Office to Aid the Catholic Church in Central and Eastern Europe

Washington D.C., Feb 7, 2006 / 22:00 pm

Aid to the Church in Need is calling on Catholics in the United States to hold a collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe on Ash Wednesday, March 1.

Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic organization that helps promote and support the pastoral work of the Catholic Church in 27 countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and in developing countries.

The theme for the 2006 Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe is “Hope.” Proceeds from the Collection go directly to support seminaries, social service programs, youth ministry, pastoral centers, church restoration, and the spreading of the Gospel message through the mass media.

For years, Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe have counted on the solidarity of Catholics in the U.S. Yet, in a touching show of solidarity, the Church in Lithuania recently took up a collection to aid the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.