Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Change is all around us.
We all experience it in our day-to-day life. We also see it within the life of our Church. It is when the world is changing we most need to place our trust in God who is our strength and our stronghold (Jeremiah 16:19).
You may have heard of changes in how we respond to diocesan-wide needs and support Catholics throughout their lives as they grow in faith. The new Catholic Ministry Appeal is replacing what was formerly called the Annual Pastoral Appeal. This is a big change.
I know our parishes and missions have been sharing information about the new Catholic Ministry Appeal. You also may have recently received a letter from me addressing it.
This change means that with the direct support of our parishioners, our shared diocesan ministries can keep offering outreach and service that help so many, and also enhance or add to what we do in Christ’s name, like the Courageous Youth Ministry Trainings.
Mackenzie Kraker, Coordinator of Youth Ministry Programs at Corpus Christi Parish, shared that she and her team have been participating in our Courageous Youth Ministry Trainings. She told me:
“I would definitely recommend Courageous Youth Ministry Trainings for any parish youth team. Our team was trying to expand so we could grow our ministry and help our teens in our parish grow in their Faith. We’ve learned how to effectively lead a small group, about how to lead prayer for virtual and in-person events which has been very helpful in the time of Covid, and also how to better plan our activities to make them more engaging for our teens and have more variety.”
Click here or below to view Mackenzie’s testimonial about her ministry at Corpus Christi and how they have benefited from collaboration with our diocesan Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
Mackenzie’s story is just one of thousands. There is amazing ministry going on in our diocese every day and I want it to flourish and grow! The Catholic Ministry Appeal will help us do that. Click here to learn more about the Catholic Ministry Appeal and the incredible Catholic ministries it supports.
None of this would be possible without you, and the thousands of your fellow Catholics who selflessly support our diocesan shared ministries—both spiritually and financially—each year. We have just launched our new Catholic Ministry Appeal, but more than 4,500 families from across the Diocese have already made a commitment! For all those who have already responded – thank you for your generosity and investment in our Catholic community.
For those still considering, I ask you to prayerfully consider helping us to courageously live the Gospel.
Sincerely Yours In Christ,
Bishop Gregory Parkes
Diocese of St. Petersburg
