From Catholic education to family life, to supporting vocations, charitable works for those in need, and crisis response, your gift to the Bishop’s Services Appeal makes a difference in the ministries it supports and the thousands of people it impacts.
The 44th annual Bishop’s Services Appeal (BSA), a fundraising campaign to aid in the operation of various ministries and programs, kicked off the weekend of September 14-15 in church parishes throughout the Diocese.
Some of those ministries include Vocations/Seminarians, Youth Ministry, Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana, Family Life, Diocesan Counseling, Communications, Catholic Education, Saint Charles Center and Camp Karol, Annulment and other Tribunal Fees, Seafarers Center, and Evangelization throughout the Diocese of Lake Charles.
This year’s campaign, which continues until the end of the fiscal year — June 30, 2025, with a goal of $824,000 — has as its theme: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)
It is appropriate that the theme of this year’s Bishop’s Services Appeal is thanksgiving, said Bishop Glen John Provost.
“The very English word Eucharist comes from the Greek word meaning ‘thanksgiving,’” he explained. “This act of thanksgiving, we might say, is God’s gift to us, for every time we give thanks, we are returning to God what He has first given us.”
In his annual BSA message, His Excellency said that life is one great act of thanksgiving.
“I am reminded of St. Paul, who understood this mystery so well. He had promised to collect offerings from the Christian communities to which he ministered and to send those offerings to the Church in Jerusalem,” he said. “The Church throughout the communities responded generously out of their own need.”
Bishop Provost noted that generosity is born from a heart of gratitude for the abundant gifts of God, who is good to us, so we are good to others.
“In being generous to others, we give thanks to God,” he said, making his appeal the faithful once again this year. “Please be generous to those in need and to the works of the Church in the Diocese of Lake Charles.”
“We want to see Saint Charles Center and Camp Karol continue its mission to those who seek Christ in prayer and to our youth, who are future leaders,” Bishop Provost remarked. “We want Catholic Charities to expand its charitable works to those in need. We want to spread the faith by supporting our religious education programs. We want to increase our efforts to bring healing and strength to the lonely, the sick, the stranger, and the less fortunate.”
Donors can choose from the following options to make their contribution:
- By check or cash in your parish’s designated BSA collection envelope
- By designating a donation at any time in your parish’s collection
- By credit card or electronic check (ACH) through the Diocese of Lake Charles website at http://www.lcdiocese.org/resources/support-the-diocese.
The first weekend of collections in church parishes will be at all Masses September 21-22.
