In the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the Easter season is always the time for the Annual Catholic Appeal, and so as we continue to celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection during these days, I am asking for your prayerful support and pledge for the Annual Catholic Appeal, whose theme this year is “For the Life of the World.” Jesus gave us the Eucharist, his Body and Blood, as a help to eternal life. We pray that through our fidelity and sacrifice, the life of Christ may be shared with the entire world, especially those who are most in need.

The Annual Catholic Appeal supports the many ministries and charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. This year the Appeal hopes to raise $15.5 million to support our Archdiocesan grade schools and high schools, Special Education, our Seminary, the Catholic Youth Apostolate, Hispanic Ministry, the Respect Life Apostolate, the Office of Peace & Justice, the Office of Racial Harmony, Criminal Justice Ministry, the meals program at Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Catholic Charities, and so many other agencies and ministries of our Archdiocese. Our St. Margaret of Scotland parish benefits from the Annual Catholic Appeal in many ways, as our faculty attend professional development classes subsidized by the ACA, couples preparing for marriage at St. Margaret attend Marriage Preparation classes and Natural Family Planning introductions funded by the ACA, and every registered household receives the Catholic St. Louis magazine funded by the ACA. In addition, our parish is part of the multi-parish Immigrant & Refugee Ministry, funded by the ACA. This weekend, our parish welcomes Pete Cerrone from the Today & Tomorrow Educational Foundation, who will speak to us about the ACA and encourage our participation.

In previous years, our parish has been very supportive of the Annual Catholic Appeal, and I hope that we can work together this year for even greater success. This year our Parish Goal is $53,228. Last year our parish raised $60,504, so that is our challenge goal for this year. In addition, we have a new donor goal of 45, so we are looking for at least 45 individuals or households who did not give last year to make a gift this year. Last year, just 19% of our parishioners participated in the Annual Catholic Appeal, and I would very much like to see that number increase significantly. To help us meet these goals, I am asking you to make a pledge to the Annual Catholic Appeal in the next two weeks. I have already made my pledge to the Annual Catholic Appeal.  Will you do the same?

Pledge cards for the ACA have been mailed to all our households, and you should have received yours this past week. You may return them by mail, in the collection, or to the rectory. If you have previously made your gift, given online, or given electronically, there is no need to return your card, but you may do so, indicating that you have already made your gift. Please consider a long-term pledge given over the course of the year.  Still, no gift is too small, so even giving $5 or $10 is a gift that can make a real difference in our parish participation goal, our new donor goal, or our financial goals. If your company has a matching gift option, please choose that so that your gift can go even farther. If for some reason, you cannot make a pledge, please still sign and return your card so that we have an accounting of all our parishioners.

I’m grateful to Ian and Lisa Mulligan, who are our parish ACA chairs for this year, and who will be speaking at the Masses next weekend to encourage your participation. Thanks to our parish office staff for arranging all the details of the campaign. And thanks to all who will make a gift or a pledge to the Annual Catholic Appeal. I offer this thanks in the name of all those who are assisted by your generosity. May God bless you, and may God bless the effort of the Annual Catholic Appeal!