WASHINGTON – On the weekend of May 31-June 1, many Catholic dioceses in the United States will take the annual collection for the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign in their parishes. The collection helps the Church spread the Gospel message using modern media tools to inform, inspire, and enlighten.
“While the timeless message of the Gospel remains unchanged, the ways we share it must keep pace with a rapidly evolving media landscape. Your generosity to this collection makes that possible. When you give at Mass, half of your gift remains in your own diocese for local communications efforts while the other half supports nationwide efforts of the bishops of the United States,” said Bishop William D. Byrne of Springfield in Massachusetts, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Communications.
Last year, more than $3.7 million supported national and international communications, while an equivalent amount underwrote local Catholic efforts ranging from podcasts to print magazines to websites. Examples of how dioceses used their share of the collection include:
- The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, which produced a print magazine and two podcasts focusing on the power of faith and the work of the Holy Spirit in the diocese.
- The Diocese of Tucson, which purchased equipment to produce high quality podcasts and YouTube videos in both English and Spanish that can better reach and include the diocese’s growing Spanish-speaking population.
- The Diocese of Raleigh, which built digital platforms that seamlessly integrate news of the diocese, its parishes and the worldwide church across diocesan and parish websites and social media.
The largest portion of the national share of the collection supports Catholic News Service Rome, which produces accurate, professional, and thorough coverage of the Pope, his global ministry and the Vatican offices that serve him
The national campaign also supports efforts of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to share the work of the bishops, such as through its “5 Minutes with a Bishop” videos, which feature individual bishops speaking about their pastoral work and their daily lives as pastoral leaders.
“The Church is called to testify to the power and love of Jesus, and the Catholic Communication Campaign provides resources for bringing that timeless truth to people in new and traditional ways,” Bishop Byrne said.
Some dioceses take this collection on other dates. Those who wish to give but are unable to do so at Mass may give online at #iGiveCatholicTogether to support the bishops’ national communications programs.
For more information on the Catholic Communication Campaign visit https://www.usccb.org/committees/catholic-communication-campaign
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