ABCD 2026: ‘Together, do good, seek peace’ to make Church of South Florida possible

By Cristina Cabrera Jarro -

MIAMI | Every single act of generosity, no matter the size, helps keep the heart of the Church in South Florida beating. However, this heart cannot continue beating in 2026 without your help.

On Jan. 24 and 25, the Archdiocese of Miami is asking all Catholics in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties to make a pledge to this year’s ABCD (Archbishop’s Charities and Development Drive.)

“God calls us to pause, to listen to the conviction that starts from within, and challenges us to look outward at the needs of our neighbor. By donating to the ABCD, you are answering that call and bringing hope to the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski in this year’s ABCD appeal video.

He reminded the faithful that as a Church, it is our mission to serve, “not from a distance, but from the heart” and encouraged all to “do good and seek peace together.”

Inspired by Ps 34:15, this year’s ABCD campaign theme is “Together, do good, seek peace.” In the ABCD video, the word “together” is voiced by Archbishop Wenski and echoed by parishioners Carmela Beltran Brito, James Duque, Erika Duge, and Jorge Santibañez, who shared personal stories highlighting how the Church, with the aid of the ABCD, has helped them at different moments of their lives.

Carmela Beltran Brito, a parishioner at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Miami, reflected on her childhood. Growing up in a one-bedroom apartment with few resources, she knew her family was poor.

“But the Church was always there for us,” Beltran Brito said.

Years later, when her father was battling Alzheimer’s disease, a priest visited him every Friday to bring the Eucharist.

“That simple act showed us that we were not forgotten,” she said.

As a child, she promised herself that if she were ever able, she would give back to the Church.

“Now, as an adult blessed with a beautiful family, I give as a way to say ‘thank you’ to God for the strength, the guidance, and the community I found through my faith,” Beltran Brito said.

James Duque, a seminarian at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, wants to pay it forward as well. He recalled helping on his father’s avocado farm when he was younger.

“He would pay me, but it was understood that I would give a portion of what I earned to the Church. It was a nonnegotiable,” Duque said.

Having learned the importance of supporting the Church, he is grateful that the Church — through the generosity of ABCD donors —is now preparing him for the priesthood.

“I am overwhelmed with the knowledge that I’m here because of the charity of others. My studies, my commitment, my ministry, it’s all possible with the help of the ABCD, and I intend to pay that forward,” he said.

When Erika Duge immigrated from Haiti in 1997, Notre Dame d’Haiti Mission in Miami became her home and “spiritual anchor.” As the community helped her grow in faith, her family’s desire to give back grew as well. Today, she serves as a religious education teacher at the mission. Her husband is a deacon, and their children sing in the choir and serve at the altar at Mass. For Duge, passing on the wisdom and gifts of the faith to future generations is both a joy and a privilege.

“I will never forget watching the children in the CCD program receiving their First Communion. Seeing the joy on their faces, that was a moment of profound grace for me, and it affirms why I give to the ABCD. It is my way of making sure the Church that shaped me will continue to shape lives for years to come,” Duge said.

For as long as Jorge Santibañez remembers, the Church has been his home and his heart. Serving as parish manager and director of religious education at Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, he is no stranger to witnessing how the Church, its ministries, priests, and religious impact people from all walks of life.

In 2017, Santibañez and his wife were going to be parents for the first time, feeling especially excited because they were expecting twins. Sadly, halfway through the pregnancy, his wife suffered a miscarriage.

“That night, priests kept vigil with us through the long hours, and in the only minutes of their lives, a priest was there to baptize them,” he said.

In the days that followed, the Church and its parish community prayed for and supported them “when we couldn’t stand on our own,” Santibañez said. That accompaniment is one he will never forget.

“I give to the ABCD because I want the Church to be at the heart of everyone else’s journey, ready to celebrate their greatest joys, and to bring Christ’s light into their darkest days, just as it did for me,” Santibañez said.

In his first address in May 2025, Pope Leo XIV spoke of the world’s need for the light of Christ.

“Christ goes before us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge that can lead us to God and his love,” said the pontiff.

Following this call, the Archdiocese of Miami continues to build and maintain many bridges with the help of the ABCD. An annual pledge supports the archdiocese in aiding its parishes, schools, ministries, agencies, priests, religious, the poor, immigrants, and many others.

“The best way to describe it is that the ABCD funds the life of the Church here in South Florida, above and beyond what happens at the parishes,” said Katie Blanco Bourdeau, president of the Archdiocese of Miami Development Corporation.

The fundraising goal for 2026 is $12.5 million. More than one million Catholics from all walks of life who support 109 parishes and missions of the archdiocese can make an extraordinary impact if they give together toward that goal. Every gift matters, whether it is a modest $20 gift offered with sacrifice or a $10,000 contribution given from abundance. Each donation can be seen as an expression of gratitude for God’s blessings and a generous commitment to uplift others.

“It is less surprising than it is inspiring to witness, year after year, the extraordinary generosity of our faith community. The ABCD not only sustains the mission of our archdiocese; it is a true reflection of who we are as a Church,” Bourdeau said.

 TO DONATE

• ABCD pledge envelopes and brochures will be available at all parishes for all Masses in the Archdiocese of Miami on the weekend of Jan. 24 and 25, 2026.
• You can donate online by clicking here.