Seeds of Faith

By MICHAEL GERARD

God has seen fit to nudge my canoe safely from pool to pool on the river of life. I have also been the beneficiary of the supporters of Catholic Schools. My first nine years of education were in a school built by people who knew the value of a good Catholic School. I am grateful and glad to have had the blessing. Many young families are seeking that same blessing today. Our Catholic Schools are full of love and gospel values, and they have the mission of knowing and loving God and academic excellence.

This past week, I was blessed to be part of the Seeds of Faith Catholic Schools Tuition Assistance program. Seeds of Faith is part of the many services of the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota. The Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota supports parishes, schools, and ministries; to learn more, go to catholicfsmn.org. Catholic school parents with financial need can apply to Seeds of Faith for financial support, and the application for aid includes income, other assigned financial support, parish and school involvement, and the story of why the family is applying for assistance. Each application is read by four people and scored 0-5. Five is the greatest need. There were about 340 applications this year, a significant increase from last year. Reading these applications helped to give me insight into what is troubling the faithful in our diocese.

Some of these applications were genuinely heartbreaking stories. These good people suffered unexpected unemployment, physical disability, illness, and or unexpected death in the family - all people who want their children to receive an excellent Catholic education but, due to dire circumstances, have been put up against the hardest of decisions. We have people who sit next to us in the pew, suffering from tough times. These brothers and sisters in Christ can use our support.

Another class of application came from families who were suffering from divorce - a shocking number. We could do a better job by reaching out to our married people and trying to get ahead of these marital issues. Too often in our society, divorce is the default way of dealing with marital disharmony. People do not see that once the papers are signed, economic difficulty is often next on the horizon. I think we, as a church, could do a lot more to help our married families. First, we can share with them all of our programs and resources that support struggling marriages. I believe we are our worst enemy by poorly promoting the resources our Church offers. Second, a few simple things can go a long way to helping our young families. Not least of which would be hosting a date night, quarterly if not monthly. Parents can drop their kids off at church, and volunteers babysit for two hours while couples go on a date.

Another common need is large families. Catholic schools are not affordable to large families. We, as a church. disallow, and for good reason, artificial birth control. When I go to my home parish. I see these large Catholic families; the majority cannot afford Catholic schooling. We need to support those who are following the teachings of the Church.

Many of the applications listed general economic hardship. In 2024, prices for things like food, transportation, and housing have increased, so middleclass families are forced to cut out any extraneous costs. The economy of the past several years is crushing the middle class. Currently, the average monthly costs per American family are $385 higher than three years ago, according to the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee. That's $4,620 a year! Good Catholic families are squeezed to the max and are now looking for help with educating their children. Americans are sinking into poverty in the current economy. The need for assistance continues to grow. Food shelves continue to report record usage year after year while wages stagnate. People need help.

How do we address this need and help young families afford Catholic Schools? Many hands make light work. When I took a Catholic school finance course at the University of St. Thomas, the professor shared with us that the average Catholic gives 1% of their income to the Church. The professor said, "Look at all we do with 1%! Imagine what we could do with 2%?" We know that the Bible asks for 10% and that is a lot. I am asking you to consider lending a hand. Charity begins at home, and many aunts, uncles, and grandparents pay for Catholic school. Every little bit helps when it comes to supporting the future of the Catholic Church. Your dollars can help support the mission of evangelization. Prayers, volunteering, and financial support all go to strengthen our schools by making Catholic education affordable. Every child who attends Catholic school is a victory for our Lord. God bless!

Michael Gerard is the assistant superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.