Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Glory to Jesus Christ! The mission of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma is to serve the faithful – you, the good people of this Eparchy – and to proclaim the Gospel message to all people. We have a unique mission given to us by Jesus Himself: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19)

The ability of the Eparchy to serve the faithful and proclaim the Gospel depends in part upon the financial resources made available to it. For this, the Eparchy depends upon your support. We have established a foundation for the Eparchy – the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma Foundation – to safeguard the funds and ensure transparency in its affairs, so you can be assured that your gift will be stewarded carefully.

The Annual Stewardship Appeal is the main source of support for the Foundation. Thanks to your support, the Annual Stewardship Appeal has been very successful in recent years. Last year, the overall goal for the Appeal was met and a total of $225,628 was contributed. Half of the parishes met their individual goal for the Appeal and earned over $19,000 in rebates for themselves. A report showing the support from each parish was published in the September issue of Horizons. I am grateful to you for this support.

The goal for this year’s Appeal is the same as last year – $220,000 – to maximize the chance for every parish to meet its goal. And like last year, any amount contributed by a parish in excess of its goal will be rebated to that parish. My hope is that every parish will achieve its goal this year.

This year’s Appeal continues to focus on support for our four greatest needs in the Eparchy: the Development of Parishes; Vocations and Seminarian Education; Works of the Apostolate; and Supporting Retired Priests. This includes the following:

1. The Development of Parishes means helping poor parishes with their financial needs and building needs, assisting new missions with basic costs, and other forms of support.
2. Vocations and Seminarian Education is critically important to having priests in the future, as we pay for the tuition and other costs for men preparing for the priesthood, and for vocations retreats and formation activities for young men, expenses for priests coming from Europe to serve in our parishes, and other forms of support.
3. The Works of the Apostolate are programs that give life to the Church and reach out to the faithful. These include evangelization programs, catechesis and religious education, pro-life ministries, help for the poor and other forms of support.
4. The Retired Priests of the Eparchy served the Church for hundreds of years (as a group), and we want to ensure they can live their twilight years in dignity rather than poverty by providing financial support for the pension and healthcare costs of our retired bishop and priests.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I continue to be hopeful for the future of our Eparchy. As we go forward with confidence and faith in the Lord, we remember that this is not our work but His. We also realize that the future of the Church is in large part in the hands of the faithful – in your hands. Your generosity this year will help determine the extent to which the Eparchy can serve the Lord’s purpose.

Please consider making a sacrificial gift to this year’s Appeal that reflects the importance of the Church in your life and in the lives of those close to you. The Eparchy needs your support. Your gift will make a positive difference.

Finally, I assure you that any gift you make will be used wisely, as the Eparchy and the Foundation are transparent in their finances and advised by boards composed of both clergy and laity.

Thank you for your support for this year’s Appeal. I pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly for it, and that He will guide our steps this year and into the future.

Gratefully yours in the Lord

      ✠ Most Rev. Milan Lach, SJ
      Bishop of the Eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians