Beginning in October, the Diocese of Sacramento will change its current practice of quarterly combined collections for Catholic Church appeals to a new program of special collections in parishes on 10 Sundays in 2004-2005.

Bishop William K. Weigand approved the new collection schedule in June after a recommendation from the diocese’s Council of Priests.

The primary reason for the change is the decrease in support for national and worldwide church appeals during the past 14 years the diocese has utilized the combined collections approach, according to Paul Rieschick, diocesan director of development and stewardship.

The combined collections approach “has blurred the identity of the individual appeals,” Rieschick said. “We need to refresh the memories of all parishioners as to the plight of those who are aided by these appeals. The only way we will be able to give them the justice they desire is through the efforts in parishes.”

Rieschick said the new format will allow pastors to promote each appeal individually. Each pastor will receive information about the appeals to be included in parish bulletins.

Rieschick said he hopes the new program of second collections will help parishioners be more aware of the needs of the national and universal church.

“Parishioners will supply not only much-needed financial assistance, but also grow in the awareness that the body of Christ is made up of a rich diversity of people and needs,” he said.

Below is the schedule of second collections for the coming year in parishes, with a brief summary description of each collection.

ï Oct. 24, 2004: World Mission Sunday. A collection to support all the missions of the world.

ï Nov. 21, 2004: Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Established in 1969 to address the root causes of poverty in America, the CCHD supports and promotes projects that address the pervasive causes of poverty in the United States.

ï Dec. 12, 2004: Catholic communications. The Catholic Communications Campaign of the U.S. bishops produces and supports media projects that promote Gospel values and tells stories of faith alive today. This collection will also support the diocese’s “Bishop’s Hour” and The Catholic Herald and El Heraldo Catolico.

ï March 13, 2005. American Bishops’ Overseas Appeal (with the Church in Central and Eastern Europe): The collection will support Catholic Relief Services, the Holy Father’s relief fund, Migration and Refugee Services and the Department of Social Development and World Peace of the U.S. bishops, and the needs of the church in Central and Eastern Europe.

ï April 24, 2005: Catholic Home Missions. A collection to support places where the Catholic Church struggles to keep parishes open and to educate people in the faith, and to assist with evangelization efforts within Native American and African-American communities.

ï May 15, 2005: Church in Latin America. A collection to assist church organizations in addressing the pastoral needs of those in Latin America and the Caribbean.

ï June 26, 2005: Peter’s Pence collection. This collection enables the Holy Father to respond with emergency assistance to the most disadvantaged throughout the world ñ those who suffer as a result of war, oppression and natural disasters.

ï Aug. 14, 2005: Catholic communications (see Dec. 12, 2004 above).

ï Sept. 18, 2005: Priests’ retirement. A collection for the Priests’ Retirement Fund to help insure adequate benefits for the retired priests of the diocese.

ï Oct. 23, 2005: World Mission Sunday (see Oct. 24, 2004 above)

ï Nov. 20, 2005: Catholic Campaign for Human Development (see Nov. 21, 2004 above).

ï Dec. 11, 2005: Retirement Fund for the Religious. A collection to address and eradicate the retirement shortfalls of the more than 40,000 brothers, sisters and priests of U.S. religious orders who are more than 70 years old.

Rieschick said that the date for the Annual Catholic Appeal in the diocese next year is Feb. 13, 2005.

For more information about the new special collection schedule, call the Office of Development and Stewardship at (916) 733-0266.

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