SEARCHING FOR THE GOOD

As we look at the 2021 year, we may see many challenges especially if we consider the difficulties of the recent past. But, in the face of all those challenges, St. Paul’s words to the Romans echo through the centuries and into the messiness of our lives and the turbulence of our communities: “All things work together for the good.” And we want to shout back, “How?”

WORKING TOGETHER

The answer comes in a whisper to our hearts: “By working together, the way you always have! The way you have always come together to feed the hungry at the Hospitality Center. The way you have always provided solace through Elijah’s Place for the child who mourns. The way you always have reached out to the unchurched. The way you have always welcomed the seafarer and the stranger. The way you have done all this by supporting the work of the Gospel through your gifts and prayers to the Bishop’s Faith Appeal.”

WITH GOD’S LOVE

As we hear that whispered response, we realize we are never alone in meeting the challenges of our ministry. Our empowerment comes from God who loves us. Our empowerment comes from our total dependence and trust in Him as we share our gifts with the poor, the vulnerable and with each other.

TOGETHER FOR MORE

In those whispered words to our hearts, we are empowered to do even more than ever before. Our gifts to the 2021 appeal will provide for a new, dynamic and energy filled ministry to our Young Adults. They will fund the very important work of training seminarians, of fostering the discipleship of our young people. Our new gifts will help us reach out even further into the community through an expanded Multicultural Ministry – a ministry that will give us an opportunity to engage more often with each other as we celebrate our diversity and grow even closer in our work.

THE GOOD IS WITH US

Knowing that God is with us as we continue carrying out the Gospel message through Diocesan Ministries
and Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas, we ask you to join us again in accomplishing these good works. Because …

“For those who love God,
all things work together
for the good.”

– Romans 8:28

Ministries that you are helping

The Appeal- Intercessions/Petitions

Throughout the course of the Bishop’s Faith Appeal, please use at least one of the following petitions each weekend. Please make these available now to your liturgists and lectors.

Bulletin & Pulpit Announcements

EDUCATION WEEKEND – January 30/31

Next weekend, we will be asked to make a commitment to support our diocesan ministries and Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas through our prayers and our financial gifts.  We do this each year through our Bishop’s Faith Appeal.  This year’s theme is “For those who love God, all things work together for the good.” taken from Paul’s letter to the Romans 8:28. All things will work together as we love and care for one another. Imagine a community where no one goes hungry, where all feel welcomed, where those who mourn are comforted and where those who are lost learn of the healing love of Jesus.   This kind of community is established when we work together for the good. Know that our diocesan ministries are already doing much to bring about such a community through their work.  And, if you and I join them through our support they can do much more.  Please take the time this week to learn about their work by reading the Appeal materials that are being provided to you today and by reading the latest edition of our East Texas Catholic. If our parish exceeds its goal, the overage is returned to the parish. Parishes should use their overage to accomplish special projects that they deem to be a goal of their own.  We hope to (insert your project here) with our overage.

COMMITMENT WEEKEND – February 6/7

Today is the day that Bishop Toups and our parish ask(ed) for your support for 2021 Bishop’s Faith Appeal. Our theme this year – “For those who love God, all things work together for the good.” – it is telling us that as we who love God together we can create a community of welcoming believers here in Southeast Texas .  You can help create that type of community by supporting diocesan ministries and Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas through a prayer and financial commitment today.  Those ministries work together for the good by helping to feed the hungry through our own Hospitality Center in Port Arthur and Market to Hope in Beaumont. They help form candidates for the diaconate. They evangelize to families and young adults, they help prepare seminarians for the priesthood through Diocesan Youth Ministry and Campus Ministry at Lamar. That’s just a small part of what they do to help a community in need and with our Lord’s help bring about life changing miracles.   Remember, God asks that your gift be proportional to what you have been given and in light of your current financial situation. Your BFA parish team and Father (Msgr.) have already made their pledges. Please make your prayer and financial commitment this week.

Letter from Bishop Toups to be read if no video is shown (pdf)

FOLLOW -UP WEEKEND – February 13/14

If you have not made your gift to the Bishop’s Faith Appeal, please prayerfully consider doing so. Our hospitality ministers are again passing out the Pew-Pledge Envelopes and the Spiritual Pledge/Intention Cards. They are also passing out our Pew Art Pledge Cards, so our little ones can draw a prayer pledge for our ministries. The Appeal continues to be necessary because many needs in our diocese cannot be effectively met by the individual Christian or by our local parish alone. Currently, our diocesan ministries are facing increased requests for their work. They need your help to respond to these requests. We thank everyone who has pledged to the 2021 Appeal. If you have not made a pledge, we ask you to pray to the Holy Spirit as you consider your blessings. Then we ask you to make a proportional and intentional gift of your treasure and your prayer time to the appeal based on your current circumstance in these challenging times. Think about this: if you have not suffered from hunger, you are better off than many U.S. citizens who live in deep poverty. Some of them are your neighbors here in Southeast Texas. We ask that you make a pledge to the appeal, as an expression of your gratitude for your many blessings.

2nd FOLLOW-UP WEEKEND – February 20/21

On behalf of Bishop Guillory and the more than 110,000 individuals who are helped by our diocesan ministries, I thank all those who have pledged to this year’s Bishop’s Faith Appeal. If you have not made a financial and prayer pledge, we ask you to prayerfully consider doing so. Pledge envelopes and Spiritual Pledge/Intention cards are available in the pews.

Contact Information

Physical Address
710 Archie Street
Beaumont, TX 77701
Telephone: (409) 924-4300