PETER’S PENCE COLLECTION HELPS NEEDY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD

DATE: June 1, 2010

FROM: Don Clemmer

                                                                                                            O: 202-541-3206

                                                                                                            M: 260-580-1137

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PETER’S PENCE COLLECTION HELPS NEEDY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD

WASHINGTON—The Peter’s Pence Collection will be taken up in most Catholic parishes the weekend of June 26 - 27. This year’s theme, “Cast the love of Christ upon the world,” focuses on the relationship between solidarity and love.

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 The theme draws from Pope Benedict’s encyclical letter Caritas in Veritate (no. 78) where he says, “God’s love . . . gives us the courage to continue seeking and working for the benefit of all.”

Through this worldwide collection the pope is able to exercise the ministry of charity on behalf of the entire Church. Offerings to the collection support church needs, humanitarian initiatives (such as aid of victims of war, oppression and natural disasters) and other human promotion projects around the world. Assistance to seminaries and institutes of Christian formation in many developing countries, a village for HIV/AIDS orphans in Kenya, and the establishment of the Hospital of St. Vincent de Paul in Bosnia are examples of assistance provided by the pope thanks to the generosity of parishioners.

Others works which have recently received assistance through the Peter’s Pence Collection include the Nazareth Boys Townin Mbare, Rwanda, that takes in abandoned orphans who are victims of genocide and civil war, and Casa di accoglienza Giovanni Paolo II Opera Don Orione, a residence that gives free shelter and specializes in helping special-needs pilgrims to travel to Rome. The house was refurbished through assistance provided by collection.

The Peter’s Pence Collection gives U.S. parishioners a chance to unite in solidarity with the Holy Father, the faithful worldwide and those most in need of charitable love. More information about Peter’s Pence and other national collections can be found at www.usccb.org/nationalcollections.

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Keywords: Peter’s Pence Collection, Benedict XVI, National Collections

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