Collection helps put Church on air

These days, the Gospel often gets around through modern methods: radio, television and the internet.

Supporting those efforts is the annual U.S. bishop's Catholic Communication Campaign, which funds evangelization and information ministries that use mass-media technologies to bring the Gospel to the 21st century.

The collection will be taken up at Masses in parishes across the Albany Diocese on June 18-19.

"The Catholic Communication Campaign is a means of ensuring that the Good News is heard and seen and plays an important role in our society," said Bishop Howard J. Hubbard in a pulpit letter read at parishes last weekend. "The CCC seeks to renew the mind of the secular media. It also touches, heals and sustains the faith of viewers and listeners across the nation."

The collection, which has been in place for more than 25 years, funds such projects as:

* "Personally Speaking," a TV forum where Catholics and other believers discuss faith, family, career, world events and their lives;

* public service announcements that share Gospel values with a wide audience and present a positive image of the Catholic Church;

* an internet video ministry that connects thousands with interviews with newsmakers and coverage of major news;

* Spanish-language public service announcements related to family issues; and

* Catholic radio programs that deal with current events, young adult issues and books.

Half of the collection comes back to the Albany Diocese, where it funds production of "Table of the Lord," the weekly televised Mass that reaches more than 9,000 aged, infirm, homebound and disabled Catholics (see calendar page for details).

"We have been called to live in Christ's love, to live our lives in service to one another and to share the Good News," said Bishop Hubbard. "It is only through our combined efforts that we can spread the Good News of God's unconditional love throughout your parish, our diocese and the world. I urge your generosity to make this possible."

(6/16/05)