Diocese to hold virtual Appeal Commitment Weekend

SCRANTON — While the Diocese of Scranton is still running its Diocesan Annual Appeal, the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented many of the traditional efforts to encourage donations. To counter that, the diocese announced this weekend, Nov. 21 and 22, will be Appeal Commitment Weekend.

Usually churchgoers get to watch a recorded appeal during one of the scheduled masses, often followed by a chance to fill out a form distributed in the pews pledging a donation. But church attendance has been limited to stop the spread of the virus. The commitment weekend is designed to offer a virtual version of that tradition.

The two day online event “was developed to provide a safe opportunity to make an Appeal pledge since many parishes will not be conducting the traditional In-Pew Commitment Weekend collection at Mass this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to a media release issued Thursday. The diocese has set up web page for the commitment weekend, https://annualappeal.org.

“During Appeal Online Commitment Weekend, individuals can make a gift on their parish team page that will be credited immediately to their parish’s Annual Appeal goal,” the media release notes.

The web page includes annual appeal videos tailored to different counties in the diocese, with local residents and clergy from those counties offering testimonials to the value of the community services funded through the appeal. Bishop Joseph Bambera also speaks on the videos, asking the faithful “to continue to turn our hearts to our one true hope, Jesus Christ. His hope is unending, unfading, unshakable.”

Other features of the website:

• Individuals who donate online will be listed on each parish’s “Donor Wall.” Donors have the option to be listed as anonymous.

• Donations may be made in honor or in memory of a family or friend.

• Prayer intentions may be submitted online and will be remembered at a Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Bambera on Sunday, Jan. 10, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

This year’s appeal theme is “Bound Together in Hope,” with a total goal of $4.5 million The goal for the virtual commitment weekend is one tenth of that, $450,000.