Loving Our Neighbors $12,814 Honoring the Past and Serving the Future $17,000 Forming Our Faith $68,660 Enriching Faith Communities $235,033 Building the Culture of Life and Family $139,333 Assisting Our Parishes and Missions $72,075 Nurturing Vocations $366,556 2014 ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL DISTRIBUTIONS The Annual Catholic Appeal Distribution Report can be found at: www.diocesehelena.org Questions or concerns may be sent to Glenda at: [email protected]Unfunded $120,664 Outstanding Pledges $80,807 Total Collected $1,795,528 Goal $2,000,000 Distributions as of Aug. 31, 2015 $1,011,473 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal Progress GIFT ENVELOPES ARE AVAILABLE IN ALL DIOCESE OF HELENA PARISHES. TO MAKE A ONE-TIME GIFT BY CREDIT CARD OR DIRECT DEBIT, CLICK ONLINE GIVING AT: www.diocesehelena.org September, 2015 Local Bishops, priests and community members gathered in June to discuss plans for the future of the Guatemala Mission. Fr. Kevin Christofferson (3rd from Left) finished his tenure there shortly after this photo and will be installed at Immaculate Conception Parish in Polson this October. more on p. 2 Ministry Update: Guatemala Mission Personnel Changes Total Distributed $1,011,473
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Loving Our Neighbors$12,814
Honoring the Past and Serving the Future
$17,000
Forming Our Faith$68,660
Enriching Faith Communities
$235,033
Building the Culture of Life and Family$139,333
Assisting Our Parishes and Missions
$72,075
Nurturing Vocations$366,556
2014 ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL DISTRIBUTIONS
The Annual Catholic Appeal Distribution Report can be found at: www.diocesehelena.org
Local Bishops, priests and community members gathered in June to discuss plans for the future of the Guatemala Mission. Fr. Kevin Christofferson (3rd from Left) finished his tenure there shortly after this photo and will be installed at Immaculate Conception Parish in Polson this October. more on p. 2
Bishop George Leo Thomas recently visited the Diocesan Mission in Guatemala and the two local bishops. Bishop Pablo Vizcaíno Prado, the Bishop of Suchitepéquez-Retalhuleu, and Bishop Gonzalo de Villa y Vásquez, the Bishop of Sololá-Chimaltenango, are most grateful to the people of the Diocese of Helena and friends for supporting the mission through the Annual Catholic Appeal and individual donations.
The three Bishops were able to forge some important directions for the future, which are beginning to take shape. The Diocese of Helena has sponsored missionary work in Guatemala for over 50 years. Much has been accomplished during that time. In the future, the Diocese will not be able to provide a priest in Guatemala. Fortunately, the two Dioceses in Guatemala are able to provide priests to meet the needs of the area.
Father Kevin Christofferson completed his tenure at the mission on June 30th and is taking an assignment in the Diocese of Helena, following a time of sabbatical.
With local leaders overseen by Bishop Gonzalo and his staff, La Asunción School will continue to provide both secondary education and vocational formation which will assist graduates to secure productive employment and serve as leaders in their communities. We are hopeful that a program begun by Jesuits in Central America will begin to assist the School in the not-too-distant future.
Sheila McShane continues her work at the Clinica Maxeña, serving the medical needs of thousands of people each year. Since the level of poverty among the local people is great, the Clinic is providing for many people who are not able to pay even the small fee requested. Consequently, the financial needs of the Clinic are increasing.
Bishops Pablo and Gonzalo have agreed on a plan to provide priestly ministry to the area
served by the mission. Three priests and a deacon will live at the mission complex at
Santo Tomás la Union and provide priestly ministry for the Santo Tomás Apóstol Parish which now includes the Boca Costa. The new priests and deacon are identified in the photograph below.
Bishop Thomas and all associated with the mission in Guatemala appreciate your interest in, and support for the ministries the mission provides. The combination of individual donations and the tithe directed to the mission from the Annual Catholic Appeal, allows the Diocese to appropriately support the important work of the mission, a diocesan ministry that began in the mid-1960s and continues today. Diocesan support plays a major role in bringing the face of Christ to the people in rural Guatemala.
Sheila McShane, Director of the Clinica Maxeña with the priests and deacon who are serving Santo Tomás Apóstol parish and the parishes of the Boca Costa in Guatemala. Left to right: Padre Juan Carlos Gregorio Vasquez; Padre Ricardo Vasquez Ramirez, Pastor; Sheila McShane; Padre Carlos Encarnación Xaminez; Deacon Santiago Tzep Guachiac.
