The Bishop's Annual Appeal 2022: This year's theme for the Bishop's Annual Appeal is "Inspired by the Holy Spirit: Sharing God's Gifts in Love and Service." Bishop Bradley's letter (found here) as well as the explainer video above (also found at this link), illustrate some of the many ministries, programs, and services that are made possible by your generous support of the Appeal. More information on the Bishop's Annual Appeal can be found here: https://diokzoo.org/bishops-annual-appeal

The following are some questions you may want to ask yourself when trying to pull together a presentation for your Parish about how Bishop’s Annual Appeal connects (benefits) to your parish.
 Has someone in your parish recently gotten married?
As part of their marriage prep couples may have attended a Joy Filled Marriage Diocesan
weekend seminar for engaged couples. This program is provided by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Does your parish support a Catholic school or do some of the children at your parish attend one of our Catholic Schools?
The teachers and administration are supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal through our
Office of Schools which provides them with professional development and in-service training.
 Do you know someone who is divorced and has gone through the annulment process?
Through the intercession of the Pastor, our diocesan tribunal staff walks through the process with them. The Tribunal Office is supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you have a deacon at your Parish?
The diaconate formation & permanent diaconate is supported in part by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. Continuing education and annual retreat is also supported in part by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you know someone from your Parish that has been confirmed?
They may have attended our Diocesan Confirmation retreat, or been confirmed at the Diocesan
Confirmation Mass or at your parish by Bishop Bradley.
 Do you have a Hispanic community at your Parish?
Hispanic ministry offerings of Marriage Preparation, Retreats including the Quinceñera retreat,
Diocesan Fiesta, Migrant Ministry, Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass, attending the Hispanic Pastoral
Leadership Formation Program, all of these are supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you know a couple who has celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary?
This diocesan 50th Anniversary Mass is just one of many special Masses supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you know a married couple at your parish?
The Domestic Church office through the Bishop’s Annual Appeal provides several offerings of marriage enrichment such as Discovering our Deepest Desire, and Date Night or perhaps they receive the Domestic Church e-newsletter.
 Do you know a widow or widower?
The Domestic Church office hosts a support group for widowed men and women.
 Have you volunteered at your/a parish/school to help with children and attended a Virtus training program?
This program and the Safe Environment office is supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal
 Do you have young adults at your parish?
The Bishop’s Annual Appeal supports the Young Adult Ministry through the following events, Adult Faith formation, Monthly Energizer, Gaudium Christi, Good New & Brews for Young Adults, & Retreat for Young adults.
 Do you have any youth (under 18 years) at your parish?
The Bishop’s Annual Appeal supports many faith opportunities that some of the youth at your Parish may have attended such as the Diocesan Youth Rally, the Presence retreat, National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).
 Is your Parish blessed with a diocesan priest? Have you ever had a seminarian at your parish?
The Bishop’s Annual Appeal pays for the seminarian education (approximately $50,000/year) of our future diocesan priests, who will guide and shepherd us through our sacraments.
 Does your parish have a secretary, bookkeeper, DRE, or youth minister?
Every one of the members of your parish staff benefits from the resources and programming provided from the diocesan offices which is all supported through the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you have any Catholic Scouts at your parish/school?
The Catholic Committee on Scouting along with the annual Scout Mass, Light of Christ & Parvuli Dei programs are supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you have any police, firefighters, EMT’s at your parish?
The Annual Blue Mass is supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you have any high school students at your parish attending a Catholic School?
There are scholarship opportunities (Capstone, St. Thomas Aquinas) available that are funded by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Does your parish have a website provided by the Diocese of Kalamazoo?
These websites are funded by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
 Do you know of any immigrants in need of help obtaining US citizenship?
Our Immigration Assistance program, funded by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, provides legal assistance to those in need of these services.
 Do you read Southwest Michigan Catholic?
Southwest Michigan Catholic is the new quarterly publication for the Diocese which is mailed to all registered parishioners at no cost to the parish and fully funded by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.