Dear Parishioners,

The faithful throughout the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland will have an opportunity to provide financial assistance to the war victims in Ukraine as well as to support other projects in Central and Eastern Europe through the annual Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe. The collection is sanctioned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

This collection is taken up in diocesan parishes throughout the Lenten season. Parishioners are asked to consider making a generous donation to this worthy cause by using the envelope in their offertory packet or by donating through the IHM FAITHDIRECT online giving – https://ihmcfo.org/donate/. In addition to this envelope there will be a basket near the sanctuary during the season of Lent for any free will offering.

Cleveland Bishop Edward Malesic is a member of the USCCB Subcommittee on Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, which is chaired by fellow Ohioan Steubenville Bishop Jeffrey Monforton. Countries included in the region are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

“The USCCB is uniquely positioned to provide aid to the region, having built strong relationships with our brother bishops there these last 30 years, and having given to much assistance in the development of the Church’s capacity to respond to pastoral and social needs. A robust response at this moment will allow the Church in the United States to continue to be a strong partner in the rebuilding and restoring of the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, and to give critical and timely humanitarian aid now for Ukraine,” Bishop Monforton said, “Let us ask Our Lady, Queen of Peace, to bring a swift end to this violence.”

Many Blessings,
Father Jim