Just before Father’s Day, I came across a letter my father wrote and published on Catholic Exchange back in 2007—a letter that reminded me how this apostolate has always been fueled by a remarkable community of believers, which is precisely why Catholic Exchange has been able to continue, and flourish, for the last 24 years.
My father co-founded Catholic Exchange and served as its first editor-in-chief, pouring his heart into building an apostolate which contemplated “your faith, your life, and your world,” a positive home online where Catholics could find clarity on Church teaching, tools for daily spiritual growth, and encouragement to share the truth of Christ with the world.
It’s no small thing that Catholic Exchange is still here after more than two decades. In internet years, that’s practically a lifetime. So many sincere Catholic websites have come and gone in that time.
That we’re not just surviving but thriving is a sign to me of something greater: the strength of our mission, the dedication of our community, and the quiet, steady hand of the Holy Spirit guiding us through it all.
If you’re reading this, you’re part of that story too. And I just want to say thank you for being here.
You are part of a living legacy—one that appeared at the dawn of a new millennium and continues to grow through your prayers, your generosity, and your shared desire to live out the Catholic Faith more intentionally each day.
To honor that legacy and the mission we carry forward together, I’ve decided to republish this letter written by my father in 2007. In it, he captures the heart of Catholic Exchange’s work from its earliest days: a commitment to remembering God in our daily living, to online evangelization, to forming souls in Truth, and to offering consistent spiritual strength for the challenges of life.
What he wrote then remains just as true now—and it’s your continued presence and support that allow us to keep carrying that mission forward. It also reveals some of the astonishing good work that this apostolate has accomplished since its conception—as well as its reach. Enjoy this quick journey back in time!
Dear Friend of Catholic Exchange,
I’m writing to you with a simple message: Catholic Exchange needs your support and your prayers now to carry our vital work forward into the future.
If you’re a long-time friend of Catholic Exchange, and appreciate the work we do to proclaim the truth of Christ and His Church, would you please click here and make the most generous tax-deductible contribution you can?
If you have discovered Catholic Exchange but aren’t yet familiar with all that we do and the amazingly small staff and budget on which we do it, perhaps you’ll consider why you should support Catholic Exchange. It all depends on how you answer these questions:
Is it important to teach the Bible from a Catholic viewpoint and spread the Catholic Faith all over the world?
Priests tell us that the most requested program by Catholic parishioners is Bible study. We knew that because we’ve been approached for years by Catholics wanting to read the Bible who were positively bubbling with gratitude for Catholic Scripture Study. What’s that? It’s the best Catholic Bible Study in the world! It consists of a wealth of solid Catholic teaching on Scripture written by experts like Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins, and Steve Ray, and put together into the first Bible study program that’s backed up by the Catechism, papal encyclicals, and the saints and Fathers of the Church.
“Our men’s group loves the study. It feels like eating a Thanksgiving-meal’s-worth of knowledge every week.” — Michael Osetinsky, Washington
Now there are over 500 Catholic Scripture Study groups, and more starting up every year. We even have groups in the underground Church in China, and in Muslim countries where the Faith is constantly under attack. We need your help to develop more studies and make them available to those most in need.
Do we need quality Catholic content on the Internet?
If you’re reading this, then it’s likely that you’re already familiar with our best-known work, the Catholic Exchange website. Whether you visit for our daily articles, Mass readings, or Saint of the Day feature, we hope that our work has helped you grow in your faith and keep the Lord top-of-mind in your daily life.
We’re encouraged by the frequent letters and emails we receive from people like you, whose lives have been touched by Catholic Exchange. Here are just a few:
“You are an utterly amazing organization, peopled (on the evidence) by some of the most intelligent, lucid, grounded, and funny writers around. Every day you arm me a little better for discourse with my secular friends and colleagues, filling my quiver with apt and well-directed intellectual arrows.” — Trish Boyko, Ontario
“When I became Catholic two years ago I really started to crave the wisdom of the Church. Catholic Exchange gives me my daily fix. I also lead a Catholic Scripture Study group in my parish. I just love the way your writers don’t back away from the hard teachings of the Church…” — Randy G., Calgary
What you may not know is that while Catholic Exchange has always been free to visit, the reality is that it’s far from free to produce a magazine’s worth of quality material every weekday. We have a small but very hard-working team of skilled writers and editors, along with the technical folks that make sure the site is available worldwide 24 hours a day. In addition to the personnel cost, we have a hefty monthly bill for the high-availability, high-bandwidth web hosting that ensures our website can handle over a million visits per month. It’s a monthly struggle to meet these expenses. Can you help us today?
How can we reach those who have fallen away from the Church?
It’s a fact that fallen-away Catholics are the second largest religious denomination in the United States. The twin assaults from a culture of sin and death on one side, and poor catechesis and formation on the other, have led to an unprecedented drop in Mass attendance and Catholic practice. Almost every Catholic family knows this sad story personally.
How do we reach these lost sheep? Most are not willing to go to Church, and many refuse to talk about matters of faith. We believe that we have to reach people where they are, before you lead them to where they need to be.
And where are they? Many, especially men and young people, are watching movies and sports, so in response we published a first-to-market bestselling book—A Guide to the Passion: 100 Questions about The Passion of the Christ—to maximize the evangelizing power of Mel Gibson’s blockbuster, and we are producing our own Catholic Exchange film, Champions of Faith, releasing this April.
Champions of Faith includes the powerful witness of a lineup of many Major League Baseball All Stars—and three future Hall of Famers—who discuss their faith, their careers, the spiritual lessons of baseball, and the power of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.
- Champions of Faith showcases the amazing story of the 2006 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals through the eyes of National League Championship Series MVP Jeff Suppan and World Series MVP David Eckstein—both engaged, Mass-attending Catholics—who share how, through their faith in Christ, they pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Series history.
- Former Florida Marlins manager Jack McKeon shares how the Blessed Mother was instrumental in his getting into professional baseball, and how St. Therese the Little Flower was the real MVP of the 2003 World Series.
- Champions of Faith also reveals, for the very first time, the ultimate underdog story of Mike Piazza, who was drafted as a first baseman in the 62nd round and became the greatest home run-hitting catcher in MLB history. We discover how he considers presenting his New York Mets jersey to his hero Pope John Paul II to be the high point of his storied career, and see how he carried the heartbroken City of New York on his back after the September 11 attacks of 2001.
Producing a professional, high-quality film on high-definition video, securing rights to game footage from Major League Baseball, and making this film available to schools, men’s groups, and at-risk youth is expensive. Without your help, we won’t be able to put Champions of Faith in front of those who need it the most. Could you join our team today and make the most generous contribution you can?
What is Catholic Exchange worth to you?
How often do you visit Catholic Exchange? Every day? Every week? How much is that regular serving of spiritual nourishment worth to you? Could you help us with a regular monthly gift? We’ve made it easy to set up a monthly contribution by credit card or check to keep Catholic Exchange online, and to help keep our faith-building, soul-saving programs alive. Just $25 or $50 a month (less than $2 a day) will make a real difference.
Without the continuing help of friends like you, we would not be able to continue these vitally important projects.
All contributions are tax-deductible, as always.
Here’s the bottom line: Catholic Exchange is doing vital work to bring people to the Catholic Faith, and to strengthen and encourage faithful Catholics around the world. We need your help to continue our mission. And therefore, I’m asking you to be as generous as you possibly can in response to our appeal and to please pray that our work will be effective and ongoing for the Kingdom of God. I thank you in advance for your continued support and generosity.
Yours in Christ,
Tom Allen
President & Editor-in-Chief
Catholic Exchange
P.S. I think we’d both agree that offering quality and faithfully Catholic Scripture studies, proclaiming and teaching the Faith effectively via the Internet, releasing million-selling books and powerful faith-in-sports films to strengthen the faithful and bring back those who have fallen away from the Church is urgent and important work. We’re happy to do it, but cannot do it without you. So please come in alongside and make your tax-deductible gift today! Thank you!
