AMERICA/VENEZUELA - “Help Your Church 2008” campaign is launched, in hopes to promote a community spirit and a greater awareness of the responsibility in the evangelizing work of the Church

Caracas (Agenzia Fides) – On Sunday, November 30, First Sunday of Advent, the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference launched the Campaign “Help Your Church 2008.” As part of the Church's National Solidarity Plan, whose objective is provide for the auto-financing of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, each year a special collection entitled “Help Your Church” is taken up. The Church's Solidarity Plan seeks to increase commitment, co-responsibility, and solidarity of every Venezuelan with the Church around him, in order to promote a communal spirit and a greater awareness of the co-responsibility of supporting the evangelization effort in the Catholic Church in Venezuela. The Bishops, therefore, invite all the faithful to continue “spreading hope and supporting their Church.” Convinced that “God loves those who give with joy, the great objective of the campaign is to invite all to share their “Time, Talent, and Treasures.” “All of us can support our Church,” the Bishops say, “giving our Time so that many works will receive excellent support and be able to be carried out. In addition, we should give of our Talents...that is, the gifts, qualities, and charisms that God the Father has given us to use for the good of the community. And lastly, we should support our Church with our Treasure, as our economic aid, as little as it may be, will greatly contribute to these works and evangelization projects.”
The campaign will last until December 7, 2008, when there will be a giant collection taken up on a national level in all the dioceses and parishes in the country.” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 1/12/2008)