Helping through Special Collections

“In Everything Give Thanks”

                     1 Thessalonians 5:18

Our national collections allow us to help our neighbors and serve as faithful stewards of our gifts from God.

In the Diocese of Saginaw, the following National Collections are held in parishes each year:

  • The Catholic Relief Services Collection

  • World Mission Sunday

  • The Collection for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (held every 3 years)

  • The Catholic Campaign for Human Development

  • The Retirement Fund for Religious

Other National Collections are supported via the annual Christ's Mission Appeal, which is funded through generous donations made by parishioners in our diocese.  

  • Collection for the Church in Latin America

  • Black and Indian Missions

  • Holy Land

  • Catholic Home Missions Appeal

  • Catholic Communication Campaign

  • Peter’s Pence Collection

  • The Catholic University of America

  • Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa

Annual Rice Bowl Collection

In addition to the National Collections, an opportunity to stand in solidarity with the poor within the 11 counties of our diocese and beyond is offered each year during Lent through Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl.

Rice Bowl calls us to:

  • Pray with our families and faith communities

  • Fast in solidarity with those who hunger

  • Learn more about our global community and the challenges of poverty overseas

  • Give sacrificial contributions to those in need

How Rice Bowl Funds are Used

Seventy-five percent of alms collected through the program fund Catholic Relief Services’ development projects overseas, helping families produce more food, increase their income and escape abject poverty (93% is used for programming; Catholic Relief Services maintains a very low overhead, only 7% is used for administrative costs).

To raise awareness on the work of the Church throughout the world; parishes are invited to participate in Rice Bowl.

Twenty-five percent of Rice Bowl contributions are used locally to address hunger and poverty-related needs within the Diocese of Saginaw (100% of these funds are used for grants, 0% are used for administrative costs).

Mission Co-op Appeal

To raise awareness on the work of the Church throughout the world; parishes are invited to participate in the annual Mission Co-op Appeal. On one weekend each year, a representative of various approved mission organizations visits our parish communities to ask for support while sharing the “Good News” about the work they do to bring Christ to others in some of the poorest areas in the United States and around the world. To learn more, contact our Mission Office.

Emergency Appeals

Each year, catastrophes strike in regions of the United States and throughout the world, and people like you reach out to us and ask how to best help. We help through special collections at our parishes, which support relief efforts to help communities and the Catholic Church in the affected areas to rebuild and reach out in mercy and compassion to victims of naturals disasters. Domestic emergencies are responded to through Catholic Charities USA, while Catholic Relief Services helps those affected overseas.