Catholic Diocese of Arlington
Encourage and teach with patience

Bishop's lenten appeal 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

As you may know, Pope Benedict XVI has dedicated this year to Saint Paul the Apostle. Our Holy Father remarked of Saint Paul, "...what most deeply motivated him was being loved by Jesus Christ and the desire to communicate this love to others" (Homily, First Vespers of the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, 28 June 2008). During this Jubilee year, we are encouraged to reflect on the teachings of Saint Paul and to recognize that his words have the power to inspire people today, just as he inspired the Gentiles of his time.

The 2009 Bishop's Lenten Appeal (BLA) is much more than a yearly fundraising effort that supports the work and programs of our Church. It is an expression of our love for one another, and, therefore, for our Lord Jesus Himself. Through his writings as a herald of Jesus Christ and a teacher of the faith, Saint Paul urges us to express our love for God through our love for one another. Within this context, I have chosen the following theme for this year's Bishop's Lenten Appeal taken from the words of Saint Paul in his first Letter to Timothy, "Be Rich in Good Works...Ready to Share" (1 Timothy 6:18).

Through your support of the BLA our children will receive the gift of faith formation, sacramental preparation and quality education; seminarians, deacons and lay leaders will fulfill their calling and serve their parish communities; Catholic Charities will expand its services for the hungry, homeless and disadvantaged; and individuals, couples and families will be provided with programs to enrich and strengthen their faith and family life. The following pages explain in greater detail how your support of the Bishop's Lenten Appeal assists in fulfilling the multi-faceted mission of the diocesan church.

As your Bishop, I am humbly asking you to consider making a sacrificial contribution to the 2009 Bishop's Lenten Appeal. Despite these challenging economic times, I appeal to you to consider your blessings and return a portion of these gifts to help your brothers and sisters in our diocese who are served by our ministries, programs and services.

Saint Paul's instruction, "Be Rich in Good Works...Ready to Share" truly calls us to examine our lives and to reflect on how we can more fully participate in the mission of the Church, a mission of sanctifying, teaching and serving.

Faithfully in Christ

Most Reverend Paul S. Loverde
Bishop of Arlington