by Bill Maloney
This weekend we kick off Archbishop’s Call to Share 2023. Thank you for your past support. We are hopeful that with your gifts, we can achieve our goal of $7 million this year.
Archbishop’s Call to Share (ACTS) supports more than 40 ministries of the archdiocese. These ministries impact lives and our community. Your gift will help form a child in the faith, prepare couples for marriage, foster strong marriages, help a mother in a crisis pregnancy and provide faith formation for adults.
It supports Catholic Charities, the Catholic Education Foundation and our Catholic campus centers. These are just a few ways that gifts to Call to Share change lives.
Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker envisioned how we could all work together as Catholics when he established Call to Share in 1975. Beginning in 1973, Archbishop Strecker called together Catholics of all ages, priests and religious to draw up recommendations for the future of the church. More than 25,000 people contributed their insights.
The study revealed the need for outreach ministries and services. Catholics became aware that ministries beyond the scope of their parishes demanded the attention and support of all parishes striving toward common goals.
With that, the archdiocese established Call to Share. For 48 years, the faithful of our archdiocese have been coming together to support these vital ministries that no one parish could provide on its own.
Over the next few weeks, you will hear more about Call to Share at your parish. You will hear from your pastor and possibly from one of the ministries supported by the appeal. You are invited to review the spread in the center section of this edition to learn more about where your gifts are put to use.
One of the unique and beautiful aspects of our Catholic faith is that it exists and thrives well beyond the borders of our parishes. Call to Share is an opportunity for all of us to bring the light of Christ to people throughout northeast Kansas.
Archbishop Naumann refers to Call to Share as our Catholic moment. It is our moment to make a gift out of gratitude for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed on us. It is our time to shine a light in the darkness.
Our Gospel this Sunday recalls the story of the Magi: “They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mt 2:11). Let us follow the Magi’s example and bring our gifts to the altar to glorify Our Lord.
