Began in 2023, a special collection for Diocesan Communications is held in January. This collection supports the new initiatives of the Diocese of Youngstown's Communications Office, including The Catholic Echo - our diocesan magazine and multimedia website - along with a contemporary social media studio that will help the Diocese of Youngstown produce videos, podcasts and more. Your gift will help the diocese to reach out to younger Catholics and help support critical services to the homebound, including the recorded Sunday Mass and radio and television ministry. You may contribution online through our parish’s online giving, or at doy.org/communications-collection/. 

Catholics around the country have always responded to the needs of people everywhere. In January, the Diocese of Youngstown holds the Church Overseas Combined Collection in order to assist the Church in its ministries throughout the world. This combined collection supports four major overseas services: 

• Catholic Relief Services (CRS) - Supports Catholic Church organizations that carry out international relief and solidarity efforts. Programs include relief and resettlement for victims of persecution, war and natural disasters; development projects to improve living conditions of the poor; legal and support services for poor immigrants; peace and reconciliation work for people suffering from violence; and advocacy on behalf of the powerless.
  In keeping with the theme "Help Jesus in Disguise," the funds collected through the CRS Collection support vital Catholic programs that share in the Catholic mission of promoting sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person.

• Holy Father/Peter's Pence - Enables the Holy Father to respond with emergency financial assistance to requests to aid the neediest throughout the world - those who suffer as a result of war, oppression, and natural disasters. It likewise provides the faithful with a tangible opportunity to not only empower the weak, defenseless, and voiceless, but also sustain those who suffer. 

• The Church in Central and Eastern Europe - Provides aid by the Subcomittee on Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe through bishops' conferences of Central and Eastern Europe and the ex-Soviet Union to meet the needs of rebuilding the Church. It focuses on training seminarians and lay leaders, supporting social service programs, youth ministry, pastoral and catechetical centers, schools, church construction and renovation, and evangelization through Catholic media.

• The Church in Latin America - Supports pastoral programs as awarded by the Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Projects include the work of evangelization, formation of laity, religious and seminarians, as well as youth minister and catechists. Fundig is limited to programmatic expenses and excludes building construction except in cases of emergency.

Not a parish collection but a Lenten program run in schools and parishes. CRS Rice Bowl provides funding for Catholic Relief Services' food security projects which support agriculture, nutrition, education, and self-sufficiency in communities around the world. 75% is remitted to CRS for overseas projects and 25% may be retained in the diocese for local anitpoverty programs.

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Pope Francis asks for our support of the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, which helps Christians in the Holy Land. Your support helps the Church minister in parishes, provide Catholic schools and offer religious education. The collection also helps to preserve the sacred shrines. The wars, unrest and instability have been especially hard on Christians. In these times of crisis, the Pontifical Good Friday Collection provides humanitarian aid to refugees. When you contribute to the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, you become an instrument of peace and join with Catholics around the world in solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land.

The Department of Development & Stewardship oversees the Annual Diocesan Appeal, a diocesan wide initiative taking place during the season of Lent, that calls the entire Church Family to minister to all those seeking assistance.

Your gifts of time, talent and treasure allow us to extend the ministry of Jesus Christ each and every day.

The following ministries are all supported, in part, by the Annual Diocesan Appeal:

Catholic Charities (Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana)
Catholic Charities (Stark, Portage)
Catholic Charities (Ashtabula)
Catholic Charities (Diocese of Youngstown)
Diocesan Ministries
Office of Communications
Office of Missionary Discipleship
Department of Canonical Services
Depart of Clergy and Religious Services
Department of Financial Services
Department of Pastoral Education

The Catholic Relief Service (CRS) routinely aids those affected by disasters like hurricanes and flooding. Your support of these Emergency Response & Recover efforts are most appreciated. Learn more at https://www.crs.org/our-work-overseas/program-areas/emergency-response-and-recovery.

On Good Shepherd Sunday, May 11, 2025, there will be a special diocesan collection to support our seminarians. 

Parishes typically are visited by someone speaking on behalf of missionaries around the world. All Catholics are encouraged to join in the Church’s mission to bring Christ to all nations and by witness to the Gospel to bring all nations together as one People of God.

Held in the Spring each year this three-in-one collection supports the national and local work of:

• Catholic Campaign for Human Development - Addresses the root causes of poverty in America through promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and transformative education. Grants are awarded by the Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development with the approval of local bishops.

• Catholic Communication Campaign - The essential mission is to contribute to the process of evangelization by fostering activities in relation to television, radio, internet, and other media, and through special projects of the Catholic press. 50% of the funds collected are remitted to the National Office. From these funds, grants are made by the USCCB Subcommittee. The remaining portion of the collection is retained by the dioceses for use in local communication projects.

• The Catholic University of America - Provides funding for academic scholarships at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC in response to the commitment made by the bishops at its foundation in 1887. It is the only U.S. university with Pontifical faculties. Students are enrolled from all 50 states and almost 100 countries in 12 schools.

First Step for Change is an annual fundraiser held by Catholic Charities to assist low-income women, children, infants and families in need.  We have asked our parish families to take home “First Step Packets,” learn about the program, complete a participation card, and return the packets to church.  Funds are then forwarded to Catholic Charities to purchase food, formula, diapers, clothing and other essentials items to low-income pregnant women, families and children served in our First Step Programs across the Diocese of Youngstown.
 
WHEN:  Mother’s Day - Father’s Day
WHY:   To meet the urgent needs of those in Catholic Charities’ First Step programs across the diocese
HOW: Return FIRST STEP FOR CHANGE PACKETS to your parish, or donate online (Accepting online donations through the end of July) at https://tinyurl.com/mw2tf8b7 OR  https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=a07c7219-0618-4b03-8703-ef23024a75e3&envid=p-dn6FNihuA0GZMWZHGWJvMw&zone=usa

In 1926 Pope Pius XI instituted Mission Sunday for the whole Church with the first worldwide Mission collection taking place in October 1927. The Mission Sunday collection is always taken on the next to the last Sunday in October. That day is celebrated in all the local Churches as the feast of catholicity and universal solidarity so Christians the world over will recognize their common responsibility with regard to the evangelization of the world.

Held the Sunday before Veterans Day, every third year.

This unique Archdiocese is faced with many challenges, including a severe shortage of Catholic priest-chaplains, a flock spread out among military installations across the world, and constant transition. The AMS receives no funding fromthe military or government and must rely solely on private donors. Catholic service members and their families, and veterans cared for in a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, deserve the same faith opportunities as Catholics here at home; their faith should not be a part of the sacrifices they make.

This annual appeal that began in 1988 provides funding to any religious institute in the U.S. that is listed in the religious institute section of the Official Catholic Directory. Many sisters, brothers, and religious order priests may be elderly, and their religious communities may struggle to meet retirement needs. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious supports necessities - such as medications and nursing care - and helps ensure the next generation can continue ministry.

Catholic Charities created the Warm Hearts for Warm Homes campaign (formerly Keep the Kids Warm) in 2008 in response to the economic recession impacting many local families. Unfortunately, the need for this annual campaign still exists 15 years later. Warm Hearts for Warm Homes aims to provide utility assistance during the cold winter months to families with children, working poor adults and older adults on fixed incomes. More information about Warm Hearts for Warm Homes, including ways to support this campaign with your prayers and financial support, can be found on our website (www.ccdoy.org). Donate online; give today in your parish; or mail checks to: Catholic Charities, 144 West Wood St., Youngstown, Ohio 44503. Thank you for your generosity.