CASA 2015 to highlight religious vocations

Published: February 6, 2015

With the Year of Consecrated Life continuing through Feb. 2, 2016, this year's Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal (CASA) puts special emphasis on the importance of religious life. The annual diocesan appeal begins Feb. 7-8 statewide. 

"I need to ask you to make an especially generous donation to CASA this year," Bishop Taylor said. "For the last three years we've had to dip into our endowment, which we really can no longer afford to do."

A recorded homily from Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will be played at all Masses in English and Spanish. Pledge envelopes will be handed out asking parishioners to meet this year's $2 million goal. CASA supports various diocesan, parish and school ministries. This year's theme is "Open Your Hearts in Welcome."

"One area where I invite you to open your hearts is to welcome vocations to vowed religious life, and especially to help promote female religious vocations" said Bishop Taylor in his 2015 CASA homily. 

“Pope Francis said, ‘Women have an ability to give life and tenderness that we men don’t have.’ This tenderness is something we very much need in today’s Church and today’s world. The Lord has now blessed us with 41 seminarians and four ordinations to the priesthood last year, for which we are all very grateful! But women’s vocations are still lagging behind, as are male vocations to religious orders.” 

The diocese is setting aside $25,000 this year from the appeal to support religious vocations. CASA also supports Catholic Charities of Arkansas, faith formation, Catholic schools, youth and college programs, seminarians, deacons and more. For a complete list of the ministries supported by CASA read Arkansas Catholic.

To learn about other ways to donate, including via credit card, visit Options for Giving. For more information, contact Dianne Brady, director of the Stewardship and Development Office, at (501) 664-0340, ext. 391.

This year's CASA video demonstrates that no donation is too small. They all matter. If you want to know how donations to CASA are used, watch this video (below) to get a sampling of the ministries this appeal supports.