By TAMI QUIGLEY Staff writer
With the theme of “Called to Serve,” the 2018 Bishop’s Annual Appeal (BAA) has announced the chairs in the five counties of the Diocese of Allentown who will pilot the appeal to soar to its goal of raising $5 million to help those in need.
“In our community, the BAA is successful because pastors and parish leaders set examples of service and generosity every single day throughout the Diocese,” said Paul Acampora, secretary of the Diocesan Secretariat for Stewardship and Development.
“Every dollar raised through the BAA is distributed to schools, services, vocations, and ministries according to a plan that is reviewed and monitored by a committee of volunteer parishioners from across the Diocese.
“BAA donors can be certain that their dollars are spent on work that makes a difference in the community,
“The BAA is the story of our entire Diocesan community working together to care for one another. Together we say yes to the call to serve, and together we make a real impact in our own lives and in the lives of our neighbors and neighborhoods.
The county chairs for Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties were announced Feb. 5 during the County Chairperson Dinner at Morgan’s Restaurant, Allentown.
The county chairs will guide BAA, which provides support to Catholic Health and Human Services, most notably Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown; the care of retired and infirm priests; Catholic Life and Evangelization; education and formation of seminarians, deacons and priests; education including special learning centers; and the Bishop’s Catholic high school scholarships.
Chairpersons for the 2018 BAA are:
- Berks County: Matt and Sandi Lloyd.
- Carbon County: Richard (Ric) and Kathy Reaman.
- Lehigh County: Edward and Louise Bechtel.
- Northampton County: Michael and Irene Kolessar.
- Schuylkill County: Francis (Frank) and Suzanne Fox.
To learn more about BAA or to make a gift, visit www.faithhopecharitygives.org.
Matt and Sandi Lloyd
“Sharing our blessings is an important part of our Catholic faith. That’s why it is an honor for us to serve as 2018 BAA chairs for Berks County,” said Matt and Sandi Lloyd, parishioners of St. Catharine of Siena, Reading.
The Lloyds said BAA supports education for children with special needs, preparation for seminarians, care for our retired priests, Catholic Charities services, parish programs through the Secretariat for Catholic Life and Evangelization, and more. “Your gift to the appeal will bring the light of Christ home to Berks County, and it will help Bishop Alfred Schlert address the needs of our entire Diocesan family of faith.”
“At his ordination, Bishop Schlert offered a mission statement composed when he was pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown. In that mission statement, Bishop Schlert called us to be ‘a Roman Catholic family of faith, centered in the Holy Eucharist, faithful to the Church’s teachings, bringing the light of Christ to each other and to our community,’” the Lloyds said.
“Through this year’s BAA, we are all called to serve in this mission which Bishop Schlert describes as ‘work for a lifetime.’ Thank you for prayerfully considering a gift to the 2018 BAA.”
Richard and Kathy Reaman
The Reamans, parishioners of St. Joseph, Summit Hill, said it is truly an honor for them to serve as the Carbon County chairpersons for the 2018 BAA.
“Over the past few years, so much has changed where we worship and where our children attend school. As a result, many of us may have grown distant and lost the connection we felt with the Church. Many of us may have even stopped supporting the appeal since we didn’t think it benefits the faithful in Carbon and Schuylkill counties. Well, it certainly does,” the Reamans said.
“The BAA helps Carbon County in many ways, benefiting our communities today and in the future.
“To support our local needs today, financial support from the appeal helps to fund the Catholic Charities’ Schuylkill/Carbon Office which provides pregnancy support, counseling services and outreach programs for our older parishioners. The appeal also helps take care of the needs of our retired priests.
“For the future, the appeal underwrites Bishop’s Scholarship Awards for our local students attending Catholic high schools. The appeal provides grants for our elementary schools and supports academic programs serving our school-age children. The BAA also funds our seminarians on their journey. Today we are fortunate enough to have a seminarian from Palmerton.
“These are all very worthwhile programs that benefit our parish communities both now and into the future. The size and reach of these programs would certainly be minimized without your continued, increasing support of the BAA.
“For many of us, there are new chapters yet to come. It is important for all of us to focus on the common thread that joins us together – our Catholic faith. The Church is not a building, pews and stained glass. It is the good that we can accomplish when we allow our faith to bring us together. Now is the time to rebuild, to look forward to our future, and to build a stronger Church family and community together.
“Please join us. Together we can build a stronger Church in Carbon County.”
Edward and Louise Bechtel
“We were both raised to share the gifts God gave us: time, talents and treasure. That may be in sharing our voices in our parish choir, volunteering within our community or sharing material gifts with others less fortunate.
The BAA serves as a vehicle by which our gifts are directed to those in great need in our Diocese,” said the Bechtels, parishioners of Assumption BVM, Slatington.
“We have also witnessed the support of Catholic education by the BAA. Our four children attended St. John Neumann Regional School, Palmerton-Slatington and Allentown Central Catholic High School. The schools have benefited from grants to update facilities. We have also witnessed social services provided though the Diocese.”
The Slatington Library, where Louise works, serves as a neutral site where representatives of Catholic Charities meet with clients. “When a suddenly homeless woman evicted from her apartment showed up at the library, a call to Catholic Charities resulted in her daughter being notified and a temporary solution found. We are gratified to know that our donations are used to do so much good,” the Bechtels said.
“God has been good to us. We have been blessed in so many ways. The BAA gives us the opportunity to share those blessings. We are humbled to be asked to represent the Lehigh County as chairs for the 2018 appeal.”
Michael and Irene Kolessar
The Kolessars, parishioners of Sacred Heart, Bath, said they are honored to serve as chairpersons for BAA in Northampton County.
“Scripture teaches us that faith which does nothing in practice is thoroughly lifeless. As Catholics, we are called to reach out in love to all of our brothers and sisters in Christ ... to be the heart and hands of Jesus in ministering to those in need,” the Kolessars said.
“Through our contributions to the BAA, we are able to support the work of Catholic Charities, minister to the elderly and help to educate our children – including those with special needs – in faith-based settings.
“Also the BAA allows us to do more than pray for vocations; we’re able not only to support the formation of seminarians, priests and deacons, but also to provide for the care of retired priests who have dedicated their lives to serving God and his people.
“We wish it were possible to give time to all of these worthwhile and important efforts. But through our prayers and our support of the BAA, we know we’re making a difference in the lives of many.”
Francis and Suzanne Fox
“We are humbled to serve as the chairs of the 2018 BAA Schuylkill County,” said the Foxes, parishioners of Most Blessed Trinity, Tremont.
“As we reflect on this responsibility, it brings to mind how truly blessed we are, and reinforces more than ever the need for us all to respond to Christ’s call to feed the hungry, give drink to those who thirst, welcome those who are strangers, clothe the naked, and visit those who are ill, or in prison, as we’re not here for ourselves.”
Quoting James 2:14-17, the Foxes said, “My brothers, what good is it to profess faith without practicing it?
Such faith has no power to save one, has it? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and no food for the day, and you say to them, ‘Goodbye and good luck. Keep warm and well fed,’ but do not meet their bodily needs, what good is that? So it is with the faith that does nothing in practice. It is thoroughly lifeless.
“In today’s fast-paced society, the pressures of our responsibilities, commitments and the lack of time creates a delicate balance between faith, family and work. Therefore, with so little time, but so many requests, how does one discern between the most pressing needs of our community?
“For us, our faith, trust and support lie in the programs and outreach directed by our successor of the apostles, our Bishop, the Most Reverend Alfred Schlert. Through his annual appeal we believe the neediest are served, as taught by Christ, and fulfilled through his one true Church.
“Therefore we humbly request your support to continue these efforts that provide for those less fortunate. No gift is ever too small,
“As St. Paul said, ‘Everyone must give according to what he has inwardly decided; not sadly, not grudgingly, for God loves a cheerful giver.’ Together we can accomplish much.”
Bishop’s Annual Appeal Kickoffs
Berks County – Thursday, April 5, 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Catharine of Siena, 4975 Boyertown Pike, Reading.
Carbon County – Thursday, April 26, 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Joseph, 462 W. Ludlow St., Summit Hill.
Lehigh County – Monday, April 9, 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker, 1879 Applewood Drive, Orefield.
Northampton County – Monday, April 16, 5 to 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 3219 Santee Road, Bethlehem.
Schuylkill County – Wednesday, April 11, 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Ambrose, 201 Randel St., Schuylkill Haven.
Other Important Bishop’s Annual Appeal Dates
Saturday/Sunday, April 14-15 – BAA kicks off in parishes.
Saturday/Sunday, April 21-22 – Lay Witness Speaker Weekend.
Saturday/Sunday, May 19-20 – Commitment Weekend.
