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My dear
brothers and sisters in the Lord
Jesus,
This
year, 2013, marks two significant
milestones in my life. The first I
recall with great joy as 50 years ago in
December of 1963 I was ordained a
priest. The other is the fact that this
October I must submit my resignation to
the Holy See as I will, with God’s
grace, celebrate my 75th birthday.
No one knows when a new Bishop will be
appointed and until such time I will be
pleased to serve as your Bishop at the
pleasure of Almighty God and the Holy
Father.
As I look back over 36 years as your
Bishop, I see many wonderful deeds
accomplished by many generous people
working hand in hand in the name of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Of all the
memories I take with me into retirement,
among the dearest will be of those
people who benefitted from the works of
mercy and kindness made possible by your
magnificent generosity to the Bishop’s
Appeal. Basically, the Bishop’s Appeal
is and has always been about caring for
each other.
Unfortunately, what has not changed with
time are the ever increasing numbers of
our brothers and sisters who are in need
of assistance, those who are hungry,
homeless, in need of love and
compassion, and those who are ill or
living deeply troubled lives. Each year,
ever since the very first appeal in
1955, the people of our diocese from
every parish stretched throughout our 14
counties have come together in the
spirit of faith and generosity to give
of themselves to make possible the
ministries and programs of the Church.
I have been proud to serve as Bishop for
such a remarkably caring and loving
Catholic family who makes miracles
happen every day and who keeps our faith
alive and flourishing. What I wrote in
1977, marking the launch of my very
first appeal as Bishop, rings true for
this year’s campaign. “Thank you for
showing me what life and love and Church
are all about.”
So in the spirit of generations past and
in the hope of extending the healing
heart of Jesus to others, I ask you once
again to please make a gift to the
Bishop’s Appeal.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Howard J. Hubbard, D.D.
Bishop of Albany
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