Catholics invited to let their faith live on

DePaul UK homeless charity advisor

This November, traditionally a time for remembering those who have died, Catholics are being asked to consider how their faith can live on through gifts in their Wills. As Catholics, our faith is at the centre of our lives. Supporting Catholic causes is an important way of living out our faith, and a gift in our Will is a wonderful opportunity for this support to continue.

The latest 'Your Catholic Legacy' campaign looks at the reasons why people choose certain charities to remember in their Will. The group has found that Catholics often want to support Catholic causes that they feel a deep connection with or have had a big impact on their lives.

Many people, for example, choose to remember their local Parish Church. This legacy will be used by the Parish or Diocese to support activity that will make sure the Church is there for other Catholics in the future.

Many Catholics also remember the charities they have supported in their lifetime, or which have touched their lives in some way. Time and time again, the members of YCL hear from their supporters that they are remembering a cause, such as a Catholic charity helping the homeless or a Catholic charity reaching out to people living in poverty in the UK or overseas, as a way of remembering the blessings they've had in their own lives. Other popular causes are training priests or supporting missionaries. As Catholics we know how important it is to share the faith and love of God.

The campaign is also launching "Catholic Legacy Week 5-11 November" in Southwark and Portsmouth Dioceses. Sunday Mass goers will be asked to consider gifts to the Church and Catholic charities next time they update their Wills. The campaign is backed up with posters and leaflets encouraging them to think about how these gifts are a wonderful and lasting way to continue to support the Church's ministry and mission and help meet the needs of future generations.

The Chairman of the Your Catholic Legacy group, Alastair Emblem, says: "when making a Will our first priority is of course to look after our loved ones. But, in the same way that we give a proportion of our income to the Church and charities during our lifetime, we can also think about giving a share of what we leave behind to the Church and the Catholic causes we are passionate about so that their good work can continue."

Your Catholic Legacy has 26 members at present, representing a wide range of causes and charities. These are Ace of Clubs, Aid to the Church in Need, Apostleship of the Sea, Archdiocese of Southwark, Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust, CAFOD, Catholic Childrens Society (Westminster), Columban Missionaries, CSAN, Depaul UK, Diocese of Portsmouth, HCPT The Pilgrimage Trust, Jesuits in Britain, Marriage Care, Missio, Nugent, Pact, Society of the Little Flower, St Barnabas Society, St Joseph's Hospice, Hackney, St Vincent de Paul Society, The Cardinal Hume Centre, The Medaille Trust , The Passage, Walsingham Trust, and Wrexham Diocesan Trust.

Find out more about leaving a Catholic legacy here: www.yourcatholiclegacy.org.uk