(June 27, 2009) Many parishes worldwide will participate in the Pope's charity campaign
on Sunday through the Peter's Pence collection, the papal charity which distributes
aid to those most in need. The collection traditionally takes place on the Sunday
nearest the June 29th feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, which this year falls
on Monday, or on another day as designated by the local bishop. The money collected
on this day will not fund the Holy See, but will be exclusively dedicated to aid the
poorest local Churches. The Peter's Pence collection includes contributions from
religious orders, societies of apostolic life and foundations, as well as donations
from individual lay people. In 2007, this collection gathered almost $80 million,
and in the previous year, over $100 million. The United States was the biggest donor,
giving some 28% of the total, followed by Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland,
Brazil and Korea. For example, Pope Benedict XVI gave a donation through the Vatican’s
Pontifical Council Cor Unum to the people of Gaza after the post-Christmas violence
and bombing. Some of the funds were allocated to aid farmers and indigenous people
in Latin America through the Populorum Progressio Foundation, and another portion
went to support development projects in sub-Saharan Africa through the John Paul II
Foundation for the Sahel.