GENEROSITY SUPPORTS DIOCESAN OUTREACH

The Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico, Bishop of Erie
01/07/2022

What follows is the text of the letter to the faithful from the Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico, bishop of Erie, regarding the Help Spread the Faith Collection to be held in parishes the weekend of January 22-23, 2022. Thank you for your consideration.

January 3, 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am grateful every day for the resources we have to help spread the Gospel message. Imagine how different our experience of the pandemic would be if we did not have the ability to Zoom or to livestream. It is changing the way we approach so many aspects of our lives.

At the heart of all that communicating is strong content. That’s why the Diocese of Erie continues to invest in a team dedicated to providing you with thoughtful publications, social media posts, web resources and more, all designed to help me in my role as shepherd of the Diocese of Erie. Some of it comes right to your mailbox in the form of Faith, an engaging magazine filled with the stories and testimonies of Catholics striving to grow closer to Christ in northwest Pennsylvania.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we have not missed a beat with this important resource, and in fact, have used it to provide much-needed encouragement and updates.

When I emphasize the need for strong communications, I am thinking first and foremost of you. My work is done in service to Christ and to you. I strive to take full advantage of every tool at our disposal to keep you informed about what is happening with the Catholic Church worldwide, across the United States, and here in northwest Pennsylvania. Do you know why the upcoming Synod on Synodality at the Vatican is important? Are you aware that the US bishops are collaborating on an effort to help American Catholics understand and embrace the church’s teaching on the Eucharist over the next three years? And what’s the latest on pastoral planning in our diocese?

This year we’ve reported on all this and more in Faith, in the weekly Diocese of EriE-news, at www.ErieRCD.org and on our social media platforms. Thanks to your generous support, all of it remains available free of charge.

Please consider participating the 2022 Help Spread the Faith collection scheduled for the weekend of January 22nd – 23rd. It’s one important way to fulfill Jesus’ command to go forth and make disciples of all nations.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Lawrence T. Persico
The Most Reverend Lawrence T. Persico, JCL
Bishop of Erie

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