Catholic Communications 2023

May 25, 2023

Dear friends in Christ,

Next weekend our diocese will participate in the national Catholic Communications Campaign. How appropriate that we should be addressing the role of communications in the Church on this Pentecost Sunday.

This weekend’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles reminds us how the Spirit enabled the apostles to proclaim the “mighty acts of God” to the myriad peoples gathered in Jerusalem, regardless of their native language. Communication breaks down the barriers that stand between us. Communication builds community which, in our case, is the Church which is carrying on the mission of Christ as did those first apostles. 

The Catholic Communications Campaign raises funds to be shared between the national communications office of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference and our local diocesan Communications Ministry. Its principal mission is to provide Catholic media with national and international news and to inform secular media, whether in print, online or broadcast TV, with a reliable viewpoint.

Our local Communications Ministry interacts with secular media and publishes The Catholic Free Press which is needed now more than ever in a world filled with noise and misinformation. Our TV Ministry continues to offer the Sunday Mass and Daily Mass on local public access channels, the internet and onto our parish websites for those parishes who chose to provide it. It also collaborates with diocesan ministries in producing various informational programs available on the internet. Our eCatholic websites and Flocknote messages keep us aware of who we are and how we are responding to the needs of those around us. Many parishioners have told us how important these media are in helping them to stay in touch with their parish communities, even when ill or away. 

To fund our local communications, this collection is a small yet critical part of a more complex funding program that also includes Partners in Charity, parish contributions, corporate sponsorships and advertising, home delivery of our newspaper and individual contributions.

The most important reason we need your support is that effective communication is key to our evangelizing mission. We are the voice of Jesus Christ extending an invitation to know him through his Church. The first apostles witnessed in the public square in Jerusalem. Today, the public square is online, on TV, in texts, emails and in print and social media.

Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can help us “Share the Good News” in the Catholic Communications Campaign collection on the weekend of June 4. 

With every prayerful best wish, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,
 
Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester