Please watch your mailbox for an envelope from the Register. It’s set to mail on May 13, feast of the Ascension of the Lord (and the 93rd anniversary of the Blessed Mother’s first appearance in Fatima).

Inside you’ll find the final “ask” of our 2010 Annual Fund Drive — and you’ll want to reply even if you don’t plan to send a donation. Why? Three reasons.

One, to send us your prayer intentions. We’ll insert your reply form in our chapel’s prayer book, which we lay before the Blessed Sacrament (in our tabernacle) each time we pray the Rosary. This kind of petitionary prayer is very powerful.

Two, to grant us permission to recognize you with a word of thanks in our pages if you’ve donated any amount during this fiscal year (which started July 1, 2009). You can also opt to have us honor your whole family or to name your contribution in memory of a deceased loved one. (Of course, if you prefer, you may remain anonymous.)

And three, to read our letter and discern whether Christ is calling you to respond with a contribution.

So far, Register reader-donors have come through with nearly $700,000 in gifts and pledges this fiscal year. This is a very encouraging amount but, at this point, it doesn’t look like we’re going to reach our deficit-erasing goal of $1.1 million. Still, the closer we get to that amount, the less budgetary ground we’ll need to make up next fiscal year — and the stronger our position for serving the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church in America for years to come.

Thank you, all Register readers who have donated this fiscal year — or, indeed, at any time since we began asking for assistance. And thank you in advance for receiving the last letter of our 2010 Annual Fund Drive in a spirit of love for, and solidarity with, your brothers and sisters in Christ at the National Catholic Register.