated 05 Feb 2008