Grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. This has been a year filled with excitement and blessings for all of us as Catholics.
It brings me great joy to be among many of you in my travels around the Diocese of Owensboro. This year has brought me many occasions
to be with you. The most recent round of listening sessions for the universal Church’s Synod on Synodality gave me the opportunity to meet
with you to gather more input on the direction of the Catholic Church in our diocese and beyond. Additionally, while the Confirmation
season is a busy one, I find tremendous joy in being with our youth and in celebrating the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Finally,
I was privileged to be with a few hundred of you for the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July. It was truly a blessing to
gather there as a diocesan community to celebrate the treasure we have in the Eucharist. It was good to see so many of you in Indy!
The Eucharistic Congress was a significant part of our country’s three-year Eucharistic Revival. Devoting ample time to reflecting on
the Eucharist is not only good but also proper, as it lies at the heart of our Catholic identity and represents our greatest treasure. In the
Eucharist, Jesus comes to us in a real and personal way, inviting us to carry His love to everyone we encounter on our journey.
Through your support of the Disciples’ Response Fund, you are able to play an important part in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ
with thousands of people through the tangible services and programs provided by the Diocese of Owensboro.
Our Catholic Charities performs life-changing work by providing resources to victims of natural disasters, to the homeless and to the
marginalized individuals. The diocese also subsidizes ministries that serve thousands of our young people. Additionally, significant dollars
are invested in seminarian education and in the support of our retired priests who have dedicated their lives to sharing the love of Christ
with each of us.
We are blessed in the Church of Western Kentucky to have access to multiple opportunities for faith enrichment. These include small
group prayer communities, diocesan-sponsored days of retreat and reflection, opportunities for marriage enrichment, faith formation for
children in parishes and in Catholic schools, Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center for thousands of our youth, as well as
formation opportunities for adults. We are privileged to play a role in providing these opportunities to each of you and excited about our
plans to serve you as we move forward.
We invite you to join thousands of others across the Diocese of Owensboro in supporting the Disciples Response Fund. Your contribution
to the Bishop’s annual appeal is vital for continuing the mission that Jesus calls us to. As a united faith community, we work together and
give generously to carry out the work of the Holy Spirit. Your gift to the Disciples Response Fund makes a significant impact in fulfilling
this mission.
In every celebration of the Mass, we receive Jesus in the Eucharist and then are sent out on mission to share what we’ve been given. I invite
you to prayerfully discern how the Holy Spirit is calling you to share your financial gifts. As Jesus did on the Road to Emmaus, let us
accompany one another on the journey sharing the Good News of Christ’s love for us and the joy of the Resurrection.
Be assured of my prayers for you, and I ask that you remember me in prayer as well.
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend William F. Medley
Bishop for the Diocese of Owensboro