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 $42,587.
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 $31,224.
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 $31,224.
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, $57,500 was sent 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, unite your personal daily crosses and sufferings 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 $6,026 was contributed.
propfaith.net/onefamilyinmission/default.aspx

THE CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA

Funding has assisted the Brazilian Bishops’ Conference in meeting with Afro-Brazilian Catholic leaders, and, in Peru, funding has helped missionaries bring the Gospel to families in the Peruvian Amazon. Your generosity ensures that these missions to children and entire families continues into the future. From this collection, $20,287 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 $25,422.
www.usccb.org/committees/church-africa

ROCKFORD DIOCESAN PRIESTS’ PENSION

After devoting their lives to bringing people closer to Christ, in retirement our priests continue to serve the faithful in a multitude of ways. They still offer Mass, serve as spiritual leaders, counselors, ministers to the sick, and much more. With gratitude for their years of faithful ministry, the Rockford Diocese has a Priests’ Pension Plan which helps support our 37 current retired priests and those that will retire in the future. Father Jerome Leake, who was ordained in 1968, has faithfully served the people of our diocese for over 50 years. Father Leake has served at Our Lady of Good Counsel and Sacred Heart parishes, as well as Aurora Central Catholic High School. Father Leake also served as a chaplain for the Aurora Police Department since 1975. Thank you, Father Leake, and all our retired priests, for your dedicated service. Last year, the faithful of our diocese contributed $201,650.

rockforddiocese.org/donate