by Bishop Raymond A. Lucker
Diocese of New Ulm

Recently, the Conference of Bishops took an important step intended to help the Church expand its presence in the mass media. And that’s why I’m calling on you to help me fulfill the commitment the Bishops of this country have made. May 16 is the time designated nationally and in the Diocese of New Ulm for the annual Catholic Communication Campaign in local parishes. The Catholic Communication Campaign reaches millions of people like you with a host of values-driven programs designed to strengthen our faith by bringing the Gospel into our daily lives.

Here are just some of the programs developed at the national level in the past few years:

Reconciliation, a national public service announcement campaign urging estranged family members to practice forgiveness and understanding;

La Familia Unida, national award winning Spanish language PSAs encouraging family and community unity in the face of common problems;

The Movie Review Line (1-800-311-4CCC) which helps parents choose morally appropriate movies for every member of the family by reviewing recent releases from a Catholic perspective;

National broadcast documentaries and animated specials for every taste and interest.

In addition to these broad-reaching projects, CCC also addresses the communications needs of this community in the Diocese of New Ulm. In fact 50% of your donations to the CCC collection May 16, stays right here in the diocese, funding such projects as:

The Prairie Catholic, the official newspaper of the New Ulm diocese, is distributed to every Catholic home registered in the local parishes;

The Diocesan Media Resource Center, an educational and informational open library available to all parish leaders and individuals;

The Office of Communications, coordinating the media relations for the diocesan offices with over 100 media outlets in the fifteen county area.

In addition, special projects are also funded with help of the CCC. The Media Resource Center publishes an annual catalog of all diocesan media resources; video productions, such as the CBS affiliate broadcast program "At The Foot of The Cross;" and our recent efforts to communicate through the use of the World Wide Web, are all made possible in part through the support of local parishes.

Now as we enter into the three year RENEW 2000 process, the Office of Communications will be a key component in our efforts to reach out through the use of radio and television during the observance of the Great Jubilee and the coming of the next millennium.

As we approach the new millennium, Pope John Paul II calls us to strengthen and renew our faith. Let us heed his call be using one of the most powerful means in existence: the media. Please help us by supporting the 1999 Catholic Communication Campaign on May 16.

Remember, you are how the Good New Gets Around!

May, 1999