CCC helps spread message of peace

Dear Friends in Christ,

In 1963, Pope John XXIII penned one of his most important encyclicals, Pacem In Terris. World Communications Day 2003 invites the faithful to reflect once again upon its simple yet profound truth: authentic peace must be based upon truth, justice and love.

World Communications Day 2003 reminds all people of good will that the media can (and should) be placed in the service of peace. In fact, World Communications Day is the only worldwide celebration mandated by the Second Vatican Council.

We thank you in advance for your generous contribution to the campaign this year. The Catholic Communication Campaign offers a variety of materials to bring this message of authentic peace home to the faithful through radio, television and the Internet. Past annual collection proceeds have allowed CCC to:

• Air Church Without Borders on 134 ABC-TV stations, reaching 68 percent of the top 25 markets;

• Hold the world premiere for the film The Face: Jesus In Art at Radio City Music Hall, along with a symposium at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. The film then aired on more than 200 PBS stations across the country.

• Introduce a new radio ministry, Catholic Radio Weekly, which now airs on 50 stations;

• Create an Internet video ministry connecting Catholics all over the nation to Church issues. In 2002, Web site visitors were able to view clips from the Winter Olympics, highlights from the World Youth Day meeting and the "Faith On film" Festival in New York, as well as interviews with newsmakers. Local dioceses are now also able to link to the CCC Web site, and can also use the programming for local efforts.

• Produce and distribute six new radio spots and three new TV spots for the Public Service Announcement "La Familia Unida Esperanza en la Vida." More than 450 Hispanic stations air these spots, reaching over 28 million Hispanics.

• Produce and distribute the "Talk to the Ones You Love" campaign of radio and television announcements to ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, 40 national cable networks, 1,100 local television stations, and 600 cable systems.

Since its creation in 1978, the CCC's annual campaign has generated funding for local diocesan projects such as: the diocesan newspaper, media literacy courses, televised Masses, TV spots, TV and radio ministries, and support of the diocesan communications office itself. In fact, 50 percent of your donation remains in this diocese.

This year The Globe, our diocesan newspaper, celebrates its 50th anniversary. It is one of the main tools of communication here in the Diocese of Sioux City.

The collection date this year is May 17-18. To learn more about the Catholic Communication Campaign, I invite you to visit the CCC Web site -www.usccb.org/ccc and encourage the faithful to do the same.

In 2003, CCC's mandate has never been clearer: the communications media must once again be at the service of authentic peace. I thank you for your past support and urge you to share this important message with all who seek Christ's peace.

Faithfully Yours In Christ,

†Daniel N. DiNardo
Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City

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