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October 25, 2020
My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
I write to invite you to participate in the 2020-2021 Catholic Services Appeal (CSA), which launches the weekend of November 7-8. Your prayers and financial support are needed to ensure that vital ministries and programs can continue to thrive and provide needed services to thousands.
When I chose the theme for this year’s CSA, we were just beginning to learn the impact the pandemic would have on our world. Given the overwhelming generosity and kindness we have witnessed during these troublesome months, the theme “Hearts Filled with Gratitude” is incredibly fitting. I continue to be grateful for the Lord’s blessings and remain hopeful for a bright and healthy future.
Gifts to the CSA make possible more than 100 ministries and programs that are essential to the mission of our diocese. Our collective gifts assist in the formation of seminarians preparing to serve as our future shepherds, support active and retired priests and the formation of permanent deacons. Hope and healing are experienced by those served through Catholic Charities of Central Texas. Parishes are assisted to ensure that parishioners of all ages receive excellent spiritual and catechetical formation. And, throughout the diocese, spiritual nourishment is provided to students in our Catholic schools, youth and young adults in faith formation and at our campus ministry centers.
If you have not already, you will soon receive information about the 2020-2021 appeal. Please take time to review how your gift to the CSA can benefit tens of thousands of your friends and neighbors in Central Texas. Then, I ask you to prayerfully consider how you can share your blessings in gratitude to God for all he has given you.
It is amazing what we can accomplish when we join together in Christ’s name! If we all participate, I am confident your parish will exceed its goal.
Asking God’s blessings upon you and all those suffering among us, I remain Gratefully in Christ,
Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez
Bishop of Austin
