Offertory Gifts Are Needed

10 Offertory Gifts Are Needed to Continue Parish Ministries Despite the Pandemic

asses may be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the work of the Church goes on. The churches across southern Minnesota are still performing vital ministry work - though a bit differently with public health restrictions in place. Baptisms and funerals, Masses online and outdoor confessions, prayer support and community outreach - these efforts and more continue so as to meet people’s spiritual needs and provide educational resources through the web.

Offertory collections at Sunday Masses have been the largest source of income for parishes to fund their ministry efforts. With very limited or no Sunday Masses during the coronavirus pandemic, collections could dwindle and put at risk that work unless people respond. So that their parish can continue its ministry work and cover its operating costs, parishioners are encouraged to consider mailing in their Sunday offertory gifts or giving online, if possible.

Our parishes depend upon your weekly financial gifts to continue their ministries in this critical time of crisis when we are not able to go to Mass. We are still called to give our time and our financial resources. We have a spiritual need to give in gratitude for all the blessings we receive.

Now may be a good time to transition from the traditional envelopes to online giving. A number of people have told me that they are giving online for the first

Catholic Foundation

time, and others are making an extra effort to mail in their offertory gifts every week. About one third of the diocese’s churches offer online giving. The intent of online giving is to move away from weekly envelopes and toward a regular system of giving that can provide income to the parish, even when the parishioner isn’t at church on a given Sunday. It also eases the workload of parish staff and volunteer counters after the weekend Masses. There’s no question that our top priority is to help meet the needs of people in this crisis. The generosity and support of people across our diocese will also help the Church weather the challenges posed by this unprecedented public health threat.

In an effort to help, the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota has created a link on our website: https://catholicfsmn.org/parish-donations where parishioners can make an online gift to the parish(es) of their choice. Donations will be mailed to the parishes on a monthly basis.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me: mherman @catholicfsmn.org / 507-858-1276.

Monica Herman Executive Director Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota mherman@catholicfsmn.org

Congratulations!

Since our kick-off, the following parish has met its goal for the 2020 Catholic Ministries Appeal:

St. Joseph Waldorf

It's a Match!

Thank you to all donors who came forward to support the Challenge Matching Grant offered to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation for educational excellence and growing enrollment in our Catholic schools!

The Office of Catholic Schools was required to raise $50,000 in order for the Schulze Foundation to match that $50,000 for a total of $100,000.

I am so pleased to announce that we made our goal. The $50,000 we raised will be matched, totaling $100,000!

Prayer to Mary During the Coronavirus Pandemic By POPE FRANCIS

O Mary, you always shine on our path as a sign of salvation and of hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain, keeping your faith firm. You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need, and we are sure you will provide so that, as in Cana of Galilee, we may return to joy and to feasting after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus, who has taken upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows to lead us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.