January 24, 2003

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
Bud Bunce (503) 233-8373
bbunce@archdpdx.org

Parishioners asked to support the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal

        The Archbishop's Catholic Appeal supports a number of ministries and services
that reach out to all parishes in the Archdiocese of Portland. More than 80 ministries
and programs are supported through the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal. These
ministries include the training of future priests, assisting Catholic schools in the
Archdiocese, youth and young adult ministry, ethnic ministries, the continuing
education, health and retirement care of priests and pastoral care ministries.

        The theme for this year's Archbishop's Catholic Appeal is "For the Glory of God."
The mission statement for the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal states, "The Archbishop's
Catholic Appeal helps us do more as a Local Church and archdiocese. It helps us to
bring Christ's love, truth and light to all our brother and sisters."

        The Appeal helps a number of ministries that provide pastoral care throughout
the Archdiocese of Portland. This includes providing financial support for religious
education, marriage and family life, ministry formation, ministry to the aging, ministry
with people with disabilities, prison ministries and pro-life activities. The Archbishop's
Catholic Appeal helps the Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education fund the training
of volunteer catechists, provides numerous formation classes and workshops
throughout the Archdiocese and helps to support the annual Catechetical Conference.
Cathy Shannon, Director of the Office of Religious Education, said, "without the appeal,
we couldn't keep the cost down on our training and our programs that we provide to
parishes and people in the archdiocese. The Archbishop's Catholic Appeal helps us
offer scholarships and provide opportunities so nobody is kept from coming to classes
or workshops."

        The Archbishop's Catholic Appeal supports ministry to youth in a number of
ways. It helps provide tuition grants for students who would not be able to afford a
Catholic education. It also provides scholarship funding for a variety of youth and young
adult events and training programs. Randy Kollars, Director of Youth and Young Adult
Ministry, notes the importance of youth ministry, "What we need to do as a Church is to
be walking with them and offering the Gospel as their foundation and guiding force so
it's not just nice, feel good, secular humanism guiding young people." The Youth and
Young Adult Ministry is assisted by the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal allowing for the
ongoing training program for coordinators of youth ministry, promoting pastoral
leadership, retreats, and support for the Archdiocesan Youth Conference and the
Archdiocesan Young Adult Conference.

        The goal for the 2003 Archbishop's Catholic Appeal is $2,677,500. Each parish
and mission in the Archdiocese has an individual goal ranging from $216 at Holy Trinity
Mission in Brownsville to $90,165 for St. Pius X parish in Cedar Mill. Parishes will
announce the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal during the weekend of February 8-9, and
commitment weekend will take place the weekend of February 15-16. Catholics
throughout the Archdiocese are encouraged to be as generous as possible in their
support for the various ministries made possible by the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal.

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