Subcommittee On The Church In Africa Approves 109 Grants And Allocates Total Of $2.8 Million In Aid This Year

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops'(USCCB) Subcommittee on the Church in Africa announced, November 26, theapproval of 49 grants to 16 episcopal conferences and 4 regional associationsof the Church in Africa for a total of $1,226,500. The subcommittee approvedthe grants during the USCCB's General Assembly meeting in Baltimore.

Grant to Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania will helpimplement the Year of Faith and the new evangelization. With the addition ofthese most recent awards, the subcommittee has given out 109 grants for a totalof $2,805,442 in aid this year.

"So many of our parishes benefit from the loving presenceof African priests and religious," Bishop John Ricard, chairman of the subcommittee,said. "The extraordinary generosity of Catholics here in the United Statesthrough the Solidarity Fund for Africa gives us the possibility to givesomething back to the parishes in Africa. We can also make sure that diocesesthat might otherwise be forgotten can get support to grow even in what are attimes harsh conditions."

The Church in Africa has almost tripled in size in thepast 30 years. Through the Subcommittee on the Church in Africa, the USCCB hassupported pastoral growth in many African bishops' conferences and diocesesthat are working to become self-sustainable. In order to reach this goal of self-sustainability,the Church in Africa needs long-term assistance.

Since the fund began giving out grants in 2007, the subcommitteehas awarded 486 grants for a total of $11,196,223 in aid. Catholics have given$12,228,340 in parish appeals to the fund since it began. The fund alsoreceived an anonymous donation of $500,000 in 2008 that is being used to trainChurch personnel in Eastern Africa at local Catholic universities.

The Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa is avoluntary collection held in dioceses at various times throughout the year. Thefund is administered by the USCCB's Subcommittee on the Church in Africa andgives grants to African episcopal conferences and their regional associationsin Africa.

Moreinformation on the work of the Subcommittee on the Church in Africa can befound online: www.usccb.org/catholic-giving/opportunities-for-giving/solidarity-fund-for-africa/

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Keywords:Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa, collection, Eastern Africa, grants,epidemic, poverty, Bishop John Ricard, USCCB, U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania

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