SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
The following list of national and international collections are outlined by the USCCB National Collections Office. The number of different collections is intended to give parishioners plenty of options, so you can give generously to the collections that are important to you! See when these collections are and learn more about them below:
Church in Latin America
January 17 & 18
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Promoting solidarity throughout the hemisphere by providing support for pastoral projects in Latin America and the Caribbean through contributions to an annual collection. For over 50 years, Catholics in the United States have expressed solidarity with the Church from Mexico to the Caribbean, to the southern tip of South America through the Collection.
PREPARES Collection
February 7 & 8
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A statewide initiative of the Catholic Bishops of Washington State, Pregnancy & Parenting Support (PREPARES) supports parish-based outreach to pregnant and parenting families of all faiths in building healthy support networks. By offering holistic, life-affirming resources, PREPARES provides for the emotional, material, and spiritual needs of families, from pregnancy to a child’s fifth birthday. This collection will help families across Washington build strong foundations for years to come.
Northwest Catholic Collection/Catholic Communications Campaign
February 28 & March 1
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NORTHWEST CATHOLIC is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Seattle, mailed 6 times each year to every registered Catholic household in Western Washington. In addition to the print magazine, Northwest Catholic includes a news website, NWCatholic.org; a weekly email newsletter; and social media outreach on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Northwest Catholic’s mission is to promote the new evangelization and form disciples by proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. A percentage of this collection goes to the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign.
Catholic Relief Services Collection
March 14 & 15​
The Catholic Relief Services Collection values families. It works to provide for their basic humanitarian needs, protect vulnerable children, reunite families, and encourage legislation that reflects the importance of family in society. The reach of this Collection spans the globe, helping families on every continent from an array of ethnicities and backgrounds, addressing a myriad of needs.
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Church in Africa Collection
July 25 & 26
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Africa faces the economic and social hurdles of enormous debt, epidemic, severe poverty, and political unrest. In spite of these challenges, the Church in Africa has almost tripled in size in the past 30 years. However, it is difficult for the church to sustain its growth and maintain essential pastoral outreach. The Fund provides grants to finance pastoral projects including outreach programs, schools, evangelization, and education of clergy and lay ministers.
Catholic Home Mission Collection
August 22 & 23
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Right now, over 40 percent of dioceses in the United States are considered home mission territory because they are unable to fund the essential pastoral work needed in their communities. These dioceses face challenges due to priest shortages, lack of funds, remote geography, or impoverished parishes. Through annual grants, the Catholic Home Mission Collection funds catechesis, seminarian education, lay ministry training, Hispanic ministry and other pastoral programs. Catholic Home Missions impacts the lives of nearly nine million Catholics in the United States.
Catholic Campaign for Human Development Collection
September 19 & 20
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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. National grants are awarded by the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee on CCHD with the approval of local bishops. Local, smaller, grants are awarded by the Archbishop.
Black and Indian Mission Collection
October 3 & 4
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The National Collection for Black and Indian people continue as the embodiment of the Church’s concern for evangelizing the Black and Indian peoples of the United States. The funds are distributed as grants to dioceses throughout the United States, supporting and strengthening evangelization programs with an emphasis on serving economically challenged areas within dioceses.
World Mission Sunday Collection
October 17 & 18
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Mission Sunday is celebrated the world over. Remembering that we are baptized and sent as a Universal Church, this collection for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith ensures the work and service of the Mission Church, as it supports mission priests, religious Sisters and Brothers, and lay catechists who are Christ’s witnesses to the most vulnerable communities.
Church in Central and Eastern Europe Collection
November 28 & 29
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After decades of persecution, Catholics of the Armenian rite, the Chaldean rite, and the Latin rite have experienced a new era of freedom since Georgia became independent from the Soviet Union. With assistance from the Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, Catholics in Georgia are able to rebuild churches, provide medical care for the poor, and to pass on the faith to the next generation so that the Church can once again thrive where once it was persecuted.
Catholic Community Services Appeal
December 5 & 6 or December 12 & 13
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Each year the CCS Appeal informs parishioners about the work of Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services (CCS/CHS). CCS/CHS are our Catholic Charities in Western Washington. Every year CCS/CHS serves, on average, 100,000 poor and vulnerable people in Western Washington through more than 170 programs. This collection is used to support programs and services in your local area, and $.92 of every dollar goes directly to serving those in need.