The bishops' Subcommittee on the Home Missions is a grant-making agency. It offers financial support to missionary activities that strengthen the Catholic Church in the United States, and in its territories and former territories. Through its annual fundraising campaign, the Catholic Home Missions Appeal, the CHM educates American Catholics about mission needs and invites them to assist fellow Catholics in the practice of the faith.
The Appeal primarily supports home mission dioceses, that is, those unable to offer their people the basic pastoral ministries of word, worship and service without outside help. It may also give grants to other dioceses for particular projects, and to organizations and religious communities engaged in missionary work.
The Subcommittee funds a wide range of pastoral services. However, it principally focuses on (1) evangelization activities, (2) religious education, (3) ministry training for priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, and laypeople; (4) support of poor parishes across the country.
The U.S. bishops established the Catholic Home Missions Appeal in 1998 to support the missions here in America. The Appeal is taken up in most parishes on the last weekend in April each year.
