DDF 2024
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February 2, 2024As your Parish Administrator, I want to thank you for choosing to be a member of our parish. We are so blessed you have chosen to be part of our parish family and that you live out your Catholic faith in prayer, worship and action.
Today, I am writing to invite you to invest in your faith and our Catholic community by giving to the 2024 DDF Annual Appeal. In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35). Through the Eucharist and His love, God has blessed us all with so much.
Over the coming year, we will be focusing on some diocesan ministries that are vital to the life of our Church and the people of God - ministries that give hope to our Catholic community in the Diocese of San Bernardino. Ministries like: Seminarian Formation and Education that provides future priests with foundational tools needed before providing sacraments central to the practice of our faith; Ongoing Care for our Priests that provides ongoing educational opportunities for our current priests and medical and spiritual care for our retired priests who have us as Christ’s example here on earth; Social Concerns that provides services to our men and women as a prophetic voice by proclaiming and advancing our Catholic values in the world.
One common question we get is, “If I am giving to my parish, is it still important to give to the DDF Annual Appeal?” The answer is Yes! The programs of our local parish are very important because much of the work of the Church and the Diocese takes place within the parish community. But there are certain specialized services for which the Diocese, our larger church, has to take responsibility like: caring for our retired priests, educating our seminarians, and forming our deacons, sisters, brothers, and lay people, just to name a few.
So out of the deep gratitude we have for God, our parish, and our diocese, I invite all 7,561 registered families of our beloved Parish of St. Paul the Apostle to give to the DDF Annual Appeal this year. I believe we can do it, one family at a time. I hope to see all of your names on the list. I invite you to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as you prepare to respond with a generous heart:Lord, we ask for Your divine inspiration, that our DDF Annual Appeal may continue to be a source of hope for those in need. Bless our efforts, so we may provide sustenance for both body and soul, just as You provide nourishment for our spirits.
As we come together, let the spirit of generosity flourish in our hearts. May we be instruments of Your love, sharing the blessings You have bestowed upon us. In this annual appeal, may our faith, love, and compassion shine brightly, illuminating the path for those seeking hope.
We entrust this appeal to Your loving care, confident that with Your guidance, we can make a difference in the lives of those we serve. "Bread of Life, source of our hope," we ask for Your abundant blessings upon our efforts. Amen.
