Collection to be held for national, local Catholic communications work

In his message for the 53rd annual World Communications Day, Pope Francis described the faithful as “members one of another,” human persons who seek to be in relationship; to be connected, rather than isolated.

“God,” wrote Pope Francis, “is not solitude, but communion; he is love, and therefore communication, because love always communicates; indeed, it communicates itself in order to encounter the other.”

The Church’s communications work is a manifestation of God’s love by helping people across the United States and around the world connect with Christ. Through multimedia projects and programming, digital and social media outreach and standing publications such as diocesan newspapers, the Church strives to reach all people where they are, and companion them on their faith journeys. 

The annual collection for the Catholic Communications Campaign, held each year on World Communications Day (June 1-2 this year), invites the Church’s members to participate in and support this essential work of the Church – to share the Gospel with all peoples through word and image.

Fifty percent of the funds collected support local communications projects in each diocese, while the other 50 percent of funds supports national communications efforts, as well as projects in developing countries.

An example is the island of Samar in the Philippines, which is home to nearly two million people, about 90 percent of whom are Catholic. Many live in remote villages outside the reach of television and the Internet. Instead, radio is a critical source of information. The Catholic Church has provided the people of Samar with spiritual programming through a dedicated radio station for 20 years.

But in 2013, Typhoon Haiyan hit the island. It destroyed the entire radio station. The community has been unable to fund a new station, leaving hundreds of thousands without access to spiritual messages.

Support for the Catholic Communications Campaign is now helping the diocese there to rebuild the station, providing spiritual resources that deepen faith.

In the Diocese of Trenton, funds collected support the diocesan newspaper, The Monitor, which is available in print, online and on mobile devices; video projects that serve as both a catechetical and evangelization tool; ongoing development of the web resources, and an ever-growing social media outreach. The collection also helps to fund the Diocese’s ongoing multimedia outreach to Spanish speakers, who are critical to the vibrancy of the Church.

Rayanne Bennett, the Diocese’s executive director of Communications and Media, emphasizes the benefit that the CCC collection brings to the Church.  She said, “The generosity of our parishioners helps to make it possible for important and valuable national communications projects to be conducted, at the same time supporting all that we do here in serving our four counties. We ask that our people continue to be as supportive as they have been in the past, especially as the need for more compelling and integrated communication resources becomes ever greater.”

To learn more about the CCC and the projects it supports, visit www.usccb.org/ccc.  For questions on the annual collection in the Diocese of Trenton, scheduled to be taken in all parishes June 1 and 2, email the Diocese at [email protected].