August 2, 2018

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

During the time of communist reign in many countries in Eastern Europe, practicing the Catholic faith was illegal, church buildings were confiscated, and people were forced to hide and secretly share the truths of the Gospel. Having survived decades of institutional oppression and persecution, Catholics still struggle to rebuild not only their physical places of worship but also their church ministries and communities. "Restore the Church - Build the Future" is the national theme for the  Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe (CCEE) which will be taken up in our diocese on the weekend of August 12. Grants funded by this national collection support pastoral projects, scholarships, and Catholic organizations working in areas formerly under Soviet control. The emerging problems posed by secularism also require major investments in developing the next generation of Church leaders.

The country of Albania is nestled north of Greece on the Adriatic Sea. This small country suffered greatly under communist rule. In the capital of Tirana, located in the middle of the country, the Church is continuing to restore not only its structures but also the spirituality of the faithful after years of oppression. For example, in 1996, the congregation of sisters known as the Company of Mary Our Lady founded a kindergarten, the first Catholic school in the entire capital city. Since then, they have opened a school for grades 1-9 and a daily activity center for children. The sisters are now serving over 700 children daily from all different backgrounds, faiths, and ethnic groups. With your support of CCEE, these sisters will be able to make critical repairs to their building to continue their ministry. Your generosity helps the sisters to continue teaching children and equips the congregation to provide a space to build peaceful communities.

In order for projects like this one to continue, the collection needs your help. I ask that you keep these programs in your prayers and that we join our fellow Catholics in the United States in making a generous contribution to support the efforts to rebuild pastoral capacity and create future leaders of the Catholic Church in Central and Eastern Europe.

With every prayerful best wish, I am

Sincerely yours in Christ,
 
Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester