Bishop Cristiano Barbosa at his ordination in the Cathedral ofthe Holy Cross, February 9, 2024
This year was one of transition, and of great impact and success. During 2024 we celebrated the ordination of Bishop Cristiano Barbosa – only the second Brazilian-born bishop in the US, and closed with the installation of Archbishop Richard Henning, who follows Cardinal Seán O’Malley as the new shepherd of the Archdiocese of Boston. Through your generous participation, you have made a difference in the lives of thousands of children and young adults, the poor and vulnerable, future church leaders and the 144 communities of our Archdiocese.
Yourgifts have spread hope across theArchdiocese by providing assistance to individuals and families who face challenges of desperation, crisis, and the full spectrum of human circumstances.Yoursupport has built up the Church in areas of Catholic education, evangelization, spiritual formation, and vocations. In sum, yourgenerosity has impacted thousands of lives and has affirmed Christ’s love forall people.
—ArchbishopRichardG.Henning
Archbishop Richard G. Henning
STRENGTHENING VIBRANT PARISHES
The parishes of our Archdiocese are the heart of the Church. Here, the faithful worship, gather, connect and serve God and one another. Your generous support of the 2024 Catholic Appeal provided resources for parishes like Mary Queen of the Apostles (MQOA) in Salem to expand with innovative evangelization efforts. Small groups of parishioners came together deepening their connection to the church and each other. With their motto “Be Welcome. Be Healed. Belong.”, MQOA is an example of one of the many welcoming, diverse and vibrant parishes in our communities.
FatherBob’s commitment to discipleship, his commitment to create a missionary church, his commitment to making sure that we are projecting and giving the message ofJesus shapes me as a leaderand as a person. I watch all ofthe decisions he makes and all ofthem are based on projecting that this is a Church that is teaching aboutJesus. He amazes me.
—Angela,Mary Queen oftheApostles Parish
Reverend Robert Murray, Pastor, MQOA, Salem
Ordination Mass, May 25, 2024, Cathedral ofthe Holy Cross
GROWING VOCATIONS
The Archdiocese of Boston is blessed to stand at the forefront nationally in providing parishes and communities with faith leaders needed now and for the future of our Church.
In May, Cardinal Seán ordained 11 men to the Priesthood –the largest class since 2019, and most among all dioceses nationwide. Through your generosity to the Catholic Appeal and a strong focus on cultivating vocations, the Archdiocese of Boston has been blessed with consistent ordinations, and our seminaries are thriving with 50 men currently in formation.
We cannot do this work alone. And the opportunity is an extraordinary one in the difference it can make in our Church.
Fr. Eric Cadin, Director ofVocations
St. Michael School, Lowell
STANDARDIZING EXCELLENCE IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Catholic schools offer an education that goes beyond textbooks and test scores. What sets our schools apart is the faith-based environment that nurtures students’ spiritual, moral, and emotional growth. There are 95 Catholic schools across our Archdiocese providing an outstanding, faith-based education to more than 32,000 students.
In June, Eileen McLaughlin joined the Archdiocese as Superintendent of Catholic Schools. One of her first initiatives was to host 95 Catholic school leaders/principals to launch her vision to invest in our talented teachers and leaders in order to strengthen academic excellence, faith formation, and operational vitality throughout our schools.
Two of our Catholic schools – St. Mary of the Assumption School in Brookline and St. Joseph School in Needham – were among only nine schools in Massachusetts to receive the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Award recognition of their excellence in academic performance and closing achievement gaps.
Fr. Mike Zimmerman’s weekly outreach on the streets of Boston
BRINGING THE CHURCH’S MISSION TO LIFE
Approximately one-fifth of funds raised through the Catholic Appeal are dedicated to bringing the light of Christ to those in need in a myriad of ways. This includes offering support to those affected by addiction, training chaplains to work in hospitals and prisons, and fostering social connections to counteract the epidemic of loneliness. Dozens of young adults join Fr. Mike Zimmerman each week for prayers and reflection before they walk through the city of Boston, bringing connection and care to people on the streets. Our three Pregnancy Help Centers, staffed with bilingual nurses and caseworkers, support hundreds of women and families that are going through difficult pregnancies. Through Project Rachel, women suffering from a past abortion find spiritual support, reconciliation, and healing. Our Deaf Apostolate Ministry empowers and supports the Deaf Catholic community in our Archdiocese and live-streams Masses to more than 1,000 Deaf Catholics across the country. Our Chaplaincy Ministry brings comfort and peace to those facing critical illness and provides workshops and training to parishes on topics such as addiction and recovery, suicide prevention and intervention, bereavement, and community nursing.
YOUR DONATION AT WORK
Each year the Catholic Appeal raises over $15 million in support of our ministries. Funds are allocated to services and programs as follows:
Your support of the Catholic Appeal enables the Archdiocese of Boston to thrive with:
250 Parishes
88 Ethnic Communities
51 Central Ministries
Masses in 22 Languages
10,279 Baptisms
8,484 First Communions
7,582 Confirmations
95 Schools
32,000 Students
573 Priests
280 Deacons
11 Newly Ordained Priests
50 Men Discerning the Priesthood
65,000+ Hospital Chaplain Visits
Students at St. Michael School, Lowell
The annual Caritas Society Mass ofAppreciation at the Cathedral ofthe Holy
Cross in Boston on November 17, 2024
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
The Caritas Society celebrates the Archdiocese of Boston’s most generous annual supporters of the Catholic Appeal. Comprised of those who give $1,000 or more annually, the Caritas Society represents the epitome of leadership for the Catholic Church. Donors who give at this level play an essential role in helping the Archdiocese of Boston sustain its tradition of excellence by setting an example of good stewardship through their love and support of the people and ministries in need of assistance. In fact, more than 50% of dollars raised for the Catholic Appeal in 2024 were given by Caritas Society members.
Archbishop’s LeAdership Circle
Those donating at the $10,000+ level annually
BenefActor
$5,000-$9,999 annual donation
PAtron
$2,500-$4,999 annual donation
GuA rdi A n
$1,000-$2,499 annual donation
Thank you foryourcommitmenttothe CatholicAppeal as a memberofthe Caritas Society.
