Ministries the Appeal Supports

 

Kolbe House Jail Ministry

Kolbe House is the agency of the Department of Parish Vitality and Mission of the Archdiocese of Chicago that serves individuals and families affected by the criminal justice system. Compelled by the Gospel mandate, “I was in prison, and you visited me,” Kolbe House — a jail ministry — is a sanctuary for those impacted by incarceration. They seek to promote restoration and reconciliation through outreach, support and accompaniment. They follow the example of St. Maximilian Kolbe to love and hope amid evil and despair.

Office for Divine Worship

The Office for Divine Worship works with Archbishop Cupich to implement the vision of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy and all subsequent norms issued for Catholic worship and helps parishes most accurately encounter Christ and receive nourishment through prayer and worship. Ultimately, the office operates to be a resource for parishes, deaneries and vicariates in all liturgical, ritual and observance matters. Their team coordinates Archdiocesan liturgies and collaborates closely with the Liturgy Training Publications (LTP) to provide education and formation of the liturgical ministers and other pastoral leaders.

Office of Lifelong Formation

The mission of the Office of Lifelong Formation is to lift, form and empower parishes and their leadership, ministries and parishioners, enabling a lifelong process of formation that inspires us to follow Jesus more closely throughout the course of our lives. Lifelong formation leads to deeper engagement in the life of the Church and in one’s community, including social transformation in light of the Gospel. In this way, lifelong formation plays a pivotal role in answering the call of Renew My Church to make disciples, build community and inspire witness. This office provides services in Marriage and Family Ministries, Youth Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, Faith formation and Catechetical Certification.

Respect Life/ProLife

Through the vehicles of the four pillars for pro-life efforts in America, and as set forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and as prescribed in Saint John Paul II’s Encyclical Evangelium Vitae, the Archdiocese of Chicago Respect Life Ministry seeks to transform society into a Culture of Life where every human being is valued and protected, from the moment of conception to natural death. We educate and inspire people throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago to understand the truth about why and how we are created in God’s image of love, especially according to the teachings found in Saint Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

Mission Office

The Global Mission Office builds bridges of encounter and communion between the faithful of the Archdiocese of Chicago and communities of faith throughout our world. Also known as the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, we facilitate, resource, and support efforts to reach out in love and solidarity globally, particularly in response to pastoral concerns in areas where there is turmoil, poverty, or uncertainty. Through the Global Mission Office, the Archdiocese of Chicago supports ministries that empower people worldwide to form and sustain communities of faith where the Church is young, struggling, or economically strained.

The Global Mission Office contributes to a culture of evangelization within the Archdiocese of Chicago by inspiring Catholics to seek and recognize Christ in their global neighbors, and to witness the joy of this encounter to their families, parishes, community, and world. Through these efforts, we support the faithful

in living out the call of Renew My Church to nurture our individual and communal relationships with Jesus Christ and together transform the world in His light.

Department of Parish Vitality and Mission

The mission of the Department of Parish Vitality and Mission is to provide pastoral support to the Archdiocese of Chicago and serve the Catholic community in Cook and Lake Counties in a way that meets their pastoral needs while recognizing the diversity of culture and demographics that impact us all. The Department assists and provides support to all parishes as the Renew My Church initiative is implemented.

Calvert House

Calvert House at University of Chicago creates multiple experiences of large and small communities that provide for personal and communal transformation, including moral and ethical development, and the integration of faith into life. Calvert House aims to accompany students as they discern their vocation, and in doing so, to develop leaders for Church and society.

Saint John Paul II Newman Center (University of Illinois Chicago)

The Saint John Paul II Newman Center provides a welcoming, faith-filled environment to UIC students as they encounter pivotal moments and big questions as college students. The Newman Center offers service opportunities, bible study, and other formation events that nurture a strong faith community on campus and a place to learn more about Jesus and the Church.

Sheil Center

The Sheil Catholic Center at Northwestern University accompanies students and associates in becoming witnesses to Love through vibrant worship, transformative learning, and prophetic justice.

Special Religious Education (SPRED)

SPRED is an Archdiocese religious education program specifically designed to meet the spiritual needs of children and adults with developmental disabilities. Through the experience of friendship in one-on-one relationships, our friends with special needs discover a place where they belong and can enjoy meaningful relationships which help them realize their own giftedness and dignity. Through participation in a SPRED community of faith, our friends are better able to celebrate the sacraments and enter into the worshipping experiences of the whole church.

Consejo Hispano (Hispanic Ministry)

The mission of the Consejo Hispano is to promote events that unite, form, and celebrate the Hispanic Catholic community throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. The Consejo serves to minister to the needs of the Hispanic community by bringing them closer to God and helping them celebrate their multicultural Latin-American heritage as well as the gifts that they share through their ministry.

Catholic Office of the Deaf

The Catholic Office of the Deaf is an agency of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The Office provides for the pastoral, spiritual, religious education, and social justice issues of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in metropolitan Chicago. It is also the site of the official listing of signed/interpreted masses in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Catholic Relief Services

In partnering with Catholic Relief Services, the people of the Archdiocese of Chicago live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world. We also promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies.

As part of the universal mission of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Relief Services network within the Archdiocese of Chicago works with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, and other organizations, to assist people based on need — not creed, race or nationality.

The Annual Catholic Appeal also supports:

• Young Adult Ministry
• Music Programs
• RCIA Programs
• Pre-Cana
• Family Ministry