Catholics throughout the Diocese of Sacramento are being asked to donate this month to the 2007 Annual Catholic Appeal, to assist many organizations that serve people in need in Northern California.

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

In 2006, 7,596 donors throughout the diocese contributed a record-breaking $1,136,768 in gifts and pledges, making the appeal the most successful in its 16-year history. As a result, participating charities received a 15.7 percent increase over 2005.

Approximately 80,000 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 keep in mind facts regarding people in poverty living in the diocese:

• At any given time, there are as many as 400,000 people in the 20 counties who live in poverty. Last year, tens of thousands of people sought help through programs supported by the annual appeal.

• Drastic cuts in private and public funding continue to threaten local programs, including many operated by the diocese’s Catholic social services.

“Unfortunately, there will always be those among us who suffer from poverty of mind, body or spirit, who need immediate relief and care,” the bishop said. “Recalling that ‘the Eucharist commits us to the poor,’ it is our responsibility to respond as best we can.”

The bishop added that the initiatives set forth in the 2004 Diocesan Synod “also call us to share our blessings of time, talent and financial resources which God has given each and every one of us.”

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 in English and Spanish featuring Bishop Weigand and other parish and charities’ leaders in the diocese will be played during Masses in parishes on the appeal commitment weekend, Feb. 17-18.

Four versions of 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.

Father Michael Kiernan, vicar for social services for the diocese, said 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 agency programs and parish ministries aided by the appeal.

“In our world today, helping families, persons alone, homeless or suffering mental illness, those hurt by drug use, people carrying personal burdens, children or adults needing counseling, or in need of the basic necessities of life, is an essential part of the church’s ministry,” he said. “The Annual Catholic Appeal allows us to serve anyone in need following the example of Jesus.”

For a third year, 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. More than $265,000 from the appeal was returned to parishes in 2006.

Parishes and throughout the diocese used their 25 percent share in various ways to help the less fortunate. Agencies also used their funding for various services. Among some of the examples from a survey conducted by the diocese’s Social Service Ministry office are:

• St. Joseph Parish in Yreka offered a hot meal to anyone in need every Saturday afternoon.

• In Chico, the Catholic Ladies Relief Society offered baby food and disposable diapers to families with young children.

• St. Patrick Parish in Weaverville responded to the needs of those living in difficult circumstances by joining other area churches to support several ecumenical ministries, including the weekly soup kitchen in Douglas City.

• St. Christopher Parish in Galt supplied food, diapers and baby formula to a local safe house for women escaping a violent environment.

• Holy Cross Parish in West Sacramento provided food, rent and utility bill assistance to those in need.

• St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Sacramento supported Sacramento Area Congregations Together, a community organizing group, in leadership development activities.

• Sacred Heart Parish in Maxwell used its funds to assist migrant workers who struggle to make ends meet.

• The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Mel Parish in Fair Oaks provided emergency rent and utility bill assistance.

• St. John Vianney Parish in Rancho Cordova helped support the Cordova Community Food Locker with funds and volunteers.

• Sacred Heart Parish in Susanville collaborated with the local Salvation Army to provide emergency food to local families.

• St. Patrick Parish in Grass Valley helped to fund participation in an interfaith program that provides shelter during the cold winter months.

• St. Ignatius Loyola Parish in Sacramento collected and shipped hundreds of books to its sister parish in Zambia and also joined other churches in building a house for a family in Del Paso Heights.

• St. Isidore Parish in Yuba City helped immigrants achieve citizenship and to become active participants in the life of the parish and community.

• St. Monica Parish in Willows helped travelers with shelter and gas.

• The Catholic Ladies Relief Society of Holy Family Parish in Citrus Heights helped local people with emergency food needs.

• Francis House in Sacramento provided bus passes so people could get to job interviews, classes and day care.

• Wellspring Women’s Center in Sacramento was able to remodel its kitchen so the agency could provide a more nutritious breakfast to women and their children.

• St. Anthony Parish in Winters provided a weekly emergency food and clothing ministry.

• St. Basil Parish in Vallejo established a “Good Samaritan Fund” to help people facing exceptional situations. In one instance, the fund helped a single mother with a funeral and burial for her 17-year-old son, who died suddenly and tragically.

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 and Family Services, Centro Guadalupe, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Patrick’s Children’s Home and the Cathedral Neighborhood Senior Center in Sacramento.

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, the Catholic Ladies Relief Society in Chico, Mercy Education Resource Center in Sacramento, Mother Teresa Maternity Home in Placerville, the Community Assistance Network (Quincy, Portola and Greenville), the Salvation Army Food Shelf in Susanville, and Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center, Wellspring Women’s Center and WIND Youth Center in Sacramento.

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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