By Lou Baldwin • Posted May 6, 2016

So which would you rather do, see a musical at the Walnut Street Theatre or a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park? These are two upcoming fundraisers for the archdiocesan Catholic Charities Appeal. Now if you can’t make up your mind between the two, don’t worry, they aren’t on the same date.

First up (or at bat, we should say) is Catholic Charities Night with the Philadelphia Phillies, in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. It’s a 7:05 p.m. game on Thursday, June 16. Tickets range from $20 to $38, depending on where you choose to sit.

If 500 tickets are sold representatives of two of the more than 180 ministries served by the appeal will be featured at the game.

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Sophie Roberto, a student from Archbishop Ryan Academy for the Deaf, will throw out the first ball, and Kamal Bostic Smith, an assistant director for the Out of School Time Program at St. Martin de Porres School, along with kids from the program, will get to sing the National Anthem.

Given the way the Fightin’ Phillies are playing these days, it should be a good game. But win or lose it’s a good cause. For more information and tickets call 215-587-5650.

Now as far as the musical, how about “Sister Act, the Musical”? It will be playing at the Walnut Street Theatre starting the middle of May; these tickets are for near the end of the run on July 13.

The show is based on “Sister Act,” a motion picture comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg about a disco diva on the run from her murderous ex-boyfriend. She’s been stashed in a convent for safe-keeping by the feds and she really livens it up.

The musical had its Broadway debut in 2011 and has received national acclaim, featuring a musical score by award-winning composer Alan Menken. It has been touring around the country ever since.

The original “Sister Act” was set in San Francisco, but for this production it’s in Philly, and why not? Our gangsters are just as mean as any in Frisco, and our nuns are every bit as jolly.

Dan’yelle Williamson, who has credits on Broadway in “Memphis,” “Scandalous” and “Rocky,” stars as the ebullient guest Deloris Van Cartier who shakes things up at the staid old convent.

Tickets are $95 per person and a portion of the proceeds will go to support the Catholic Charities Appeal.

Visit CatholicCharitiesAppeal.org or call 215-587-5650 for reservations.

Speaking of the appeal’s website, the online donation opportunities don’t end there. The appeal now offers a new mobile app for phones and tablet computers.

The download is free and software is compatible with all Apple and Android devices. It can be found on Google Play, iTunes, or by texting CCA to 42828.

In addition to using the app to donate to the appeal, users can also learn about events, programs and services supported by the appeal as well as parish-based information.

Launched in January by Archbishop Charles Chaput, the 2016 Catholic Charities Appeal’s goal was raised to $15 million in support of 180 beneficiaries in five areas of ministry: education, social services, evangelization, parish and spiritual life, clergy and mission activities.