'Love never fails'

By Shannon Roh
For The Catholic Week
MOBILE – Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi and the Executive Director of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile, Mrs. Shannon D. Roh, have announced that the 2022 Catholic Charities Appeal goal is $4,500,000. The basic pledge is $600 per year, which is $50 per month for 12 months. The 2022 Catholic Charities Appeal theme remains in all things Charity. St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians has been inspiring each of our ministries funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal as they show the love of Christ to those in need throughout the Archdiocese of Mobile.
“Love … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails …” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
For 91 years the faithful in our archdiocese have shown their love of neighbor 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 seventh-poorest state in the nation according to alabamapossible.org. The need is great and your generosity is a blessing to tens of thousands of individuals in mental, physical and spiritual need.   
Everyone should have received a letter from Archbishop Rodi attached to a brochure and pledge card. Please update your information on the pledge card, add your pledge intention and return this pledge envelope to your parish by Jan. 30, 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 click on the Catholic Charities Banner on the main page to give online.
We are blessed to have Mr. John Gelineau as the archdiocesan chair for the 2022 Catholic Charities Appeal. He is certainly no stranger to Catholic Charities as he has spent the past 46 years as a volunteer for the annual Catholic Charities Appeal in the Archdiocese of Mobile. John and his wife, Vicki, are dedicated parishioners at Corpus Christi Parish where he has been the appeal’s parish chairperson for the past 14 years.
Raised in Holy Family Parish, John was introduced to Catholic Charities by his father in 1975. As a college freshman, he was told by his dad that his help was needed with that year’s appeal. In a time where the appeal effort included knocking on the doors of those who lived in the parish neighborhood, John learned how the effort of reaching out to ask for a pledge can have a significant impact on the number of pledges made each year.
John has been involved with Catholic Charities in some capacity for four decades. Just as he helped his dad as a young adult, his two daughters now assist him with the appeal. When asked why he continues to do the appeal every year, John answers, “because it is intrinsically good!” He has seen time and again the fruits of the appeal effort. 
In addition to running his own computer software business, John serves as treasurer on the McGill-Toolen Foundation Board. In 2020, he was awarded the Christ the King Medal for his service to Corpus Christi Parish.
John shared his inspiration with the parish chair teams at the Catholic Charity Chair training dinners in November. The parish chairs and volunteer teams are a vitally important as they assist the pastor with every aspect of the Catholic Charities Appeal.