The Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of El Paso launched the 2021 Progress Catholic Ministry Appeal last month with the goal of raising $1.9 million by the end of the calendar year.

The Appeal, an annual diocesan-wide fundraising campaign, invites Catholics to support the mission and ministries of the Diocese of El Paso. This year’s theme is Love Builds Hope, a nod to the mandate that Christians love and care for one another as Jesus cares for us.

The 2020 Appeal raised $1,958,948 – three percent more than its $1.9 million goal. These gifts provide vital financial support for 15 diocesan ministries, including those providing crucial outreach in the areas of ministerial, community and pastoral services, along with Catholic education, spiritual formation and evangelization.

Earlier this year, Bishop Mark J. Seitz reached out to those who have donated in the past, asking that they — in these especially difficult times — be as generous as they possibly can be once again this year, reminding donors of the Gospel mandate to care for one another.

Thus far, the 2021 Appeal has already generated $422,635 in pledges from 1,620 donors – 22 percent towards goal.

“Even during this unprecedented time, I am proud to say that the charitable work of the Church — the mission that Jesus has entrusted to us — continues every day throughout the Diocese of El Paso,” said Bishop Seitz. “The needs of our brothers and sisters have increased, and thus we are all called to action now more than ever. Our compassion is an expression of faith and a proclamation of hope.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the Appeal activities occurred virtually in 2020. It is expected that many of the 2021 activities also will be conducted in a socially distant manner – utilizing tools such as virtual platforms – to execute the campaign. Events such as the Kick-off and the Pew Commitment Weekends have been pushed back to March in response to the public health crisis.

Despite these challenges, Chief Operating Officer Linda Caro is confident the campaign will be a success.

“I’m sure that in the weeks and months ahead, West Texans will once again show their generosity by supporting the 2021 Appeal,” she said. “With the continued support of our Catholic community, the work of the Church will not just continue – it will flourish. In one way or another, every Catholic in the Diocese benefits from the Appeal – from your Baptism into the Catholic faith to preparing for marriage to having a trained counselor during a time of crisis – it is all made possible because of the generosity of donors.”

The Catholic Foundation also is in need of volunteers who will help coordinate efforts at the individual parish levels, said Caro. Training is offered to all volunteers, whose duties range from communication with Appeal staff and parish teams, provides updates to the parish and more.

“These parish leaders are absolutely essential to our success,” she said. “We can’t do the work of the Appeal without these individuals.”

For more information, or to donate to the 2021 Progress Catholic Ministry Appeal, click here or call (915) 872-8412.