This year, these words are not simply our Annual Appeal theme but a living testimony to the generosity and faith of God’s people across the Archdiocese of Baltimore. As your Archbishop, I write with heartfelt gratitude and renewed hope as together we begin the 2026 Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries, an essential expression of our communion in Christ and our mission to bring His love to the world.
Because of your faithful stewardship, the Annual Appeal remains a beacon of faith, hope, and charity. Through your sacrificial gifts, more than 100 ministries and parish-based programs are sustained. Last year alone, your generosity provided over 110,000 nights of shelter to those without a home and served more than 2.2 million meals to our neighbors who were hungry. These works of mercy are not abstract numbers; they are the Gospel alive in action.
The theme of this year’s Appeal: Lift Up Your Hearts,United in Hope and Service, is a call to courage, compassion, and trust in the Lord. It reminds us that to follow Christ is to lift one another up, in prayer, in presence, and in generosity. It is to serve as His disciples, united as one Body
in Christ.
Our archdiocesan-wide Annual Appeal goal for 2026 is $8 million, a bold yet necessary goal, representing both the urgent needs of our communities and our shared resolve to meet them. Every gift you make is put to work immediately: strengthening parish life, sustaining Catholic schools, forming future priests, supporting our retired clergy, and extending Christ’s mercy to those who are suffering or in need of hope.
When you give to the Appeal, you are not merely funding programs, you are transforming lives in Christ’s name:
you make it possible for people with disabilities to share fully in the life of the Church;
you provide tuition assistance that opens the doors of Catholic schools for thousands of children;
you nurture young Catholics, embarking on the next phase of their faith journey, through College Campus Ministry;
you help evangelize the faith, growing demographics with guidance from Black Catholic and Hispanic Ministries;
you give children, like those participating in Sports and Scouting, the joy of faith-filled community and belonging; and
your generosity directly benefits your parish, with nearly 25%of funds going to local support.
Each year, more than 14,000 of your sisters and brothers join together in this great work of faith. Whether through Vacation Bible School, young adult ministries, or parish outreach programs, your gift ensures that the Gospel is proclaimed, both in word and in deed.
As disciples of Christ, we are called to be light where there is darkness, hope where there is despair, and joy in times of trial. The Annual Appeal is one powerful way we live out that call, united as one Church, one family in faith.
Please prayerfully consider how you can join us this year in lifting hearts across our Archdiocese. No gift is too small, and every gift makes a difference. Together, we build up the Body of Christ. Together, we carry hope. Together, we lift our hearts to the Lord.
With grateful prayers for you and your loved ones, I am
Faithfully in Christ,
Most Reverend William E. Lori
Archbishop of Baltimore
https://www.archbalt.org/annual-appeal-for-catholic-ministries/
