At my parish, Holy Trinity, we are blessed to have a large and vibrant faith community with programs and ministries that promote worship and ongoing  formation. Still, I am mindful that Holy Trinity fits into a worldwide Catholic Church. While we may have much in common with other parishes in terms of beliefs and worship, we must also recognize the great diversity that exists in terms of resources and needs. The annual Catholic Services Appeal gives all Catholics a great opportunity to extend the stewardship they practice in their parishes to that wider church. For me, it is a very simple matter: the CSA funds a wide variety of programs and ministries - more than 100 - that are on a scale that is well beyond the ability of any single parish.

These programs:
* Promote and teach the Catholic faith.
* Serve the spiritual and human needs of individuals and families.
* Care for the poor and needy.
* Provide essential support services for our parishes and schools.

While I may never have reason to become involved with many of these CSA-funded programs, I can quickly call to mind several that are benefitting my parish right now. Read more...

Dan Kelley has been a member of Holy Trinity for 17 years.

To make a gift to the Catholic Services Appeal, click here.

Greetings and blessings to you from the Eternal City! This Sunday morning I had the pleasure of joining in a special outdoor Mass celebrated by our Holy Father to mark the official opening of the synod and to canonize two saints - John of Avila and Hildegard of Bingen.

Archbishop's view from North American College.

I looked for priests from Louisville in Rome and at the Mass and did not find them, but met two retired priests of Covington, Kentucky, so I was partly successful. I spent most of my time beginning to meet bishops with whom I will participate in the synod. They come from every continent.

It was wonderful to meet the other synod delegates. The real work of this three-week long synod - called the "New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith" - begins tomorrow morning. Later this afternoon I will meet with Cardinal Dolan and the other United States bishop delegates to make final plans.

 

The signal that the work of the synod has arrived for me was the assignment of my seat - row E, seat 9 in section 1 - and my badge. Tomorrow I will submit my intervention on the "Blessing of the Child in the Womb" and begin the process of listening to many five-minute presentations as we all seek themes to hold up for our Church as we announce again the good news of Jesus Christ. Read More...