The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) invites you to help our brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Church in Latin America Collection supports pastoral work and other spiritual programs in Latin America. This yearly collection helps to strengthen connections between the Church in the United States and the Church in the Latin America. We are called to be the heralds of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I would like to thank you for your generosity on behalf of our Most Rev. Bishop Earl K. Fernandes and the USCCB Committee in charge of the collection for the Church in Latin America.
Pope Leo XIV encourages us to hear the whisper of God’s calling through his Mission message, “To be sure, the Gospel does not hide the resistance of darkness to the light. It describes the path of the Word of God as a rugged road, strewn with obstacles. To this day, authentic messengers of peace follow the Word along this path, which ultimately reaches hearts – restless hearts that often desire the very thing they resist” (Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026). Our support and gifts will bring the Gospel to the Universal Church. Therefore, there are no limits for charity, and it becomes an apostolate for the salvation of souls.
The Latin American countries especially in Guatemala, Bolivia, Haiti, El Salvador and Belize need generous help. Particularly, in Guatemala, nearly two-thirds of children live in extreme poverty. Almost 50% of children suffer from malnutrition. Cross Catholic Outreach (CCO) co-founder and chief executive officer Jim Cavnar said, “Hunger and poverty clearly remain as a challenge for the poor, just as they were in Christ’s time on Earth. The utmost need of a child is food. There is no way to stop the cry of a hungry child without providing food. To satisfy his/her hunger, we have to give food. And also, it is very necessary to feed the hungry with spiritual food which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christians, our baptismal call obliges to encounter Jesus through our generous support. The support of the Church missions in developing countries has a marvelous effect in serving the poor as well as reaching out with spiritual food. Our generous contributions will be seen in God’s treasury. The Gospel teaches us: “Give and it will be given to you (Luke 6:38).”
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God (CCC 1822).” In other words, the love of neighbor is inseparable from the love of God. It can be compared with both sides of a coin. As we know, God is the author of life, and He is residing in our soul. He asks us to listen the cry of others. When we extend our hands and heart to the needy, we wipe the tears of many who endure hardships in life. The missionary spirit makes a difference in their lives by accomplishing evangelization, discipleship, building a church, housing and many other activities for the needy. Trust in God’s promises and know that no gift will go unrewarded! Remember, “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).
This collection is a tremendous opportunity for all the faithful to participate actively in the evangelizing mission and ministries of the Church. Your gifts and prayers will be a great blessing for the poorest of the poor who benefit from this outreach of funds.
