Support the Catholic Communications Campaign

May 6, 2004

Dear Friends in Christ,

Throughout this past year, we have endured a time of great challenge. Our personal, family, and faith lives have been tested, leaving many of us in search of strength, comfort and inspiration. We, as Catholics, have a responsibility to reach out to others and to meet this need. Our Lord calls upon us to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Now more than ever, the Catholic Communications Campaign must communicate the importance of family and God's abounding love.

Pope John Paul II has chosen "The Media in the Family: a Risk and a Richness" as the theme for World Communications Day 2004. The Holy Father reflects his concern that the media enrich family life, not damage it. By supporting the Catholic Communications Campaign, we respond to the challenges and exhortations contained in Our Holy Father's World Communications Day message.

The CCC plays an important role in our society. It seeks to renew the mind of the secular media. It also touches, heals, and sustains the faith of viewers and listeners across our nation. Since 50 percent of your contribution to the CCC's annual campaign stays right here to support our own local projects, your generosity has a direct benefit here at home. The other 50 percent supports CCC's efforts to reach our brothers and sisters throughout the country. 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. The film has since aired on more than 200 PBS stations across the country;
• Introduce a new radio ministry, Catholic Radio Weekly, which has grown to more than 50 stations throughout the country;
• Produce and maintain an Internet video outreach connecting Catholics all over the nation to the many diverse ministries of the Church. In 2003, Web site visitors were able to view reflections on Pope John Paul II's 25 years as pope, learn about the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, follow cyclists across the country to help break the cycle of poverty in the United States, and unite with the sick on the eleventh annual World Day of the Sick, held for the first time in this country, as well as listen to interviews with newsmakers. Parishes and dioceses are now also able to link directly to these stories.
• Produce and distribute radio and TV announcements "La Familia Unida Esperanza en la Vida." More than 450 Hispanic stations air these spots, including Univision and Telemundo, reaching over 28 million Hispanics.

This year's collection date is May 15-16, 2004. To learn more about the Catholic Communication Campaign, I invite you to visit the CCC Web site: www.usccb.org/ccc and ask that you make a generous contribution to this year's collection. I thank you for your support. Let us continue to create, inspire and answer Christ's command to love one another as He has loved us.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. Msgr. Roger J. Augustine
Diocesan Administrator