Catholics throughout the Diocese of Sacramento are being asked to donate this month to the “15th Season of Giving,” the 2005 Annual Catholic Appeal, to assist many organizations that serve the needy in Northern California.

Monies from the appeal will help fund 20 different charitable organizations and agencies, which run more than 100 life-sustaining programs.

Approximately 85,000 Catholic households in the 20-county diocese recently received advance notice of the appeal through a eight-page mailer and gift envelope sent to them by the diocese’s Office of Stewardship and Development.

Bishop William K. Weigand, writing to potential donors, asked them to consider two new developments regarding this year’s appeal:

• Drastic cuts in private and public funding have left many community programs, including many operated by the diocese’s Catholic social services, in imminent peril.

• For the first time in the history of the appeal, 25 percent of donors’ contributions will be returned to their own parish for its social service outreach activities. Each parish community can decide how these funds will be used to best assist the less fortunate in the parish area.

“The most fundamental calling of our Catholic faith asks that we take responsibility for those who suffer from poverty of mind, body or spirit,” the bishop said. “By the grace of God, we do this by sharing the time, talent and financial resources he has given each and every one of us. We are called to do this as often as we can.”

Paul Rieschick, director of stewardship and development for the diocese, said as part of the promotional effort for the appeal, posters, bulletin announcements, extra mailers and gift envelopes have been mailed to all pastors in the diocese.

An audio CD featuring Bishop Weigand, Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Garcia and others in the diocese will be played during Masses in parishes on “Commitment Sunday” weekend, Feb. 12-13, the first Sunday of Lent.

Rieschick said three versions the ACA mailer were designed to cover different regions of the diocese. Each of the mailers includes personal stories of people who have suffered the indignities of poverty and have been helped by some of the organizations funded by the appeal.

He said recent changes to the appeal were suggested last summer by a focus group of clergy, parishioners and social service agency leaders who were called together to evaluate previous outreach and publicity efforts.

“People in our diocese need to know how many people are struggling each day to meet their basic needs,” Rieschick said. “As incredible as it may seem, thousands of people in the 20 counties of our diocese suffer on a daily basis just as those in Sri Lanka, Thailand and India are suffering.”

He added that thousands of disadvantaged older people, foster teenagers, children, refugees, working families, immigrants, pregnant women, homeless persons and the mentally ill depend on many of the programs aided by the appeal to overcome their circumstances.

The annual appeal ensures financial support for numerous diocesan-related programs and services, including Catholic Social Service (Northern Valley, Solano and Sacramento), Sacramento Food Bank Services, Centro Guadalupe, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Patrick’s Children’s Home, and the Cathedral Neighborhood Senior Center.

The appeal also helps sustain many other organizations with funds, including Anderson-Cottonwood Christian Assistance, the Sacramento Life Center, Yuba-Sutter Right to Life, Francis House in Sacramento, Mercy Education Resource Center in Sacramento, Mother Teresa Maternity Home in Placerville, and Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center, Wellspring Women’s Center and WIND Youth Center in Sacramento.

Rieschick said donors can drop their gift envelopes with pledge commitment in the Sunday collection at their parish or send their donation directly to the Diocese of Sacramento (2110 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95818). Envelopes will also be available at parishes.

Contributors can make a one-time gift or can be billed for their pledge on a monthly basis over a period of nine months. They can also charge their gift to their credit card or authorize automatic payment from a checking or savings account.

For more information about the Annual Catholic Appeal, call the Office of Stewardship and Development at (916) 733-0266.

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