Annual Catholic Charities Appeal brings love of Christ to those in need

By Shannon Roh
For The Catholic Week
MOBILE — Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi and Archdiocese of Mobile Executive Director of Development and Stewardship, Shannon D. Roh, have announced that the 2024 Catholic Charities Appeal financial goal is $4.7 million. The basic pledge is $636 per year, which is $53 per month for 12 months, the ultimate goal is 100% participation! 
It is important that we come together as a faith community to support our neighbors in need with a gift that is proportionate to our circumstances. Together, we can show the love of Christ to thousands of people in our communities who are in need. Archbishop Rodi shared an excellent analogy at the Catholic Charities volunteer training dinners when he said, “a single raindrop is insignificant, but together they can form a mighty river.” Every gift to the Catholic Charities Appeal is a blessing to a neighbor and with your donation, we too can act together as one body to help those in need.
The 2024 Catholic Charities Appeal theme remains, in all things Charity. Each of the ministries funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal is an example of the love of Christ to those in need throughout the Archdiocese. St. John inspired the 2024 appeal with this verse, "We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
For 93 years, the faithful in the Archdiocese have shown love for those in need through their generosity to the annual Catholic Charities Appeal. The Appeal supports more than 30 ministries throughout central and southern Alabama. These ministries feed the hungry, clothe the naked, assist the elderly and those with disabilities, help a family adopt a child, provide life sustaining medication for those who cannot afford it, strengthen the faith of our youth, minister to the seafarers, love the abandoned, provide outreach to the imprisoned and even give hope to the unborn. Alabama is the sixth-poorest state in the nation according to the organization, Alabama Possible. The need is tremendous and your generosity is a blessing to our neighbors in physical, mental and spiritual need.  
Everyone should have received a letter from Archbishop Rodi in a brochure with an attached pledge envelope. Please update your information on the pledge card, add your pledge intention, gift method and return your pledge envelope to your parish on or before Jan. 28, Catholic Charities Appeal Sunday. It is our goal to have all pledges returned by Appeal Sunday, to make your donation online, text CCA to 91999 or visit mobarch.org/cca2024. Every dollar donated is used to fund ministries in the central and southern portions of Alabama that make up the Archdiocese of Mobile.
The Archdiocesan Chair for the 2024 Catholic Charities Appeal is Deacon David Ray. He shared words of inspiration with our Priests and Catholic Charities Parish Team volunteers at four Catholic Charity training dinners held throughout the archdiocese in November. 
Deacon Ray was born and raised in Montgomery. He and his wife, Suzann Trammell Ray, have two children, both in college. He has practiced law since 1999. Deacon Ray grew up in the Southern Baptist church and he is grateful for his roots. He entered the Catholic Church with his family in 2013 at Holy Spirit Parish where they are active members. He is an avid supporter of Catholic Charities and devoted volunteer for Catholic Prison Ministry. He has been a speaker for the Catholic Charities Appeal since 2016 and has also served as the CCA parish chair for Holy Spirit Parish. In June 2022 he was ordained a permanent deacon. 
Deacon Ray reflected on the scripture that inspired this year’s appeal and how it is a reminder that God is the original source of all caring, of all compassion and of the very act of giving. Deacon Ray said, “Every moment of everyday God unceasingly empties Himself out as a gift to each of us. God's very essence is self-sacrificial love for mankind. He cares so much about us that He gave us His Son to ransom each and every of us and to make possible our personal exodus from slavery in sin to adoption as His very own daughters and sons.  As the adopted children of God, we must remember that we are now ‘in the family business’ and that business is (the) giving of ourselves in sacrificial love to our neighbors. Our Christian lives are only truly authentic when we do as our Father does - when we walk the walk of care, compassion and giving.”
Archbishop Rodi continues to offer a monthly Mass for all the intentions returned through the Catholic Charities Appeal.  Please, pray the Catholic Charities Prayer and consider how you will answer the call to love neighbors in need.  
— For more information on how your donations can impact countless others, follow the link: mobarch.org/cca2024 to hear audible testimony on how the Catholic Charities Appeal has impacted people’s lives.