WASHINGTON, D.C. — Supporters of the free exercise of Catholic faith in the U.S. Military will have an extraordinary opportunity later this month to show their support. On Tuesday, Nov. 27, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, (AMS), will participate in #iGiveCatholic. Now in its fourth year, #iGiveCatholic is a 24-hour online giving event for the faithful in multiple archdioceses and dioceses worldwide to unite and raise as many charitable dollars as possible in a single day. #iGiveCatholic presents an opportunity for Catholics to donate and support the organizations that shape our souls on #GivingTuesday.
#GivingTuesday is an annual day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated in the United States on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. #GivingTuesday falls this year on Nov. 27. To give, supporters can visit https://military.igivecatholic.org/. But you don’t have to wait: advanced giving runs Nov. 12-26,
Proceeds will go to fund pastoral care for Catholics in all branches of the U.S. Military and those hospitalized in the nation’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers as well as their families. Specific needs include seminary expenses for prospective chaplains to fill a desperate shortage of priests on active duty; evangelization and catechesisprograms for Catholic U.S. Military families scattered all over the world; a robust religious education program for the children of these families in grades K-through-12; sacramental record-keeping for baptisms, first Communions, confirmations, and other sacraments celebrated on U.S. Military installations; a fully functional tribunal; a busy international travel schedule for AMS bishops; and much more.
The AMS is the Catholic Church’s only jurisdiction responsible for endorsing priests to serve the U.S. Military. Its annual operating budget is more than $8 million, not counting seminary expenses projected at more than $4.5 million over the next five years alone. The AMS receives no funding from the military or the government. The AMS has no parishes to provide regular support. The AMS depends entirely on private giving to support pastoral care for Catholics in uniform or hospitalized in the VA Medical Centers.
The AMS Office of Advancement is also seeking help in disseminating #iGiveCatholic promotional materials to make Catholic communities aware of the 24-hour giving event. Please CLICK HERE to download the various posters, social media templates and logos that can be used to promote #iGiveCatholic with your congregation. Each of the social media templates can be posted twice a week until 27 November 2018.
Mr. Sal Perez, AMS Director of Advancement, said, “We ask our supporters to place the posters on your community boards and encourage everyone in your community to share the posts in their social media accounts. Everything that has been put together can be downloaded by anyone who would like to help the AMS raise critical funds to sustain her $8 million operating budget. Sharing the post is easy and you are more than welcome to create your own with your own reasons for supporting the AMS!”
For more information, please contact the AMS Office of Advancement at AMS-Advancement@milarch.org or 202-719-3622.
