ARCHBISHOP LEONARD P. BLAIR
Once again I find myself writing early on, in preparation for the July-August edition of the Catholic Transcript. And yes, as I write, the pandemic is still with us, though hopefully mitigated in some significant way by the time you read this.
Some months ago, I told the priests of the archdiocese that when all is said and done after this great health cri-sis, the most important thing that will be remembered is charity, our love of neighbor. We see this charity expressed in many ways. It is to be found in heroic health care workers and all who sup-port, encourage and thank them; in the material and spiritual help and comfort extended to those who are suffering ma-terially or spiritually; in people’s will-ingness to set aside their usual patterns of behavior for the sake of the common good. There has been a great outpouring of goodness on the part of many in the face of a common threat to the lives and health of us all.
As closed down as the archdiocese and parishes have been for an extended period, innovation and ingenuity have not been lacking to reach out to parish-ioners and to the general public. Many of our Catholic parishes and entities have found creative ways to engage not only parishioners but the public at large by witnessing to the Gospel and exercising the virtue of charity.
Not all forms of charity are financial, to be sure. But in that area, too, I have been very encouraged and gratified by the contributions that have continued to come in by mail or online to the 2020 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal (AAA). As I write this, we have fallen behind where we were at this time last year, but under the circumstances I prefer to think of the glass as half-full rather than half-empty, given all the challenges that people are facing, including many with financial fears of their own.
The fact that people are continuing to be generous to the Appeal has made it possible for the archdiocese not to back away, but to increase its support of local charities that are struggling to meet the needs created by the pandemic. I say “archdiocese,” but what that really means is the Catholic people who contribute annually to the AAA.
Thanks to your generosity, $1,058,500 was distributed in 2019 to 226 community organizations serving the needs of the people in Litchfield, New Haven and Hartford counties. These entities were nominated by local pastors, since they are the most knowledgeable about local needs and effective local outreach.The coronavirus has created an emergency situation for many of those charitable community organizations and I believe we need to help as much as we can. So, in order to meet the emergency needs of people who find themselves lacking the basic necessities, additional grants were made in May to 91 community-based organizations that had already received a grant from the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal last fall. These 91 groups provide direct assistance through soup kitchens, food pantries, food banks and shelters. These additional grants total $322,000.
Charity begins at home. And many adults and children live within our home,that is, within the communities that com-prise the Archdiocese of Hartford. Because of your support of the Appeal, you have eased the burdens of many families and individuals afflicted by the pandemic. I want to express my personal gratitude and, if I may, the gratitude of those helped by your prayers, sacrificial giving and reliable support of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. In circumstances such as these, the Catholic community of faith will want to be remembered for assisting an array of people who did not choose to be lacking employment, housing, food or health.
Let us continue to support and pray for one another, especially those most in need. God bless you.