Development Office

Mission Statement

The Development office of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Thunder Bay exists for the purpose of educating the local church, clergy and laity, towards stewardship.

Through the annual Bishop’s Diocesan Ministry Campaign ("SHARING THE CHALLENGES") which funds diocesan services, we reach out to open minds and hearts to the understanding of giving as an expression of our gratitude to God.

While we respect each person's attitude and decision as regards financial giving to the Church, we continue to strive to broaden the horizons of this important element of church membership.

Statement from Bishop Colli

Bishop Colli and Fr. Stilla

2022 Message

As we once again share in my Annual Bishop's Diocesan Ministry Campaign, the theme in this title tells us the direction for this year's campaign. Pope Francis has always reminded us that if we remember our experiences of the past, both good and bad, and if we learn from them, then we can see a clear direction for our future, as an individual person, as a family, and as a community. He said: "All of us benefit from remembering our past. A people which remembers does not repeat past errors; instead, it looks with confidence to the challenges of the present and to the future." This year's campaign hopes to do this for all of us.

Our annual campaign this year carries with it a new category called "Truth and Healing" ministries. This category is a response to our collective efforts as a Catholic community to recognize and acknowledge the events in our past history that have brought pain and separation to our Indigenous peoples. This also includes a note of hopefulness, as we see how in our sharing, we can bring some healing and reconciliation in our Church and in our local communities. This concerted effort is a Canadian wide project featuring local needs and local projects. Our past can bring us some embarrassment, but our desire to move forward in hope, is what the Gospel of Jesus has always prompted us to do together.

The needs our our diocesan family are again highlighted this year, as we bring support and healing to families, to struggling parish communities, to those who are feeling alienated from the Church community and are seeking a welcome back, and to the education and development of our priests, deacons, young people and our liturgical celebrations. As we look at our past experiences and projects, we can see their positive influence on those we supported, and we can see how we can give even better support this year.

Our past gives us wisdom in our thought, and our generosity and sharing, gives us the means to move forward in a positive way and in a compassionate way of serving. As a Church community we know that our Baptismal Call is for all of us to be "bearers of the Good News of Jesus" to the world. We carry on the work of the Lord and His apostles and we share in the 'evangelization' of the world. This is not an easy task in our modern world. There are many obstacles and challenges that face us as a Church. Yet by our generous giving and sharing, we are able to overcome the obstacles, to tackle the challenges, and to proclaim with hope, the promise of our faith in Jesus. Our generous giving and sharing, allows for many smaller parishes to celebrate Mass and the Sacraments for their communities even when they are small and financially challenged.

We remember our past with our eyes fixed on the future. We know that with Christ we can accomplish great works and heal many hearts through our sharing and caring. My dear people, once again I appeal to you and your generosity for this year's Annual Diocesan Ministry Campaign. The needs expressed are important for the growth of our Church communities in northwestern Ontario.

I am extremely grateful for your past generosity and I ask the Lord to continue to bless you and your families for this demonstration of goodness. May our past not block us in emotion or frustration, but may it teach and guide us on how we can work together for a better future in our mission to the Lord and His teachings and in our journey together as His people. This journey requires from us: generosity, compassion, respect, openness, forgiveness and a hope to bring us to new and stronger bonds of love and concern for one another. We are all God's children, which makes us all sisters and brothers in Christ. May this understanding always be our guide and support in all that we do.

Bishop Fred Colli,
Bishop of Thunder Bay

Diocesan Ministries

Education

Adult Faith Office

Allocation Amount - $50,000.

Provides support for liturgical ministers and the resource library at the Catholic Pastoral Centre that offers a wide variety of religious materials for workshops, conferences, study programs and sacramental preparation programs for children and adults. The office also offers a variety of books, videos, and articles on religious issues for personal study and gifts.

Office of Worship
Indigenous Ministries Office and Anemki-Wadj

Youth

Youth Ministry

Allocation Amount - $15,000.

Provides training for youth leaders, retreats for youth and resources for such programs as NET, Salt and Light retreats, and parish youth programs, the Catholic Club at Lakehead University and Catholic Christian Outreach programs.

Teens Encounter Christ (TEC)

Social Services

Family Support Services

Allocation Amount - $70,000.

The Catholic Family Development Centre offers a variety of programs to assist those in need of counselling of many kinds and support.

Diocesan Marriage Tribunal
Refugee Settlement
Catholic Support Programs
Diocesan Aid
Social Communications

Truth and Healing Ministries

Truth and Healing Ministries

Allocation Amount - $50,000.

(Noojimo'iwewin ne'en da'ing - Healing of the Hearts)

In union with all the Catholic Churches in Canada, these funds will be used for special projects of healing and reconciliation with our Indigenous peoples in the Diocese of Thunder Bay. These projects can include: Listening Circles and Healing Circles; Parish Workshops on Culture and Understanding; Cultural Restoration Workshops; Elder and Youth sharing projects and gatherings; Youth Education projects (vg. Community Gardens and Drumming Circles); Pastoral and Grief counseling in support of Residential School Survivors and their families; Living with the Land Education projects (vg. Spirit Gardens); and language restoration for youth. These funds will be used in the Diocese of Thunder Bay and in consultation and with the approval of the bishop and our Elders Committee.

Clergy

Vocations

Allocation Amount - $1,000.

Promotes vocations to the priesthood and the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Thunder Bay.

Permanent Diaconate Program
Ongoing Education for Permanent Deacons
Ongoing Education of Priests
Priests' Infirm Fund
Priests' Pension Fund

Total Goal: $450,000.

Contact Information

Susan Nistico (Diocesan Ministry Campaign)
Development Office, Diocese of Thunder Bay
P.O. Box 10400,
Thunder Bay ON, P7B 6T8
Email: development@dotb.ca