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AFRICA: US Catholics Give Over Half a Million Dollars for Projects Print E-mail
Written by CISA   
Saturday, 21 July 2007
The Catholic Church in the United States will give more than half a million dollars to 51 programs in Africa, the first ever grants from the bishops’ Pastoral Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa.

The awards were announced by Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Church in Africa. The awards will support a range of pastoral activities including pastoral care, formation of seminarians and clergy, Catholic education, youth ministry, catechesis and social communications.

In a letter to bishops announcing the grants, Bishop Ricard said that “the Church in Africa is both the fastest growing part of the Universal Church and the neediest part of our family of faith. Its spiritual wealth is unfortunately matched by its desperate material poverty. These grants will help the Church in Africa both to meet its current needs and to realize its enormous potential.”

The Pastoral Solidarity Fund was established in November 2004 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishops and dioceses support the fund annually through special collections, diocesan appeals, direct contributions, major donor drives, fundraising events and other voluntary initiatives.

Sudan will receive $95,000 for various pastoral projects, while Rwanda will get $50,000 for catechetical work and ongoing formation of the clergy.

Kenya will receive $40,000: Renovations at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary ($10,000), KEC Sustained National Pastoral Revitalization Project ($20,000) and Catholic Radio Station in Nakuru Diocese ($10,000).

Tanzania will get $45,000 for Support of the Clergy ($25,000) and for National Program of the Family Apostolate

Other funded activities include a Catholic Youth Formation Program in Ghana ($15,000), Training of Catechists, Youth Leaders and Leaders of Lay Movements in Malawi ($15,000), and Sacramental Rituals Translation and Catechetical Syllabus in Zimbabwe ($20,000).

A list of grants can be found at www.usccb.org/churchinafrica
Last Updated ( Friday, 20 July 2007 )