One Church, One Mission - usccb.org

1 One church , One Mission Guidelines for Administering usccb . National Collections in Dioceses Committee on National Collections United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Washington, DC. The document One church , One Mission : Guidelines for Administering usccb National Collections in Dioceses was developed by the Committee on National Collections of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ( usccb ). It was approved for publication as a committee document by the membership of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at its November 2011 General Meeting. It was subsequently authorized for publication by the undersigned. Msgr. Ronny E. Jenkins, JCD. General Secretary, usccb .

2 Scripture texts used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, copyright 1991, 1986, and 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC 20017 and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic church , second edition, copyright 2000, Liberia Editrice Vaticana United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Quotations from Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition: New English Translation (Codex Iuris Canonici [CIC]) copyright 1998, Canon Law Society of America, Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Excerpts from The Documents of Vatican II, Walter M.

3 Abbott, SJ, General Editor, copyright 1966 by America Press, Inc. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. Copyright 2011, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to duplicate this work in its entirety only without adaptation or modification for non-commercial use. Apart from the foregoing, no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder. Contents 1. What Are National Appeals or Collections?.. 2. 3. Transparency and 4.

4 Donor 5. Retention of Collection .. 6. Timely Remittance of Collection 7. Combining National .. 7. Beginning, Changing, or Ending a National 8.. 8. Guidelines for Administering usccb National Collections in Dioceses Introduction canon law throughout the Regarding regular Since the foundation of the church it has been the support for the church , the Catechism of the Catholic tradition of the Christian community to share goods church teaches, From the very beginning Christians because the believers were all of one heart and mind have brought, along with the bread and wine for the (Acts 4:32). One of the principal tasks of the Apostles Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need. This cus- in the early church was to collect goods and redistribute tom of the collection, ever appropriate, is inspired by the them in an equitable way: There was no needy person example of Christ who became poor to make us rich.

5 5. among them, for those who owned property or houses It is not by chance that the prayer of the church , the would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put Eucharist, involves allotted time for participants to give them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distrib- something of themselves as well. Incorporated into the uted to each according to need (Acts 4:34-35). St. one Body of Christ, the faithful through the Holy Spirit Justin, one of the early church Fathers, wrote, Those are called to continue God's own self-giving as expressed who are well off, and who are also willing, give as each in the life of the Trinity. As we have freely received, so chooses. What is gathered is given to him who presides we freely give.

6 Indeed, such giving prepares us to partici- to assist orphans and widows, those whom illness or any pate in the Eucharist: If this celebration [of the Eucha- other cause has deprived of resources, prisoners, immi- rist] is to be sincere and thorough, it must lead to various grants and, in a word, all who are in need. 1 works of charity and mutual help, as well as to missionary Pope Benedict XVI in his first encyclical Deus Cari- activity and to different forms of Christian witness. 6. tas Est related the giving of goods by a believer, and the To assist parishes and dioceses in providing for an church 's important role in it, to each individual's call orderly and equitable sharing of the community's goods, to authentic discipleship: The church can never be the Holy See and United States Conference of Catho- exempted from practicing charity as an organized activity lic Bishops ( usccb ) have identified key missionary of believers, and on the other hand, there will never be a priorities.

7 These often result in special parish collec- situation where the charity of each individual Christian tions that take place on a national scale. In the United is unnecessary, because in addition to justice man needs, States national collections that are not prescribed by and will always need, love. 2 Indeed, the Holy Father the Holy See are authorized by the usccb and have urges constant renewal of the bond between charity been approved by a two-thirds vote of the diocesan and and discipleship: For this reason, it is very important eparchial bishops of the usccb and their equivalents. that the church 's charitable activity maintains all of its However, it falls to the local bishop to give expression splendor and does not become just another form of social to these missionary priorities by directing the faithful assistance.

8 The Christian's program the program of to respond. He does so regarding local projects and for the Good Samaritan, the program of Jesus is a heart the projects identified by the Holy Father or members of which sees.' This heart sees where love is needed and the usccb . acts accordingly. 3 Sharing of goods within the Christian community expresses Christ's love reaching to where 4 Canon 1254, 2 in the current Code of Canon Law, for there is the greatest, and often unseen, need, including example, cites as one of the church 's principal purposes within the human heart. for acquiring and administering goods charity, especially Christ's commandment of caritas has continued toward the needy.

9 Hereafter all citations to canon law are through the ages and has been reflected in the church 's taken from the Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition: New English Translation (Codex Iuris Canonici [CIC]). (Washington, DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1998). 5 Catechism of the Catholic church (CCC) (2nd ed.). 1 Apol. 1, 67: PG 6, 429. (Washington, DC: Libreria Editrice Vaticana usccb , 2 Pope Benedict XVI, God Is Love (Deus Caritas Est) 2000), no. 1351. (Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic 6 Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Ministry and Life Bishops [ usccb ], 2006), no. 29. of Priests (Presbyterorum Ordinis), no. 6, in The Documents 3 Deus Caritas Est, no.

10 31. of Vatican II, ed. Walter M. Abbott (New York: Guild Press, 1966). 1. One church , One Mission Canon 1266 of the Code of Canon Law states, In of combining collections; and how collections start, all churches and oratories which are, in fact, habitually change, or are terminated. open to the Christian faithful .. the local ordinary can The Committee on National Collections offers order the taking up of a special collection for specific its deep gratitude to all those in dioceses and parishes parochial, diocesan, national, or universal projects; who work so hard and with so much love to make the this collection must be diligently sent afterwards to the national collections a success year after year.