The 2010 Catholic Home Missions Appeal calls upon Catholics to “Strengthen the Church at Home.” In the Diocese of Helena, a home mission diocese where the appeal will take place the weekend of Sept. 4-5, funds collected help underfunded parishes in western Montana.

The Catholic Home Missions Appeal supports a range of essential pastoral activities in mission dioceses across the United States, with special emphasis on evangelization; religious education; ministry training for priests, deacons, religious sisters and lay people; youth ministry; and support for poor parishes.

Of the 195 Latin and Eastern-rite dioceses (eparchies) in the United States, about 90, or 45 percent, are unable to provide basic ministries of word, worship and service for their people without funding from the Catholic Home Missions Appeal. Its model relies on support from Catholics in places where the Church is financially stronger.

In the Diocese of Helena, Catholic Home Missions Appeal money supports parish subsidies for salaries and benefits, travel expenses and utility costs in six underfunded, rural parishes. These six parishes are among the the 20 parish and mission communities, as well as De La Salle Blackfeet School in Browning, that receive Catholic Home Mission Appeal funds in the Diocese of Helena.

“The Committee on the Home Missions makes it possible for these communities to have a priestly presence, sacraments and heat,” said Glenda Seipp, diocesan Stewardship Services director.

“Sometimes a parish receives funding for a while and then is able to manage without the grant because their offertory has increased enough to cover costs,” she said.

Catholic Home Missions grants a lump sum, which then is allocated among parishes in need. Seipp said allocation recommendations go to Bishop George Leo Thomas for his consideration.

Catholic Home Missions is an office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. For more information about the appeal and the dioceses it benefits, visit www.usccb.org/hm.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 8, August 20, 2010.