Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In the Diocese of Columbus, the annual Latin American Collection will take up on the weekend of August 3 and 4. For more than 50 years, this collection has given Catholics in the United States an opportunity to share faith in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout Latin America and the Caribbean islands.
The work of evangelization is carried out by Christians who meet people where they are not only in a geographical sense but also in the context of culture. Though the Gospel is unchanging, we have many ways to make it relevant to people of all cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.
The countries of South America have diverse populations from Indigenous, African, European and Asian ancestries, all with different cultural experiences. By welcoming and understanding people from so many backgrounds, the Church grows and continues its mission of making disciples of all peoples. Such encounters and engagement with the peoples of South America are made possible when Catholics in our diocese are generous to the Collection for the Church in Latin America.
I invite you to give generously to this collection and your participation in the collection truly becomes a way to share your faith and support evangelization efforts among all peoples.
Yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Earl K. Fernandes
Bishop of Columbus