Pray, Serve, Share
Because of your stewardship of God's Gifts, the Diocesan Services Appeal is able to provide essential services in the Diocese of Palm Beach. Below are the many ministries and programs supported by this annual appeal.
Catholic Charities
This year, Catholic Charities assisted more than 10,000 clients through the 16 social services and ministries throughout the 18 locations in the Diocese of Palm Beach. Some of these programs include: promoting respect for life, after- school care, counseling, elder affairs, immigration, pregnancy care centers, transitional housing for the homeless, substance addiction and prison ministry. Your gift makes a significant difference in the lives of the people who are most vulnerable and most in need.
Catholic Education
There are approximately 6,000 students enrolled in Diocesan schools and 16,000 enrolled in Religious Education classes in our parishes. As a Diocesan community our mission is to provide a high standard of education and solid faith formation rooted in a love for God and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Your gift helps to provide a firm foundation for thousands of children and young people, who will one day be our Catholic leaders.
Communication
The Office of Communications uses a variety of mediums to promote, educate and evangelize the faithful and wider community. The televised Mass reaches more than 743,000 households, connecting those who are homebound, in hospitals and nursing homes. Through the award-winning Florida Catholic newspaper, more than 20,000 subscribers can read stories about people who live their daily lives carrying out their vocations and the work of God. The Diocesan website is another crucial resource for everyone to access news, multimedia presentations and information about the Church. Your pledge of support assists the Office of Communications in its mission to proclaim the word of God and provide essential information to all.
Cultural Offices
The Diocese of Palm Beach is a mosaic of cultures, traditions and people who have come to our area from all over the world in search of employment, family and friendship. As the local Church, we embrace all our ethnic communities: Hispanic, Haitian, African-American, Guatemalan, Filipino, Vietnamese, Portuguese/Brazilian, and others. We lend a hand by assisting people to assimilate into the American culture and way of life, while maintaining the beauty and richness of their own customs and traditions.
Diaconate and Religious Formation
The Office of the Permanent Diaconate promotes, forms and helps those discerning a call to serve the Church as permanent deacons. In 2011 seven men were ordained to the diaconate and they are now serving in various parishes and ministries throughout the Diocese, along with the 90 deacons already serving. The Office for Religious provides support for the 120 religious sisters and brothers serving in the Diocese in various pastoral, health care and educational ministries.
Family Life
The family is the true "Domestic Church." It is the place where the members of the family first experience the love of God embodied in their parents, brothers and sisters and extended family members. As a Church, it is our mission to develop strong, committed, healthy family relationships that benefit the members of the family as well as our larger society. The Office of Marriage and Family Life serves to enrich the thousands of families within our faith community by providing programs and resources that instill the Gospel of Christ through formation, healing and support. By working directly with families and in conjunction with parishes, this ministry is dedicated to building up family life as a reflection of God's faithful love.
Vocations and Priestly Life
God calls us each by name and He asks us to serve in a specific way in His vineyard. The Diocesan Services Appeal helps to support the Office of Vocations, which strives to cultivate a spirit of vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life in our families, parishes and schools. This office especially promotes an awareness of God's call to the priesthood. Once the candidates are in the seminary this office helps form and mentor the seminarians in their spiritual, human, academic and pastoral formation. Currently, 15 seminarians are studying for the priesthood for the Diocese. Through your generosity, you help ensure and nurture these vocations and help prepare these men to serve as priests in our Diocese