Part of the Diocesan Annual Appeal is a call to think about our path to holiness which includes our generosity and love of neighbor. The following are points to reflect on:

Pray – keep a list of things for which you are grateful. Thank God as soon as these things occur during the day. Soon, you will find yourself praying all day long! Thanking God for all the gifts we receive is one of the best and easiest ways to get your prayer life started.

Participate—The Holy Spirit has given each of us a unique set of gifts called charisms. These charisms can only be used for good and are meant to help build God’s kingdom on earth. Discover your charisms and live the life that God intended for you.

Give – reflect on all the blessings God has given you. How is God calling you to use your gifts to help others?

Generosity is our natural response to gratitude for all we have been given. In gratitude, we are called to give from our “first fruits.” We are called to give our first and best with all our gifts, especially the one that means the most to us. Generosity is one way of living out the faith. We have been looking at handing on the faith and our young people with the help of the Life Teen report 2024. “This report highlights five critical areas impacting Catholic teen discipleship. Addressing anxiety, the need for belonging, the search for purpose, the importance of family, and tackling loneliness requires thoughtful and adaptive approaches from the Catholic community. By understanding and responding to these areas, Catholic discipleship can offer meaningful support and guidance to today’s teens. These trends have been identified through conversations with the thousands of American parishes who use LIfe Teen Youth Ministry resources.

  1. Working through anxiety. Teenagers in 2024 are known as the Anxiety Generation. Life Teen data shows a rise in anxiety medications among the thousands of teens that attend Life Teen camps and Events. We believe this is due to continuous social media exposure, idealized lifestyles, and peer pressure. Current challenges, like gender identity, political unrest, and economic uncertainties, add to their anxiety and worry about the future. What can we do: Build a stable community. Catholic formation can address this by providing stable, supportive communities and relationships. Teach on True Hope and Peace. Provide teaching and encounters for teens to find lasting peace and hope through Jesus Christ.”

“Almost half (44%) of high schoolers reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless in 2021.” We have hope because of Christ, let us consider the ways each of us can offer that to our young people.

— Fr. John Potaczek


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