CHMA-Annual-Report

THE CATHOLIC HOME MISSIONS PROGRAM SUPPORTS MISSION dioceses across the United States and its current and former territories. Home mission dioceses are locations where Catholics are too few and, in many cases, too poor to support their churches unassisted. But Catholics in mission dioceses persevere with great faith, often volunteering much time and talent to parishes that have no paid staff or resident clergy. They give what they can, but local and personal economic situations require their parishes to rely on outside assistance. Contributions to the annual Catholic Home Missions Appeal provide this needed support. The Latin Rite dioceses and the Eastern Catholic eparchy featured in these pages all receive Catholic Home Missions funding for multiple ministries. Each section focuses on just one of those ministries to describe it in more detail.

DIOCESE OF BAKER, OREGON The Diocese of Baker has the fewest Catholics of any mainland diocese, with 30,500 parishioners scattered over nearly 67,000 square miles of desolate high desert and mountain terrain. Larger than the neighboring state of Washington, the territory includes three Native American reservations. The 40 diocesan priests typically travel more than 50 miles between parishes and missions. Unemployment runs high, and parishioners can’t afford to give much. But they are eager to help youth and young adults experience and build personal relationships with Jesus Christ. The Catholic Home Missions Appeal provides essential support for this work by underwriting retreats, conferences, and mission trips to help youth and young adults encounter Christ and build community. This grant also supports training to form these young people as leaders who can support their peers and exercise responsibilities in their parishes.

DIOCESE OF LAREDO, TEXAS The Diocese of Laredo serves a region that is 90% Catholic—but its 342,000 Catholics are among the poorest of the poor in the United States. They cannot financially sustain the diocese’s 32 parishes and 17 missions without outside help. The diocese offers a robust spiritual and social ministry to immigrants, many of whom live in unincorporated rural colonias that lack basic services such as water and electricity and who also cannot offer much financial support, despite their deep faith. Most parishes’ staff, from faith formation coordinators to secretaries, are volunteers. Support from the Catholic Home Missions Appeal enables the Diocese of Laredo to offer faith formation for all ages, including sacramental preparation for those with physical or intellectual disabilities. Last year its Office for Sacramental Preparation formed more than 800 catechists and catechetical assistants, who teach more than 7,000 children. Catechists participate in workshops and retreats to experience spiritual renewal and