Annual and Occasional Appeals
The Center for Mission is the official office of the U.S. Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. In addition to representing PMS activities, the Center for Mission serves the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis – parishes and individuals – by offering worldwide mission experiences, education, engagement programs and by providing bridges of prayer and financial gifts for our archdiocese to mission diocese worldwide. Additionally, there are many “mission” opportunities right here in our own archdiocese that receive support from the Center for Mission.
This is all supported through the Center for Mission by appeals through parishes, schools and/or individuals for Pontifical Mission Societies, CRS and U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
A list of the appeals from the Center for Mission are below organized by season.
LENT:
Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl (Parishes, Schools and Homes)
Raises awareness and support for CRS programs that feed the hungry worldwide. Activities include prayers, fasting and almsgiving. 25% of total collections for CRS are returned to the archdiocese for hunger relief in our neighborhoods. For more information contact Janine Ricker>> or www.crsricebowl.org
Global Solidarity Sunday (Parishes)
Collection that raises support for USCCB priorities for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, in Latin America, in Africa and for specific CRS programs regarding social development, immigration and refugee services. For more information, contact Janine Ricker>>.
Society for the Propagation of the Faith (Homes)
Collection for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, a Pontifical Mission Society, to provide spiritual and material aid to over 1,150 mission dioceses in over 200 countries around the world. For more information, contact Eric Simon>>.
Living Water Project
This collection and learning project is specifically designed for students to enter into the lives of our partnership children in Kitui, Kenya. Students receive a daily calendar during Lent or the Easter season which has pictures, prayers and descriptions of the severe drought and the societal experiences from that lack of water. Students receive individual water bottles that they can add coins as almsgiving. For information, contact Janine Ricker.
EASTER SEASON:
Holy Land Collection (Parishes)
Collection that provides financial resources for the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land who have responsibility for the Christian places and people in the Holy Land. This includes staffing and maintaining holy places, medical and charitable programs for Christians, pastoral activities and educational programs…all in the Holy Land. For more information, contact Mickey Friesen>> or www.myfranciscan.org
Catholic Home Missions Appeal (Parishes)
Collection provides resources to strengthen the Church in the U.S. by providing funds to enhance pastoral ministry through catechesis, seminarian and lay training and education and more in mission dioceses. A portion of the collection is allocated to U.S. mission activity for the Black and Indian Mission Office which benefit several institutions in our archdiocese. For information, contact, Eric Simon>>
SUMMER:
Peter’s Pence Collection for the Holy Father (Parishes)
This collection unites us in solidarity to the Holy See as it provides the Holy Father with financial means to respond to the needs of the Holy See and to those suffering from war, oppression, natural disaster, and disease. For more information, contact Mickey Friesen>>.
FALL/ADVENT/CHRISTMAS:
World Mission Sunday (Parishes, Schools, Religious Organizations)
A collection taken to support the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and it’s work throughout the world. By engaging in this unique appeal, parishes are in solidarity with all other parishes, schools, and religious organizations worldwide as they are also taking a collection on this same day. For additional information, contact Eric Simon>>.
Center for Mission Appeal (Homes)
This appeal to donors collects funds that are necessary to continue serving the archdiocese with mission education, programs, experiences, disaster support, trips and more. Our mission is to bring opportunities for a deeper, relevant experience of mission to Catholics in the archdiocese. We do not receive any funding for our activities from the archdiocese or Pontifical Mission Societies and only remain active through support from our donors. For more information, contact Eric Simon>>.
Catholic Campaign for Human Development (Parishes)
US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ initiative to aid anti-poverty groups attempting to address root causes of poverty and move people of low-income from reliance to self-sufficiency. Emphasis of support is on local archdiocesan organizations. Activity includes appeal collections and opportunities for grants. Adam Fitzpatrick>>
Occasional
During the year, the Center for Mission can be asked to initiate an appeal in parishes for disaster relief or other crises. An example is the 2015 collection for Nepal Earthquake Relief through Catholic Relief Services.
Mission Cooperation Plan (Parishes)
Every year, the Center for Mission invites representatives from religious organizations, mission dioceses, and religious congregations to apply for an opportunity to speak at parishes in the archdiocese during one weekend to collect donations for their mission causes. Presently, almost every parish in the archdiocese is included in the MCP program between April and August. This generates mission awareness among parishioners and offers an opportunity to sacrifice for our struggling brothers and sisters worldwide. For most recent applications, Click Here>>
(The Center for Mission makes every attempt to maximize the amount that is forwarded to each of the appeals. This is accomplished by minimizing the overhead cost to create materials, supervise and manage gifts of support. Thus, for every dollar provided, an average of 90 cents is sent to the appeal.)
