As members of the Church in Maine, we are united in our call to be missionary disciples. Being a missionary disciple means we are not only called to nurture our own faith but to spread Christ’s message of peace, love, and hope with others. Together, we are called to build the reign of God.

The Catholic Appeal provides us with an opportunity to do just that. Your gifts to the appeal help the Church to share the good news of Christ in our parishes, our schools, and our communities. The appeal supports pastoral ministry, education and formation, evangelization efforts, outreach to those in need, ministry to our priests, and more.

Thanks to your generosity, $3,606,190 was allocated to ministries across Maine in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The pie chart,  program descriptions, and stories on the following pages will help you to know how your contributions helped in the past and how they will benefit in the future.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception –

As the mother Church of the diocese and the seat of the bishop, the cathedral hosts special liturgies such as the annual Chrism Mass. The appeal helps to defray the additional costs of these celebrations.

Education and Formation

Catholic Schools – Our diocesan and parish-based schools are vibrant learning communities that serve more than 1,700 students. Our Catholic schools nurture the whole child, helping each of them to grow in faith, knowledge, and appreciation for service towards others. The appeal supports our schools by funding the Office of Catholic Schools, covering the cost of lay teacher pensions, and providing rebates to parishes with schools.

Christian Life Center – Located in the St. John River Valley, the Christian Life Center has been a beacon of hope for more than 50 years, bringing people closer to Christ through a wide range of programs and retreats.

Lifelong Faith Formation – The Office of Lifelong Faith Formation works with parishes as they seek to help families embrace their role as the domestic church, becoming places where the faith is nurtured, lived out, and shared through generations.

Public Policy and Pro-Life* – The Office of Public Policy works to educate the public and lawmakers on Catholic social teaching, seeking to promote the common good. The office provides Catholic moral leadership and guidance in areas such as education, marriage, health care, the protection of human life, poverty, criminal justice, and the environment.

Evangelization and Stewardship

Office of Communications** –  The Office of Communications uses traditional and digital platforms to share the good news of the Gospel and to support the work of the Church by raising awareness about the various ministries, programs, and initiatives of the diocese, parishes, and schools.

Harvest – Distributed to thousands of households across Maine, Harvest magazine shares Catholic teaching and inspiring stories of faith from our parishes and schools.

Stewardship – Stewardship is a call to discipleship, inviting Catholics to use their God-given gifts and talents to assist others and further the Church’s evangelizing mission. The Church in turn must ensure any financial gifts are managed responsibly so that they may grow and be returned with increase in service to the Lord and His people.

Pastoral Ministry

Campus Ministry – Through Masses, Bible study, service opportunities, and community gatherings, campus ministry keeps college students connected with the sacramental life of the Church and helps them to grow in their relationship with Christ and each other. Campus ministers are present at Bates College in Lewiston, Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Colby College in Waterville, the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine in Orono, and the University of New England in Biddeford. In addition, a campus minister provides outreach to college students in the greater Portland area. The appeal also allows Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) missionaries to be present on the Orono campus.

Canonical Services – A healing ministry, the Office of Canonical Services assists parishes with sacramental questions and works to ensure that the faithful can fully participate in the sacramental life of the Church by removing, when possible, impediments that may exist. This includes assisting individuals who are seeking clarification on the status of a previous marriage and a possible annulment.

Catholic Charities Maine – Catholic Charities Maine serves tens of thousands of people, both Catholic and non-Catholic, each year. Appeal-supported programs include Education Services for Blind & Visually Impaired Children, which serves children from birth to age 22; Seek Elderly Alone, Renew Courage and Hope (SEARCH), which provides companions for seniors so they can remain in their homes; Hunger & Relief Services, which includes food banks that supply 28 pantries in Aroostook, northern Penobscot, and Washington counties; Parish Social Ministry (PSM), which provides resources, guidance, and training to parishes, assisting them in answering Christ’s call to serve those in need in their communities; Relief & Hope Services, a division of PSM that provides assistance for those facing emergency situations; and the St. Elizabeth’s and St. Louis Child Development Centers, located in Portland and Biddeford, respectively.

Deaf Ministry – The diocese offers interpreted Masses once a month at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, providing an opportunity for members of the deaf and hearing-impaired communities to celebrate Mass in their own language.

Hispanic Ministry – The Office of Hispanic Ministry offers sacramental preparation, faith formation for adults and children, and prayer and faith-enriching opportunities for members of Maine’s growing Hispanic community, providing them opportunities to fully engage in the life of the Church. Through the office, Mass is offered in Spanish in seven communities in the state.

Hospital Chaplains – Thanks to the Catholic Appeal, priest and lay chaplains are able to be present to minister to patients and staff at Maine’s large secular hospitals including Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine Medical Center in Portland, MaineGeneral Health in Augusta, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, and MaineHealth Medical Centers in Biddeford and Sanford.

Native American Missions* – The appeal helps to support the work of a priest who serves members of two Native American reservations.

Prison Ministry – The Catholic Appeal supports the work of a pastoral minister at the Maine State Prison in Warren and helps to fund the recruitment and training of volunteers who serve throughout the Maine prison and county jail system.

Saint André Home’s CourageLIVES – CourageLIVES, a branch of Saint André Home, supports survivors of human trafficking, exploitation, and domestic abuse, along with their families, by offering comprehensive, community-based services, including a mentor program, mental health and substance abuse counseling, educational and vocational training, and a long-term support network.

Support for Clergy

Clergy relief, ministry to priests, and vicar for priests – In gratitude for the service and sacrifice of our priests, the Church seeks to respond to their needs by providing spiritual, intellectual, and practical assistance. This includes supporting priests who are sick and unable to work, offering training and orientation for newly ordained and international priests, and providing enrichment opportunities such as the Priest Institute, Days of Recollection, and retreats.