By Shannon Roh For The Catholic Week MOBILE – Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi and Executive Director of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile Shannon D. Roh have announced that the 2025 Catholic Charities Appeal financial goal is $4.7 million and 100 percent participation! We must come together as a family of faith to support our neighbors in need with a sacrificial gift. Together we can show the compassion of Christ for the tens of thousands of people in our communities who are in need. While we are not all called to give equally, we are all called to give sacrificially. Each gift to the Catholic Charities Appeal is like a snowflake, every gift is different, but together we can cover the ministries we serve with the funds needed to share love and hope with tens of thousands in need. The 2025 Catholic Charities Appeal theme remains, “In all things Charity.” Each ministry funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal is an example of the love of Christ to those in need throughout the Archdiocese of Mobile. St. Matthew inspired the 2025 appeal with this verse, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink ...” (Matthew 25:35). For 94 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 seventh-poorest state in the nation according to alabamapossible.org. The need is tremendous, and your generosity is a blessing to tens of thousands of 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. 26, Catholic Charities Appeal Sunday. It is the goal to have all pledges returned by Appeal Sunday. To make a donation online, text CCA to 91999 or visit mobarch.org/cca2025. Every dollar donated is used to fund ministries in the southern half of Alabama that make up the Archdiocese of Mobile. In place of one archdiocesan chair, four special priests shared words of inspiration with our priests and Catholic Charities parish team volunteers at one of four Catholic Charities training dinners held throughout the archdiocese in November. St. Lawrence Pastor Fr. Steve Williams shared the many ways he has seen Catholic Charities benefit those in great need, especially in times of disaster. St. Bede the Venerable Pastor Fr. Alex Valladares shared how he continues to witness the long-term effects of campus ministry funded by Catholic Charities. St. Martin of Tours and St. John the Evangelist Pastor Fr. Chris Boutin shared how he sees donated dollars at work through his work in prison ministry, campus ministry and FOCUS, all funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal. Archdiocese of Mobile Executive Director for Multicultural Ministry Fr. Victor Ingalls, who is also pastor at six parishes, shared how he is tremendously grateful for the mission parish assistance provided to his parishes by Catholic Charities. All four of these priests inspired volunteers with their passionate endorsement of the Catholic Charities Appeal. Two of the eight appeal videos were also shared at the November meetings. All eight videos are available online at mobarch.org/cca2025. Archbishop Rodi closed the November training meetings with a message of gratitude and inspiration. He shared his appreciation for all the volunteers who make this appeal possible and he thanked the priests for their continued support. He encouraged priests and volunteers to invite everyone to participate. No gift is too small and no gift is too large. Listen for Archbishop Rodi’s words of inspiration on the Catholic Charities Appeal to be played at all Masses on Catholic Charities Appeal weekend. 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 sacrifice for our neighbors in need.