CARDINAL DINARDO'S LETTER

My dear friends in Christ,

The countless blessings of our faith come from the infinite goodness of our God revealed in Jesus. One of these supreme gifts is that our Lord calls us his friends. He assures us that we did not choose him but that in his great love he chooses us, bends to us, and shares with us. As recipients of such a marvel- ous love we are impelled to return it to God through our neighbor.

I fully realize that our nation faces challenging economic times and that these economic difficulties reach across our own Arch- diocese and touch many of you. I must tell you though, the ministries supported by DSF funds also reach across our Arch- diocese, touching thousands upon thousands of lives. They are open to you and anyone who needs them because of the gener- osity of those who are willing to give, even if it cannot be great sums of money. This openness and availability of ministry is the pastoral mission of the church.

Your DSF contribution benefits the Family Life Ministry, which supports families at every stage so together they can form the strong fabric of society. DSF enables the Office of Vocations to assist people as they hear and respond to the call of Christ to a vocation within the Church; similarly, the Depart- ment of Seminarians nurtures and forms future pastors as they seek to give themselves in service to Christ and his Church.

The Office of Worship helps us all to raise our hearts to Christ in the magnificent liturgy of the Church. The Office of His- panic Ministry celebrates and supports the Hispanic community and the Hispanic Music Ministry Formation Program helps renew and strengthen the music at Hispanic language liturgies. As these ministries help us rededicate our lives to our Lord, the Correctional Ministries assist the incarcerated who now offer their lives to him. Your participation in DSF is a direct gift to more than 60 ministries in the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston; indeed, it is a gift to countless lives.

We pray each day at Mass to be “an everlasting gift” to the Lord, seeking to bear lasting fruit among God’s people. I ask you to prayerfully consider a contribution to DSF as a seed that bears fruit. For supporting our Archdiocesan ministries I sin- cerely offer you my gratitude. With my prayers for God’s con- tinued blessings on each of you, I remain

Your faithful Shepherd,

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston