2007 Bishop’s Fund Appeal ~ Companions on the
Journey
"In the last month the Good Samaritan Fund, has delivered for the Malone
Catholic Parishes alone, real help and hope to a family with a sick child
and in another instance, a single mother struggling with medical and family
expenses. This kind of quiet charity reflects the everyday kindness of
the people of the North Country. It is all done through the Bishop's
Fund and in your name."
– Rev. Msgr. Dennis Duprey, Pastor, Malone Catholic Parishes
Kindness and appreciation, these are common feelings associated with the
Bishop’s Fund Appeal. How fortunate we are to live in a diocese where
love and generosity are shown to our “Companions on the Journey.”
In 1959 under the leadership of Bishop James Navagh the Diocesan Development
Fund presently known as the Bishop’s Fund Appeal was born. In 1969 the
Bishop’s Fund Appeal changed from supporting the building of structures, to
the support of ministries serving the needs of the people through programs
and services. Since the inception of the Bishop’s Fund Appeal more
than one hundred thousand lives have been touched each year by the generous
support of the North Country faithful.
This past year, as a result of the tremendous generosity of parishioners
across the diocese the 2006-2007 Appeal exceeded its goal. With
funds raised beyond the goal of $ 1.1M the following ministries and outreach
objectives benefited:
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Guggenheim Center – Thanks to the generosity of our Bishop’s Fund donors, we
will be able to refurbish and update our kitchen and dining room building at
Guggenheim. Our plans include a slight enlarging of the cooking area, new
kitchen and dining room floor, newer dish washer, appliances, cookware and
storage racks, refurbishing of our old but sturdy stove, upgrading of fire/
safety system, plumbing and electrical work as well as fresh paint for the
interior. Each improvement we have been able to make has not only helped to
make our Center more pleasant and enjoyable, but helped to provide safe and
modernized environment for all our campers.
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Catholic Charities Serving Our Seniors Program - The quality of life of an
individual or couple in their senior years is impacted by many things.
Many of these things may be good and others are more challenging. Through
the Serving Our Seniors program, counseling and financial assistance is
offered to help these individuals and couples address the difficult issues
they may be facing.
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Catholic Education and Formation- Grants to schools will be available,
through an application process, for the purchase of religion textbooks and
instructional support materials for the textbook series and family life
programs and school-wide programs that actively involve parents in the faith
formation of their children.
During the past year, requests for assistance through the Good Samaritan
Fund have been received in record numbers. Pastors across the diocese
have called upon the Bishop’s Good Samaritan Fund to give support to
parishioners who have lost their homes to fire, have sick children and other
particular hardships. The 2007 Bishop’s Fund Appeal will begin on the
weekend of September 15 and 16 with a goal of $ 1.15M. Any funds
raised beyond this goal will be used to supplement the Bishop’s Good
Samaritan Fund.
Along with supporting the Bishop’s Good Samaritan Fund, your gift to the
Bishop’s Fund supports the following Ministries and Programs of the Diocese
of Ogdensburg:
Tuition Assistance Program - Supports parents in their efforts to provide
their children with a quality Catholic school education. That support
is felt very deeply at our Catholic Schools across the diocese.
“Approximately 52 students out of 115 students benefited this year from the
Bishop’s Fund. We wouldn’t be able to exist without the help of the
Bishop’s Fund.” – Sr. Sharon Dalton, Principal, St. Mary’s School in
Ticonderoga.
Campus Ministry Program - Supports Campus Ministries at the nine colleges
located throughout our Diocese.
Matching Gifts to Catholic Schools - Dispenses the matching grants to
Catholic Schools.
Education of Seminarians - Enables our seminarians to pursue God’s call to
the priesthood by assisting with tuition, room and board and medical
insurance.
Continuing Education & Formation of Clergy- Conducts programs and
conferences that support the on-going formation and education of the priests
for the Diocese.
Priests’ Graduate Studies- Provides graduate studies for priests in
sacramental theology, scripture, moral theology, Canon Law, counseling, and
philosophy, among other areas of concentration.
Vocation Office- Fosters and promotes Church vocations to the ministerial
priesthood and the consecrated life in the Diocese of Ogdensburg.
“Everybody knows today that it is a great challenge to respond to a
vocation to the priesthood or to the religious life. There are all
kinds of different obstacles that get placed in a young man or young woman’s
response to a call from God. To be ordained a priest requires at least
four years of education and formation after his undergraduate degree.
Whenever a new vocation enters into the church it is a time of great
rejoicing, so whatever we can do to support those new vocations is greatly
appreciated. How fitting that these Sisters and Brothers and Fathers
of the church of God be supported by the whole family of God.”
- Rev. Bryan Stitt, Secretary to Bishop and Associate Vocation Director.
Ordained Deacons/Deacon Formation- Funds the spiritual, pastoral and
academic instruction of candidates as well as facilitating assignments,
organizing ministerial activities and continuing education opportunities.
Formation for Ministry Program- Provides academic, pastoral and spiritual
formation for sponsored persons ministering or seeking to minister in local
parishes or recognized pastoral ministries within the Diocese of Ogdensburg.
Bishop’s Fund Office- Executes all the financial aspects of the Bishop’s
Fund Appeal while maintaining the 45,000+ records of the families in the
diocese. It oversees the budgets for each of the nineteen agencies and
programs that are supported by the Bishop’s Fund Appeal
Family Life Office- Prepares and educates us about the covenant vocation of
marriage and family life. This ministry encourages couples to be a
living sacrament, a sign of God’s love, life and service in our world; and
supports families through changing life cycles and nurtures the holiness of
family life.
Natural Family Planning Office- Helps couples live as good stewards of God’s
gifts of married love and fertility. It offers classes, as well as
ongoing support and consultation, for couples committed to this moral,
effective, marriage-building way of life.
Respect Life Ministry- Dedicated to building a culture of life through
education, communication and advocacy. This ministry provides
educational materials at Diocesan events on a variety of life issues through
pastors and parish respect life coordinators.
Office of Evangelization- Provides an adult faith formation program called
Why Catholic by which people of parishes grow in the life of Christ through
experience, reflection, prayers and study. This program also offers an
invitation to inactive Catholics to “come and see” again how rich their
Catholic Faith is. Approximately 3,700 Catholics participated in the
first session of Why Catholic.
“Why Catholic gave us the opportunity to do an exceptional amount of
outreach to the Catholic Community and the larger community as well.
Another element of Why Catholic, that I think has been important is, it got
folks to think about their personal faith and relationship with Christ.
We have in our church here a group starting up in the summer, where they on
their own came together and asked if they could have a Why Catholic group
studying the Sunday scripture. I am pretty confident that it will
sustain itself.” – Rev. Stephen Gratto, Pastor at St. Martin’s Port Leyden
and St. John’s Lyons Falls
Department of Worship- Provides training sessions for Lectors and
Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, conducts workshops for liturgical
musicians and singers and provides liturgical formation to deacons and lay
ministers. This ministry also offers assistance in areas of church art
and architecture, music and liturgy. The primary purpose is to help
parishes develop vibrant liturgy and worship services.
Department of Christian Formation- Through its central office in Ogdensburg
and the regional offices in Watertown, Plattsburgh, and Ogdensburg, it
assists parishes in establishing and maintaining religious education
programs and formation. Those wishing to become religious educators
progress through various formation programs, with the end result being a
certified catechist qualified to teach religious education in parishes.
Diocesan Center of Youth Ministry- A leader for many years in reaching out
and ministering to the youth population of the diocese, this ministry is
accomplished through a unique mix of faith-enhancing and recreational
experiences which allow young people to explore and grow in their Catholic
Faith. Beyond the continued work with the diocese’s young people, the
Center also reaches out to parishes to assist them in establishing youth
ministry programs, adult training and ways to enhance their existing youth
programs.
Young Adult Ministry- Reaches out to young adults in their late teens
through their thirties. This ministry provides opportunities for young
adults to mature in faith and spirituality and invites individuals to take
personal responsibility for sharing in the ministry of their parishes.
Guggenheim Center- A summer retreat and camp for children, young adults and
adults.
Your gift, whatever the amount, helps the Diocese reach out to thousands
each year. Please prayerfully consider a gift to support this year’s
Appeal. Donations can be sent to Bishop’s Fund Appeal, PO Box 369,
Ogdensburg, New York 13669 or visit us at
www.dioogdensburg.org/development
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