Bishops Annual Appeal 2022
-
Inspired by the Holy Spirit: Sharing God's Gifts in Love & Service
-
Through the Holy Spirit's seven-fold gifts, Jesus expresses His hope for us: "then you are to be My witnesses even to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:9)
While there are many ways that we can be Jesus' joyful missionary disciples, one concrete and valuable way that we can help build up God's Kingdom in the nine counties of our Diocese is through your support of the Bishop's Annual Appeal.
The theme of this year's appeal flows from our Jubilee Year's focus: Inspired by the Holy Spirit: Sharing God's Gifts in Love and Service "
I am incredibly grateful for your generous support which enables our Diocese to
1) foster vocations
2) strengthen our vibrant parishes
3) and reach out in charity to those in need.
- Bishop Paul J. BradleyYour generous gift to the Bishop's Annual Appeal secures the sacramental life of the Church; assists in the faith formation of our families; and brings life-saving hope and resources to those in need throughout our diocese and beyond.
If you have any questions please contact the Bishop's Annual Appeal office at 269.903.0187 or jmattheis@diokzoo.org.
-
-
-
1. Fostering Priestly Vocations
Father Dan Hyman's typical day is similar to many priests in our Diocese. He celebrates daily Mass; interacts with the Catholic school students at the two Catholic schools under his pastoral care; oversees ministering to the two jails in his area; and makes time to comfort the sick in the local hospitals and nursing homes. Along the way there are still meetings to attend, homilies to write and time needed with Jesus to refresh. The Bishop's Annual Appeal supports seminarian and priestly formation including assistance with the $60,000 annual cost of seminary. Currently there are:- 5 - diocesan seminarians
- 3 - college men being mentored
-
-
-
2. Building Strong Parishes
It's a Saturday night and more than one hundred youth are opting to spend time with Jesus. The Annual Diocesan Youth Rally and this year's Presence Lite are just two examples of faith-filled offerings hosted by the Diocese to inspire youth. Other lay faith formation programs include the Joy-Filled Marriage preparation program, the Institute of Missionary Discipleship (IMD) free catechetical courses and the online religious education and the Jubilee Year of the Holy Spirit resources. Other areas of support include:
Office of Safe Environment - ensuring the highest standards of protection for our youth
Institute of San Agustin - a dynamic three-year faith formation course for Spanish-speaking participants
-
-
-
3. Reaching out to those in need
On a blustery winter afternoon Bread of Life volunteers greet the residents at Colonial Acre Park offering fresh food and pantry staples. The distribution point is just one of many for this ministry which offers sustenance for anyone who requests it.
The Bishop's Annual Appeal supports the life-affirming, on-the-ground ministries of Catholic Charities which also provides:- Services, resources and mentoring for young mothers-to-be
- Shelter for teenagers facing difficult circumstances
- Mental health counseling
-
-
-
-
-
St Ambrose Status
The Bishop's Annual Appeal 2022 kick-off started April 23, 2022.
St. Ambrose's goals are $57,876 and 100% participation. With your gifts we can achieve them both. Consider increasing your last year’s gift by a percentage or specific dollar amount in order to meet increased needs in our diocese and beyond.
No gift is too small or too large, and every gift makes the work of Jesus Christ possible.St Ambrose's progress as of May 16, 2022
Description Goal Current Status (%) No. Families Pledged 370
87 23.5% Amount Pledged $57,876
$34,439.21
59.6% Your support of our diocesan educational, pastoral and religious programs will make a real difference in the lives of parishioners and communities throughout Southwest Michigan and beyond.
Please prayerfully consider doing so .
You may place your Bishop’s Annual Appeal pledge card or in-pew pledge envelope in the collection basket, bring it or mail it to the parish office.
Thank You
God is good.
-
