CDA, Sisters and the Superbowl

by Fr Charlie Goraieb  |  02/05/2023  |  Weekly Reflection

Dear Friends,

The Bishop’s annual Charity and Development Appeal (CDA) campaign begins this week. If you are new to the Church, each year the Bishop seeks to raise funds that will support many of the charitable outreaches of the Diocese, provide assistance to schools and parishes in very poor circumstances and train seminarians for the priesthood. For a number of years, I was part of the CDA Allocations Committee, which assigns CDA funds to organizations seeking grants. From that experience, I can assure you that each and every dollar raised is used to support over 70 ministries and charitable organizations such as St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, Maggie’s Place, Aid to Women’s Center, First Way, the Nazareth House (our seminarian formation center), outreach to the elderly and our schools on the Indian Reservations. Your generous donation makes it possible for these groups to continue their spiritual and corporal works of charity.

The ideal is for us to commit a monthly amount. But if you are only able to make a one-time donation, that helps. Please take the card home or give online at https://give.dphx.org . Our Lord is very clear in the Gospel of Matthew that when we give to the poor and needy, it is to Jesus himself who is the recipient.

By now you have all heard the sad news of the departure of our Sisters. In the almost two years that I have been at OLMC and have worked with the Sisters, it has been a great boost to me to experience their evangelical joy and zeal and the genuine love they have for our parish. I understand the circumstances that are forcing this decision, but it saddens me to see them go. May God bless them in their new mission in the Philippines, bringing to them people who will love and support their work. 

This year’s Super Bowl, which will be held here in Phoenix, is going to provide our Church with an excellent opportunity to showcase our Catholic faith. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, there will be numerous events at the Phoenix Convention Center, where thousands of people will be walking past our Diocesan Pastoral Center, the Statue of Pope St. John Paul II and St Mary’s Cathedral. We plan to have St Paul’s Outreach tables set up to greet these people. The SPO method is very respectful and gracious--asking people if they need prayer for any reason and if we can give them a Rosary? There will also be signs indicating that priests are available to hear confessions for anyone who wants. If you would like to be a supporter or just be a welcoming Catholic, feel free to make your way downtown. (Caution-traffic will most likely be heavy).

May God bless you and your family, Fr Charlie