November 9, 2025, 12:00 PM
We’ve been busy about many things lately. They’re important things. They needed our attention.
But, let me draw our attention to one item we might have missed: The Catholic Ministries Appeal. (We used to call it the Diocesan Annual Appeal, but the new branding tries to be clearer about why we’re raising the funds— for the mission of the Church, the mission of Jesus Christ.)
I’m going to tell why I give to the Appeal. And why I think you should.
First of all, I give because I’m grateful for the part the Diocese has played in my life. I’m grateful for the quality of the education I received at the Catholic University in Washington. I’m grateful for those four years of graduate school—they’ve deeply impacted my life, my relationship with Christ, my ministry in the Church. The Diocese of Scranton paid for that. Funds raised by the Appeal paid for that.
I also give because I value the many ministries of our diocesan Church, ministries that no one parish could manage on its own. Ministries to our Catholic schools, to our parish religious education programs, to our outreach to the poor and marginalized. All supported by the Appeal.
And, if we don’t think it touches our local parishes, let’s look again. This year the Mary Carlucci Food Pantry received $4000 in diocesan grants. $1000 was given for St Ann’s Senior Care initiatives at Christmas and Easter. We received $2000 to support the Williamsport Deanery Women’s Retreat. $1000 to upgrade the parish library. $1000 to train parishioners for evangelizing projects. And that’s just this year! For years, thousands of dollars have come to our local parishes because people from our eleven counties responded generously to the Appeal.
Will you join me in giving this year? Join me in supporting seminary education, in sustaining Catholic formation for all ages, in feeding the hungry and reaching out to the elderly. Join me in responding to God’s generosity. As Christ taught us, “Freely you have received, freely give.”
Fr. McCreary
