PROVIDENCE — Seeking a more contemporary look for the annual Catholic Charity Appeal, the Office of Stewardship & Development today announced a new logo to visually represent an effort that raises million of dollars to provide for the spiritual and temporal needs, such as heating and housing assistance, for the less fortunate living in the Diocese of Providence.
The new logo carries on the tradition of the three hearts logo, while adding visual representations of the hand and the cross from the Year of Evangelization theme of “Works of Mercy Need a Hand.” The logo includes the caption “Supporting the work of the Church”—efforts which donor contributions make possible through the 39 ministries and programs supported by the Catholic Charity Appeal that make a difference in every community throughout the state.
“The heart and hand are images that are often referenced in Scripture,” said logo designer Fernando Botelho of Parable Seeds and a parishioner of St. Paul Church, Foster. “They represent the generous giver of grace and the model of self-giving in Christ Jesus himself. The hand of Christ is the active instrument of mercy and his heart is the source of that mercy. His humanity is God’s mercy in the flesh. He emptied himself, becoming the servant who fills our emptiness with peace and hope. On the cross, Jesus renews our relationship of friendship and peace with God and calls us to a new way of life ¬ – one that is equally self-giving as his.”
The candidate for the diaconate program adds, “The hand marked by the cross acknowledges that Christians no longer live for themselves, but live by faith in the Son of God, ‘a faith working through love’ (Galatians 2:20; 5-6). The hand marked by the cross is a sign of an inescapable truth: Christians receive mercy and must give mercy. We fulfill Christ’s law of love by extending a hand in mercy to relieve the burdens of God’s people.”
According to the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development, the new logo illustrates a sense of welcoming and service. The design reflects Christ’s active ministries of serving, healing and teaching, which are continued by the church today.
