Washington D.C., Apr 15, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Catholic Home Missions Appeal will award a record $11.9 million in grants this year to the poorest dioceses in the United States. This is the largest grant in its seven-year history, said the U.S. bishops in a statement Wednesday.
The grants will be disbursed to 90 dioceses and 21 organizations and religious orders, beginning July 1.
About 90 dioceses in rural U.S., rely on the appeal for parish support, religious education, youth ministry, and work with growing populations of Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Asians and Native Americans.
The committee's grant is sometimes five percent or more of a diocese's total budget.