March 1, 2012

The 2012 Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) kicks off in all parishes of the archdiocese on the weekend of March 3-4. A recorded homily from Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, to be played at all Masses, invites parishioners to respond prayerfully and generously to this year’s appeal.

Pledges to the CMA support six key shared archdiocesan ministries: vocations outreach and ministry education at the Athenaeum/Mount St. Mary’s Seminary; Catholic campus ministries; Catholic Charities and Social Services; chaplains for hospitals and prisons; St. Rita School for the Deaf; and support for retired archdiocesan priests. A newly produced video, available on a DVD supplied to each parish and viewable online at www.CatholicAppeal.info, highlights the stories of those whose lives are changed by these vital ministries.

All registered Catholic households will receive a CMA mailing from Archbishop Schnurr in the next week. Completed pledge cards may be returned to the archdiocese in the enclosed sealed envelope, or placed in the offertory at Mass. Additional pledge envelopes are available from parish CMA poster displays. Parishioners may also make a secure online pledge at www.CatholicAppeal.net. Beginning this year, those who pledge 1 percent or more of annual income or a minimum of $1,000 will be recognized as CMA Partners, and honored at a reception with Archbishop Schnurr in the fall.

Through their generous support of the Catholic Ministries Appeal, parishioners share in the work of God throughout the archdiocese, feeding, teaching, and healing thousands in need. For more information on the CMA, please visit www.CatholicAppeal.info.