You are here: home >> offices >> stewardship office

Ministries and Offices Subsidized by the 2009 Archbishop's Annual Appeal

The largest portion of the Annual Appeal by far goes directly for our vocations effort.  This year we have more than 40 young men in seminary.  We must provide priests for current and future generations of Catholics or our parishes will be relegated to a visiting priest a couple of times a month to consecrate Holy Eucharist and celebrate other sacraments.

Many times a young man interested in the priesthood and who has been accepted by our rigorous screening process has not finished his first four years of college.  That expense is paid for by the Vocations Office.  After the seminarian enters Major Seminary the expense is between $80,000 and $100,000 per seminarian. 

The second largest beneficiary of the annual appeal budget is Catholic Charities.

Their Pregnancy, Parenting & Adoption Program provides professional services assisting pregnant women with parenting, problem solving, and goal setting whether in deciding to parent the child or making an adoption plan. Last year 12 babies were placed with adoptive parents and over 50 women received crisis pregnancy counseling through the Pregnancy, Parenting and Adoption program. 

Catholic Charities’ Disaster Preparedness & Response provides emergency assistance for families and individuals who have sustained loss and damage from natural disasters. They assist with rent, mortgage, food and transportation.   

Last year, over 3,794 families were served through Catholic Charities’ Family Enrichment Program in Metro Atlanta, Marietta, Gainesville and Athens with English, civics and Computer classes, parent school partnership programs, housing counseling and financial literacy education, direct assistance, information and referral services, to mention a few.

The Parish and Social Justice Ministries team provides resources for awareness, advocacy and action, emphasizing the “concrete practice of Love” as described in Catholic Social teachings and Pope Benedict’s encyclical “GOD IS LOVE”, through the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and Justice for Immigrants (JFI).

Catholic Charities’ Village of St. Joseph Counseling Services provides mental health counseling for families, individuals, and groups and served more than 3,272 families last year. Over 200 persons attended educational seminars presented by the professional counselors of this program on topics such as Parenting Adolescents, Inner Healing, Self-Esteem and Depression. More than 30 parishes are served by counselors on site.

Catholic Charities’ Refugee Resettlement Program served 559 refugee families with social adjustment and resettlement services, workforce development, youth programs and English classes. Ninety-two percent of our refugee families become self-sufficient within 6 months of their arrival in Atlanta.
Catholic Charities’ Immigration Legal Services is a leading provider of legal services to victims of crime and trafficking in the State of Georgia. Also served are persons seeking asylum, assisting families to reunite and attain American citizenship, and providing legal representation in deportation proceedings. More than 762 immigration cases were successfully completed; 1249 individuals received assistance; and 343 Family reunification petitions were won. In addition, the Georgia Immigrant Children’s Advocacy Project (ICAP) is spearheaded by Catholic Charities.

The archdiocese subsidizes the operating costs of eight Campus Catholic Centers located on local area college campuses to nourish and support the spiritual growth of the students, staff and faculty of the universities and colleges they serve by encouraging participation in God's grace and a deeper commitment to baptismal vows.  These Catholic communities provide liturgical, sacramental and educational opportunities as well as a comfortable and safe environment to socialize and enjoy the college experience.

The archdiocese subsidizes a portion of the program costs for the annual Eucharistic Congress.

Responding to the needs of a diverse church, the Office of Hispanic Ministry fosters a unity within the parishes of our archdiocese among the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking communities. Spanish Masses are offered in 49 of our parishes and missions. Three religious groups of nuns serve our Hispanic community in this archdiocese. The Hispanic Apostolate also offers two weeks of formation each year, as well as an annual retreat for lay persons.

The Disabilities Ministry advocates full inclusion into the life of the church by providing individualized services and programs that assist disabled Catholics as they enjoy their baptismal rights as members of the church.

Annual Appeal funds are used to form new Catholic missions in areas where there is no Catholic Mass.

The Office for Black Catholic Ministry sponsors archdiocesan-wide evangelization activities and supports similar parish based events as well as provides inculturation assistance to Black Catholic immigrant communities to enable full participation into parish and archdiocesan life of the Church.

Permanent deacons are representatives of Jesus Christ who minister to God's Church as part of the ordained clergy. Strengthened by sacramental grace they focus on service to the people of God, ministry of the liturgy, of the Gospel, and of works of charity. The deacon is the guardian of the true treasures of the Church -- the Body and the Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ and the people of his Church. We currently have 197 active deacons serving in 92 parishes and missions and there are 77 men in various stages of preparation in the five-year formation program at the Saint Stephen Center for Diaconate Studies.

The Office of Religious Education (ORE) consists of several interrelated ministries designed to facilitate the Church's mission to: go and make disciples of all nations... (Mt. 28:19) or evangelization.  The ORE focuses on ministry with Adults, Young Adults, Youth, and Children supported by Catechetical Ministry, Inculturation Ministry, Lay Ministry and Pastoral Care utilizing three operational priorities or lenses: 1) Animating Leadership, 2) Mature Discipleship, and 3) Vibrant Communities of Faith.  By inviting, encouraging, and supporting broad programming agendas for effective pastoral-outreach at the parish, school, and auxiliary community level, the ORE promotes an integrated framework of discipleship that is comprehensive, systematic, lifelong, and ongoing.  Together with the Archbishop, our ordained and lay ecclesial ministers, and the faithful, the ORE enables the people of the Archdiocese of Atlanta to grow and sustain our Catholic faith.

Supporting Catholic education, the Office of Catholic Schools assists each of our thirty-two pre-school programs, fifteen elementary schools, and three secondary schools by sponsoring a range of activities, including monthly principals' meetings, archdiocesan-wide in-service opportunities, curriculum writing sessions, technology support, assistance with psychological services for students, specific training of substitute teachers, and interface with other educational organizations.  

The Office of Child and Youth Protection primarily reaches out to survivors of sexual abuse by church personnel to promote healing, support them during investigations, work as their liaison with the Archbishop's Advisory Board, and maintain long-standing relationships with child abuse prevention community-based programs.

The HIV/AIDS Ministry office assists parishes in establishing their own HIV/AIDS parish ministries by providing support and resources. Parish-based services for AIDS awareness/prevention are also offered including in-service workshops, speakers and educational programs.

Coordinating pro-life efforts within the archdiocese, the Pro-Life Office develops, trains and supports parish pro-life committees and acts as an archdiocesan resource for information on pro-life issues.

Working toward the prevention of problems in families, the Family Life Office offers various Catholic programs for marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, marriage repair, and support for divorced and separated Catholics, prevention of domestic violence and various training programs for clergy and lay ministers.  Most of these services are provided in English and Spanish.

The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is about being good stewards of God’s many gifts to us. It speaks of our being His Light for the world. Because we are all one family who in our hearts are moved by the Holy Spirit, we can make a tremendous difference through our good deeds and by sharing our blessings with other members of our Archdiocesan family.

Together with our Catholic sisters and brothers in the Archdiocese of Atlanta may we re-affirm the light that is given to shine before others. Let us not hide the light under a bowl. Let it not be dimmed through accommodation and inaction where love and justice are needed. May we indeed be light for others, for this community, and for this world.  

To the glory of God.

Page last modified: October 13, 2008