2017-2018 Catholic Ministry Appeal

Every dollar received in the CMA is used directly or indirectly to fund ministries affecting every Catholic and faith community in our
diocese. Your generous gift to the CMA helps fund:
• Welcoming new Catholics through RCIA
• Honoring marriage and preparing engaged couples
• Providing faith formation programs for youth
• Giving support for families, elderly and the infirmed
• Encouraging religious vocations 
• Providing parishes with services they would be pressed to supply on their own to Assisting Catholic Charities
• Teaming with arch/diocese nationwide and supporting Vatican ministries
• Reaching out to the poor, homeless and hungry
• Spreading the Gospel through the communications media

Letters were sent out this past week from Bishop Matano asking for our support of this year's Catholic Ministries Appeal {CMA). When you receive the mailing from Bishop Matano, it will include a brochure, letter, pledge card and return envelope. Please read the material carefully and give prayerful consideration to your participation. If you are a newly registered parishioner or if you didn't receive a mailing, extra copies of the brochure and pledge forms will be available in the church vestibules.
I will once again be making a personal gift this year to help Good Shepherd Catholic Community reach our parish goal. I sincerely hope that you will as well. The CMA goal of $6.55 million an increase of 3.15% above last year's goal. The sacrificial gifts of Catholics like you and me throughout the Diocese helps to support ministries and programs like the ones mentioned above. I know that you will prayerfully consider the Bishop's request.

How much should I give?
That is a personal decision you must make. Each of us is called to reflect the compassion and generosity of Jesus, who gave his very life for us.
We are called to be good stewards of all the many blessings God has bestowed on us as we follow him in true discipleship. It means God asks us to use our blessings well, to help others, to share our bounty so that our wealth, however large or small, does good for God and returns to God with increase.

I am well aware that we have had a lot of Second collections recently for various needs. Your response to the Hurricane Victims in the Houston area was extremely generous! The devastating damage in the southern U.S. and many areas in the Caribbean from Hurricane Irma was even more wide-spread and we once again are being asked to help our brothers and sisters in need. So please be generous in next weekend's second collection to assist victims of Hurricane lrma.4

Your gift to the CMA does not need to be paid all at once. You can make a pledge and make payments on your pledge through May of 2018. This might be a good alternative this year with all the second collections we have had recently and school tax time at hand. Once again I thank you for your faithfulness and generosity.