Hope for the Future -- Help Them Today

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I ask you to continue to pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and the vowed religious life. I am confident these prayers are being answered by God.

The annual Seminarian Collection invites the faithful of the Diocese to participate in the education of our future priests.  As the number of seminarians increases so does the need to support them with a generous gift to the Seminarian Collection. After all, they are our "Hope for the Future" and we need to "Help Them Today."

A generous gift of $10, $20, $40 or even more to the Seminarian Collection (learn more through our audio and video files below) will make a huge difference in the level of support we can provide them. Each year, almost $700,000 is needed to support our seminarians. When you make your gift, please know it will help offset the cost of tuition, room and board, health care and other expenses including recruitment of more seminarians. To make a gift download and submit a pledge card.

Thank you again for your prayers and for your support of the Seminarian Collection during these difficult economic times. May God bless our Church with many new vocations and may God bless you and all your loved ones.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DD, JCL

Bishop of Green Bay

Video: Father Timothy Brandt, who was ordained in June 2009, reflects on how he was blessed with people's support throughout his seminary studies. (length: 1 min.)

Learn more about how the Seminarian Collection helps men from our Diocese become priests:

• Listen as Bishop Ricken and our newly ordained priests, Fr. Jason Blahnik and Fr. Timothy Brandt, discuss why they love the priesthood and thank you for your support of the Seminarian Collection. (length: 7 min.)
• Read about Chris Thelen, one of our seminarians as he shares his calling to the priesthood.
• Check out our background information, which includes a brief history of the Seminarian Collection, how the funds are used, a list of current seminarians, and more.
• Complete a pledge card and return it to your parish or to the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Green Bay.
• We also provided parishes with a poster, suggested bulletin announcements, and a transcript of the audio message.
  
  

For more information or if you need more materials, please contact Fr. Tom Long at 920-272-8293 or 1-877-500-3580, ext. 8293 (from 920 and 715 area codes), or e-mail.