CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte has announced the dates for eight special collections for 2023. These annual collections fund vital ministries and help support our priests and religious who give generously of their lives in service to the Church.
The 2023 special collections and their dates are as follows:
— Jan. 14-15: Combined Mission Collection. This annual collection funds five separate initiatives: the Collection for the Church in Latin America, the Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, the Catholic Home Missions Appeal, the United States Mission Appeal (Black and Indian Missions), and the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa.
— April 8-9 (Easter Sunday): Seminarian Education Collection. The Seminarian Education Program, in which 49 men are currently enrolled, is primarily funded through the annual Diocesan Support Appeal, the Friend to Seminarians Program, and this second collection.
— May 20-21: International/National Combined Collection. Donations received from this collection benefit five organizations: Catholic Relief Services, Collection for the Holy Land, Collection for the Works of the Holy Father (Peter’s Pence), The Catholic University of America, and the Catholic Communications Campaign.
— Sept. 23-24: Priests’ Retirement and Benefits. This collection taken up the weekend after the Eucharistic Congress goes to support the Diocese of Charlotte’s 87 diocesan priests actively serving the faithful of western North Carolina and 44 religious order priests from nine religious orders for whom retirement contributions will be made.
— Oct. 21-22: World Mission Sunday (Propagation of the Faith). This collection supports the work of the Church in its missions around the world.
— Nov. 4-5: Fall Seminarian Education Collection
— Nov. 18-19: Catholic Campaign for Human Development. This collection funds the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, established by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to help break the cycle of poverty by funding organizations that help people help themselves. With its mission of improving education, housing situations and local economic development, the CCHD continues to make a positive impact in communities nationwide. Twenty-five percent of the funds from this collection are put to use in the Charlotte diocese.
— Dec. 9-10: Religious Retirement. This appeal, coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, offers support for senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose communities lack sufficient retirement funding. Nationally, some 25,000 women and men religious past the age of 70 benefit.
— SueAnn Howell
More online
At www.charlottediocese.org/development: Learn more about these special collections as well as other ways to financially support the various ministries of the Church in western North Carolina, including the Diocesan Support Appeal and the Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte.