3 / 8
1
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I
t is an honor to present to you this annual report
on the activities of the Subcommittee on Aid to
the Church in Central and Eastern Europe for 2015.
Once again you will see that so much good is being
done in this region of the world where so many of us
claim our cultural heritage. Just as immigrants from
these lands made invaluable contributions to the
Church in the United States, our contributions are now rebuilding
the church communities of many of our ancestors.
A new generation of Catholics need our support. They face many
problems with the aftermath of communist rule—churches are dete-
riorating, the intellectual life of the Church has been inhibited, and
pastoral programs need new energy and resources to meet the needs
of people today. But with the generosity of the Church in this coun-
try, new generations of Catholics in these lands are taking up their
challenges with a newfound hope. Donations to the Collection for
the Church in Central and Eastern Europe provide the necessary
resources for the Church to rebuild and provide for the growing,
younger population.
Pope Francis during a recent visit challenged the youth in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, “Being young does not mean being passive, but rather
means being tenacious in your efforts to achieve important goals . . . The
Church counts on you and will continue to count on you who are gen-
erous and capable of great energy and noble sacrifices.” Let us take up
that same challenge by being generous and by making a noble sacrifice
for this important collection.
I thank you for your continued support and generosity. May God
abundantly bless you and your loved ones.
Sincerely in Christ,
Blase Cardinal Cupich
Archbishop of Chicago
Chairman, USCCB Subcommittee on Aid to the Church in Central
and Eastern Europe