Catholic Services Appeal - 2013

A w s pe ra cia p l a r Ca ou th nd o l s e ic S ct pi io rit n

2 0 1 3 C AT H O L I C S E RV I C E S A P P E A L ARCHDIOCESE

OF

SAINT

PA U L A N D

MINNEAPOLIS

The Catholic Spirit JANUARY 31, 2013

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Catholic Services Appeal

CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 31, 2013

Appeal helps those in need, forms tomorrow’s leaders As we prepare for the penitential season of Lent, it is fitting to reflect back with gratitude on the generosity of the Catholic faithful of this archdiocese who make possible so many of the vital ministries provided by our local Church.

One shining example of such generosity is our annual Catholic Services Appeal (CSA). Last year, nearly 60,000 Catholic households pledged $9,763,000 to the CSA — Archbishop well surpassing our goal for John C. the third straight year. My Nienstedt sincere thanks to all who supported our Appeal!

The Catholic Services Appeal funds services that no one parish or individual can do alone — providing food and shelter, educational resources and spiritual support to individuals who are disabled, imprisoned, hospitalized or in nursing homes.

The CSA also serves low-income seniors, pregnant mothers, refugees and immigrants. Its funding helps prepare our seminarians for the priesthood, provides care for our retired priests, and goes beyond our borders to help our 65,000 brothers and sisters at our mission in Venezuela.

THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE

Called to serve This year, the Catholic Services Appeal will be celebrated in our parishes the weekends of Feb. 2-3 and 9-10. The theme of the Appeal is: “All the earth is filled with His Glory” — Isaiah 6:3.

This is the song of the angels as they praised the Lord God in heaven. Following their joyful acclaim, the Lord asks whom he should ask to serve. The prophet humbly responds, “Here I am Lord, send me.”

Like Isaiah, we are each called to serve, but we do not always know how. For more than four decades, the CSA has helped care for those most in need — offering food, shelter and material support. It has also formed tomorrow’s leaders — developing students in a life of faith and service through our Catholic schools and seminaries.

Reflecting God’s glory

$

Gifts to the Catholic Services Appeal help to shine the light of God’s glory throughout our local Church. When we provide funding to the various ministries supported by the Appeal, we enable many others to reflect God’s glory

Archbishop’s schedule ■ Friday, Feb. 1: 6 p.m., St. Paul, Cathedral of St. Paul: Private wedding ceremony.

■ Monday-Thursday, Feb. 4-7: Dallas, Texas, National Catholic Bioethics Center bishops’ workshop.

■ Sunday, Feb. 10: 2 p.m., St. Paul, Cathedral of St. Paul: Confirmation.

8 p.m., St. Paul, University of St. Thomas: “Lectio divina.”

■ Monday, Feb. 11: 6 a.m., St. Paul, St. John Vianney College Seminary: Holy Hour and Holy Eucharist, followed by breakfast.

10:30 a.m., St. Paul, The St. Paul Seminary: Meeting with administration.

11:35 a.m., St. Paul, The St. Paul Seminary: Holy Eucharist, followed by lunch with seminarians.

■ Tuesday, Feb. 12: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Scheduling meeting with staff.

9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan Comprehensive Assignment Board meeting.

1:30 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archbishop’s Cabinet meeting.

6 p.m., St. Paul, Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront: St. Paul’s Outreach Minnesota benefit banquet.

■ Wednesday, Feb. 13: 9:30 a.m., Mendota Heights, St. Thomas Academy: Liturgy for Ash Wednesday.

■ Thursday, Feb. 14: 9 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting of the Caleb Group.

12 p.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Lunch with newly ordained priests.

3 p.m., St. Paul, St. John Vianney College Seminary: The St. Paul Seminary/St. John Vianney College Seminary board meeting.

■ Friday, Feb. 15: 11:15 a.m., Brooklyn Park, Church of St. Vincent de Paul: Liturgy for archdiocesan annual staff retreat day.

through the works of their ministries.

A generous gift to the Catholic Services Appeal is one way that we can be part of the many ways in which our local Church shares God’s glory with thousands of people 365 days a year.

“All the earth is filled with His Glory.” Let this theme of the 2013 Catholic Services Appeal inspire each of us to recognize the presence of God in our lives and express our gratitude to him by offering our generous support.

May God’s glory shine brightly in your life and may God bless you and your loved ones.

HOW TO GIVE There are several ways you can donate to the Appeal. To make an online donation, go to HTTP://APPEAL.ARCHSPM.ORG. The archdiocese also accepts gifts by check, credit card, automatic bank withdrawal and stock.

The Catholic Spirit

The Catholic Spirit’s mission is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It seeks to inform, educate, evangelize and foster a spirit of community within the Catholic Church by disseminating news in a professional manner and serving as a forum for discussion of contemporary issues.

Vol. 18 — No. 3

MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT Publisher

SARAH MEALEY

Checks can be mailed to: Catholic Services Appeal, 328 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN 55102. For more information about how to give, please call (651) 2901610.

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Catholic Services Appeal

JANUARY 31, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

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Bus tour highlights impact Appeal ministries are making The Catholic Spirit Diane Francois and her husband Craig contribute to the Catholic Services Appeal because they know it supports a variety of good works, including vital services for those most in need.

Still, when they heard that a CSA Ministry Discovery Visit Jan. 23 would make a stop in Minneapolis at Catholic Charities’ Hope Street program, which helps homeless youth and young adults, they decided to pay a visit.

“The homeless shelter was a surprise to me,” Diane said. “I didn’t know we had a shelter for these kids, so I wanted to find out more about what they had to offer for these children.”

Buses filled with CSA supporters visited CSA-funded ministry sites that day. In addition to Hope Street, buses also made stops at Catholic Charities’ Higher Ground emergency shelter and transitional housing facility in Minneapolis, St. Helena Catholic School in Minneapolis, and St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony, where riders heard about the archdiocese’s mission in Venezuela.

Another tour Jan. 28 featured visits to the St. Paul Seminary and School of Divinity, Catholic Charities’ Family Services in Maplewood, and St. Ambrose of Woodbury for another presentation on the Venezuelan mission. (See page 6A.) Craig Francois said he was impressed to learn about the work Hope Street is doing to help young people in need.

Most of the young people leaving Hope Street “are finding stable shelter and getting some skills to move on in their lives,” said Craig, who attends St. Joseph in Rosemount with his wife. “This is just a temporary stop because they need it.

Their family environment isn’t able to support them. So, the fact that they’re going to school and the fact that . . . they’re able to find a more stable environment to live in, I think that’s the impressive part.”

But it’s not the only ministry doing vital work, Dianne added. “With the programs the [CSA] supports, everybody should get on board and give . . . because they do such good work out there for all people, everywhere,” she said.

Meeting the needs Visitors reboarded their buses following the site visits for one final stop — at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis Jan. 23 and Guardian Angels in Oakdale Jan. 28 — for dinner with Archbishop John Nienstedt and Bishop Lee Piché as well as brief presentations about CSA-funded ministries.

At the basilica, participants heard from: ■ Father Greg Schaffer, a priest of the archdiocese who heads its mission in the Diocese of Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela.

“To have an archdiocesan mission is a real blessing for the archdiocese itself,” said Father Schaffer, who serves at Jesucristo Resucitado parish in Venezuela.

“We are making a big difference in so many ways.”

The parish serves an estimated 65,000 people who live in 11 barrios, or neighborhoods. Father Schaffer said he and Father Tim Norris celebrate about seven Masses each weekend — two at the church and the rest out among the people. Unemployment hovers around 75 percent.

“We as church are there to walk with them and try to make a difference — trying to meet their spiritual needs as well as their material needs,” Father Schaffer said.

The mission includes a parish center, medical clinic, dentist office and soup kitchen that serves 150 people MondayFriday, he said. And it collaborates with a neighboring parish that runs an orphanage for boys.

“When people from the archdiocese PLEASE TURN TO CHARITIES ON PAGE 6A

Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit

Students from St. Helena School in Minneapolis entertained the crowd during dinner at the Basilica of St. Mary following the Catholic Services Appeal Ministry Discovery Visit Jan. 23.

Ministry Discovery Visit sites ■

The St. Paul Seminary and School of Divinity

The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity develops the next generation of Church leaders through formation of men for the priesthood and diaconate and preparation of laity and religious for service in the Church and society.

■ Catholic

Charities Family Service Center

The Family Service Center provides temporary housing for Ramsey County families experiencing homelessness. As many as 55 adults and children can stay at the Family Service Center for a maximum of 30 days. Families receive housing and employment search resources and other services to help them transition from homelessness to stable housing.

■ The

Venezuela mission

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis began a mission in the Diocese of Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela in 1970. Over the past four decades, priests from the archdiocese have served in various parishes and capacities in the Venezuelan church. The mutual interchange of people, cultures, gifts and faith between the parish of Jesucristo Resucitado in San Felix and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is the goal of the Venezuela Mission Partnership.

■ Hope

Street for Homeless Youth

Hope Street, a program of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, offers a secure, supportive environment to help teens experiencing homelessness to determine their options. Hope Street collaborates with Minneapolis Public Schools to provide homelessness prevention services that identify youth at risk of homelessness and provides support services to those individuals. Hope Street’s continuum of services includes an emergency shelter and a transitional living program.

■ Higher

Ground

Open 365 days a year, Higher Ground’s emergency homeless shelter offers a warm place to rest and spend nighttime hours. A light dinner and breakfast are served and shower facilities are available. Limited health care is also available. The facility’s Pay-for-Stay program offers 80 beds, lockers, linens, showers and access to employment resources to men trying to escape the streets. The money guests pay for shelter is held in trust to be used as rental deposits when they move into permanent housing. Higher Ground is a program of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

■ St. Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Andrea Simonett, right, program director of Catholic Charities’ Hope Street shelter for homeless youth in Minneapolis, talks with Jim Rylander, left, and Cathy Olinger of St. John the Baptist in Savage, during the Catholic Services Appeal Ministry Discovery Visit Jan. 23.

Helena Catholic School

St. Helena Catholic School in Minneapolis has been providing solid academics and laying a moral foundation for children in grades K-8 since 1926. Its mission — like the mission of other Catholic schools — is to develop the spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical character of each child in partnership with parents and the parish community. There are currently 165 students enrolled at the school.

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 31, 2013

CARING FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED “If we want to have any success in the future, we have to invest in the people who are going to be running the future — and that’s the youth.”

“A lot of us that are in this work, we want to change the world, we want to end homelessness. Not one of us is going to do that, but we all can play a small part. I think at the end of the day, if you feel good about what you’ve done [and] you feel like you’ve tried your hardest to make a difference, then together we’ll end up making a difference.”

— James Lewis Unit manager, Hope Street, Catholic Charities

“The people here always point you in the right direction. They see I have potential and that is boosting my confidence and making me stronger. If I didn’t have Hope Street, who knows where I’d be as a teenager right now — somewhere on the street doing something illegal. This place helps you get your responsibilities together.”

— Mack Client, Hope Street, Catholic Charities

“The scariest thing a mother and a child will ever have to deal with is not having a place to live, and these places like Catholic Charities are a blessing.

We can focus on our goals. Places like this give [us] hope.”

— Kimberly

IN THE OW WOR

Mom and client of Family Service Center, Catholic Charities

“What I’m called to do as a Christian is to help the poor, and a majority of these guys are in that state. I’m here to uplift them and give them a second chance. I believe that’s what God sent me to do.”

“What’s in it for me? To see if I can help somebody. . . . If you can help just one person, that’s what makes my day.”

— Joseph Denkins Jr. Employee, Higher Ground, Catholic Charities

“We are doing God’s work — God’s work is to help the needy ones who cannot sustain themselves.”

“When I see someone who says, ‘Oh thank you for that language training,’ or ‘thank you for finding this housing for us,’ that appreciation is so important. Our immigrant population doesn’t have a sense of entitlement; they are so grateful for what they get.”

— Hemlal Kafle Migration and Refugee Services, Catholic Charities

HOW YOUR CONT

“You can go through life and ignore other people, or you can go through life and build relationships. Christ went around building wonderful relationships when he was on earth, and I think that’s what we’re taught to do: build up wonderful relationships with each other and support them as we go along. In turn, they support you on your journey.”

— Marjorie Spagl Caregiver support, Aging Services, Catholic Charities

“It’s a place for all the priests who have served the archdiocese faithfully all these years. . . . The residence gives them an opportunity to live with other priests with common interests.”

“This is our opportunity to give back to them.”

— Deacon Phillip Stewart Administrator, Byrne Residence for retired priests

Clients and sta ministries fu Catholic Serv talk about how th supporting tho forming tomor

$2,432,029 Supported Catholic elementary and high school education, as well as campus ministry at our Catholic universities.

$1,146,841 Housed the homeless, guided new parents, provided prenatal care, and supported elderly needs through Catholic Charities.

$1,602,066 Formed seminarians for the priesthood, housed retired priests in our Byrne Residence, and provided prison and hospital chaplains.

$1,80

Rebates returned t fund their own loc

$9,300,000 TOT

All the earth is filled with

Catholic Services Appeal 5A FORMING TOMORROW’S LEADERS

N EIR WN RDS

“A faith-based education is centered completely around Jesus Christ on the knowledge that children are so much more than academic and physical beings. That they are innately spiritual beings, and a faith-based education gets to the core of who the children are. It helps them learn to make decisions based upon what’s right versus just what knowledge tells them.”

— Debra King Principal, Pope John Paul II Catholic School, Minneapolis

“I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools. It’s hard to separate it from my everyday life, it’s just part of who I am. It’s not just going to church on Sunday morning — it’s also helping others, it’s social justice, and it’s responsibility, not just to our local community but to our world.”

“We have a responsibility to show others when we leave this building how we live out our Christian faith.”

— Jessi Weakley Middle school teacher, Pope John Paul II Catholic School, Minneapolis

“My Catholic school has taught me to help others without expecting anything in return and being there for people, even people I don’t know.

The teachers are there for us, so I want to be there for others — like Jesus was for everyone.”

— Sade Eighth-grade Catholic school student

aff members of nded by the vices Appeal ese ministries are se in need and rrow’s leaders

TRIBUTION

“We all value the gift of our young people. We are intensely proud of them. They fill us with great hope. Our local Church is committed to supporting them and accompanying them throughout their lives. Without the Catholic Services Appeal, Archdiocesan Youth Day would not have been possible.”

“We also reach out to those with disabilities and provide support for caregivers. These initiatives make Christ very visible to people who are challenged to live with joy in unique situations.”

“I have heard it said many times that our culture is experiencing a crisis of leadership. The annual Men’s Conference provides men from across the archdiocese an opportunity to clarify their vision and strengthen their commitment to living their responsibility as Catholic leaders today and models for future leaders.”

— Jean Stolpestad Director, Archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life

“Serving is an important part of being Catholic because it’s part of the Gospel; it’s a non-negotiable part of the Gospel. So we are not truly loving God if we are not truly taking that love that we receive from him and trying to share that with those around us. . . .”

“Every Catholic should support a seminarian in some way — through their prayer, through time and service, through whatever they financially can contribute. We need that presence of Christ within the sacrament of holy orders and in all those sacraments that priests bring to help us begin that transformation and continue that transformation of holiness.”

— Father John Floeder

HELPS

1,330

to parishes to help cal ministry needs.

$556,404 Aided our mission in Venezuela serving a parish of 65,000 households.

Provided spiritual guidance to the women of our Archdiocese, supported our Native American and Latino communities.

Director of seminarians, St. Paul Seminary

$883,252 Engaged our youth and young adults to deepen their faith. Promoted the sacredness of life, encouraged married couples, and guaranteed assistance for those with disabilities.

$878,078 Set aside for the printing, mailings, and administrative costs of the CSA.

TAL CSA GOAL

h His glory.

“It’s important for all of us to discern what our vocation is and ask God what is [his] greatest dream for our lives, which is our greatest happiness. The men come here with genuineness and they say, ‘God you show me. I want to meet you in prayer and I want you to show me what is your will for my life.’”

“And they leave different men [compared to when] they come. Every man who has left the seminary, predominantly, has said, ‘I’m so grateful for the time at St. John Vianney. It’s formed who I am today and made me a better man in the way I serve my family, the way I serve my parish, the way that I interact for the common good.’”

— Father Michael Becker Rector, St. John Vianney College Seminary, St. Paul

Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8

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Catholic Services Appeal

CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 31, 2013

Sharing Christ’s love with others Tim and Helen Healy, members of Holy Family in St. Louis Park, met in the late 1980s while serving as missionaries with NET Ministries in West St. Paul. There they deepened their love with Christ, with each other and with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. As the chair couple for the 2013 Catholic Services Appeal, they now are sharing that love with others.

Reaching out to others

By Kristi Anderson For The Catholic Spirit

After their years with NET Ministries in West St. Paul, Tim Healy became a youth minister at St. Rose of Lima, Roseville, while Helen taught fourth grade at St. Jerome School in Maplewood. The couple dated and eventually married. Due to a job opportunity, they moved out of the archdiocese for six years.

“That is when we realized how much this archdiocese has to offer,” Helen said.

“We missed the wonderful seminary, the beautiful churches, the holy priests, all the ministries, schools and great leadership, and the abundance of adoration chapels. We were so happy to move back to be closer to family and live again in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.”

“We have supported the [Catholic Services Appeal] every year since we moved back from Wisconsin,” Tim added. “We feel strongly about the good works that are done by this archdiocese.

The CSA is the mechanism that enables us to help so many people in need. We are glad to help build God’s kingdom here along with so many other generous people.”

The CSA is an annual collection that helps offset the general operating and program expenses of archdiocesan programs. The goal for the 2013 Catholic Services Appeal is $9.3 million and is shared by 197 parishes across the 12county archdiocese.

“We support the CSA because we love our faith and we want to share it,” said Helen. “This experience as chair couple has helped us realize just how many people the appeal reaches. The message of Christ and what he did for us on the cross is spoken through the Catholic Church, but there are so many that can’t hear the message.

“The appeal reaches those that may be hungry, lonely, neglected, uneducated and even those babies in danger of losing their lives to abortion,” she continued. “The church has always served those in need. In our diocese, the CSA provides the resources to reach out with the hands of Christ to the needy in our community.”

Areas of impact The Healys, who have seven children between the ages of 5 and 18, feel

Charities CEO, principal among speakers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3A come down to visit, they are touched by the experience,” Father Schaffer said.

“But it also changes them. It makes them more aware of the needs in our world.”

■ Tim Marx, CEO of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Marx, who has headed the agency since early 2011, said he is often asked, “How’s it going?”

His response: “Catholic Charities is a strong and vital organization” that is helping to feed, shelter and help others in need. “Business,” however, “is too good.”

Marx noted that the poverty rate in the state has increased by double digits since 2007 — some 600,000 Minnesotans now live in poverty.

“For the first time in 30 years, we at Catholic Charities have had to turn people away from the Dorothy Day Center in downtown St. Paul,” he said.

Marx said Catholic Charities continues its commitment “to serve those most in need. . . . But we also need to let the community know what’s going on around [it] and build awareness” among individuals, parish communities, businesses and government to create more opportunities to move people out of poverty.

■ Jane Hileman, principal St. Helena Catholic School in Minneapolis.

“Right now, we have 33 percent of our children who qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program,” said Hileman, who noted that many of the school’s parents are working two jobs but are still in poverty. “So support here is very, very important.”

Two years ago, Hileman was asked to appear in the Catholic Services Appeal video, in which she talked about one of her former students, Mary Streiff.

Hileman had taken Streiff under her wing when the girl’s home life became troubled. Streiff improved her grades, graduated in 2008 and went on to attend Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield.

“We never collected a penny from Mary, but she will be one of the best [citizens] out there for this community, and that’s because of people like you,” Hileman told those gathered at the basilica.

“I have a Mary story every year,” she said. “And that’s what keeps me coming back, because I get people like you that are out there to help the Marys in this world.”

“We have such a great opportunity to come together as an archdiocese, to pool our resources and have an important effect on our community.”

Tim Healy fortunate to raise their kids with the help of the “wonderful Catholic schools and churches that the Catholic Services Appeal supports.”

As part of their responsibilities as chair couple, they tour many different ministries throughout the archdiocese.

“A highlight for us was visiting St. Helena Catholic School in Minneapolis,” said Helen. “The staff there is filled with the love of Christ and it is so evident in the students. Just walking down the hall

you can feel Christ’s joy.”

The couple hopes that everyone will take a look at the areas in their lives that are impacted by the appeal.

“We have such a great opportunity to come together as an archdiocese, to pool our resources and have an important effect on our community,” Tim said.

“Jesus calls each one of us to care for the poor, the widows, the homeless and those in need. We can all come together and make a difference.”

Archbishop thanks parish leaders for CSA support The Catholic Spirit During the second of the Ministry Discovery Visits Jan. 28, people involved with the Catholic Services Appeal traveled by bus from several parishes to see firsthand how CSA funds are used.

Parishioners, priests and parish staff from Taylors Falls to Lakeville to Miesville toured and learned about ministry at The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, at Catholic Charities Family Services Center in Maplewood, and at St. Ambrose parish in Woodbury, where Father Greg Schaffer shared how CSA funding support his work at the archdiocese’s mission in Venezuela.

Archbishop John Nienstedt thanked the several hundred parish leaders at a dinner held at Guardian Angels parish in Oakdale.

“Your support is crucial to the success of the Catholic Services Appeal,” the archbishop said. He praised former CSA co-chair Pat Regan for the idea to use the buses from his company — Minnesota Coaches — to better highlight appeal dollars at work in the community.

“Once people see where their CSA dollars are going, they get inspired,” the archbishop said. “This is really the heart of the Gospel.”

Helping the homeless Every night 65 homeless people in Ramsey County — about 21 families — aren’t left out in the cold because donations to the Catholic Services Appeal offer them shelter.

From grandparents to infants, from single

parents to school children, Catholic Charities Family Services Center offers them all a place to stay.

Cornered by Goodrich Golf Course, Aldrich Arena and the Ramsey County Care Center, in Maplewood, the 12-year-old family shelter is much more than a shelter, program manager Alanna Hinz told the CSA Ministry Discovery visitors as they toured the facility.

Along with safe bedrooms with private toilet and shower facilities, the Family Services Center offers a medical and dental clinic, a laundry room, a playground, counseling, a computer lab, a learning center, plus three meals a day.

Children are bused to the schools, and tutoring for them is available. Adults can use the computer lab for job searches, plus they attend mandatory classes to help them with things such as life skills and financial literacy, Hinz explained.

June Jordan, senior program manager with Catholic Charities, said the facility is “very, very dependent” on support from the Catholic Services Appeal to continue operating.

She noted that the family shelter has a 40-50 percent success rate in getting its clients from homelessness to rental housing, yet the Maplewood center is always full.

In December, 42 parents and their children had to be turned away; the number has been as high as 400 people unable to be served because there were no more rooms.

Catholic Services Appeal The Catholic Spirit

Bob and Monica Rivers, who recently moved from Guardian Angels parish in Oakdale to a lake home where they attend St. Mary in Le Center, donate with confidence to the archdiocese’s Catholic Services Appeal because they know their money goes to ministries such as Catholic Charities.

“They do such good work,” Monica said, and Bob chimed in, “It’s just run properly. We like to see when we donate to a charity that the dollars go to the people they’re trying to help.”

Martha Eberhardt, who belongs to St. Ambrose in Woodbury, donates to the CSA because “there’s a lot of need out there,” and Angie Sowada of Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul added, “It’s the good service they have.”

Jeff Olson of St. Joseph in Lino Lakes took the tour of Catholic Charities Family Services Center in Maplewood as part of the CSA’s Ministry Discovery Visit Jan. 28. Afterward, he said he knew Catholic Charities had several facilities in

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JANUARY 31, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

WHY DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO

THE CATHOLIC SERVICES APPEAL?

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the Twin Cities area, but didn’t know of the Maplewood family shelter.

What did he think?

“Impressive. Impressive — and sad at the same time,” Olson said. “I asked how many people had to be turned away because they only had a limited capacity, and the numbers they gave show the need is still there. It has to be a bit of a heartbreaker for the staff.

“From another perspective, though, they probably get a lot of thank yous, smiles and hugs,” Olson said, “and a lot of satisfaction being able to see some of the residents grow and find their way out of homelessness.”

Olson said the tour of the family shelter made the efforts to assist homeless people more realistic, and it’s motivating when you understand your donations are going to good causes.

“It’s one thing to have somebody tell you about a good cause, and another to go see the facility yourself,” Olson said. “It makes it real for you.”

Stewardship Day speaker to address 9 best practices in parish stewardship ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t Charles Zech, professor of economics and director of the Center for the Study of Church Management at Villanova University, will be one of the presenters at Region VIII Stewardship Day, April 20, at St. Peter in Mendota. The Catholic Spirit recently interviewed him about the gathering and on the topic of stewardship. An edited version appears below.

“If a parish emphasizes

stewardship, and raises all kinds of money, but does not become a more spiritual place, it has failed.

Give a little preview of what you will be talking about at the April 20 gathering.

First, stewardship is more than just about money. It is also about time and talent, with the major study to look at more than just the treasure ultimate goal of increasing the component of stewardship. It also examined time spiritual life of parishioners. If a and talent along with parish spiritual practices. parish emphasizes stewardship, The three most effective intentional parish and raises all kinds of money, stewardship practices are: but does not become a more ■ Appoint a parish stewardship council (separate spiritual place, it has failed. from the finance or pastoral councils) that Second, there is a lot of understands that its role entails increasing parish anecdotal evidence about “what works” and what “doesn’t work” time and talent, as well as treasure.

ZECH ■ Utilize a variety of lay witnesses (both in a stewardship effort. The bulk parishioners and non-parishioners) who can relate of my presentation is concerned with examining their stewardship journey. data on the impact of both “intentional” ■ Include stewardship as a key component of the stewardship efforts (like sponsoring lay witness presentations) and unintentional efforts — things a parish pastoral plan, so that every ministry understands its role in promoting stewardship in parish should be doing anyway, but might also the parish. impact stewardship (like building community) — on time, talent and treasure.

Attracting and keeping younger Catholics is This is the first major stewardship study to look at always a challenge. What are some things parishes outcomes beyond just money. The title of my might consider doing to reach this demographic presentation, “Myths and Realities,” reflects my and catechize them about findings about a variety of good stewardship? parish activities that are Even more than their assumed to be effective at Save the date parents, younger Catholics generating stewardship. It ■ What: Region VIII Stewardship expect financial transparency turns out that some are Day for (arch) dioceses of Minnesota, and accountability on the part effective and some aren’t.

North Dakota and South Dakota of the parish leadership. If we want them to contribute more You’ve written “Best ■ When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., financially, we need to show Practices in Parish Saturday, April 20 them how the money is used, Stewardship.” Based on your ■ Where: St. Peter, Mendota but also give them a voice in research, what are the top ■ Presenters: Archbishop John financial and other parish three best-practices that Nienstedt, Father Darrin J.G. Gurr, decisions. And, get them encourage better Charles Zech and Nathan Dungan. involved in parish ministries stewardship among church ■ Registration information: that interest their age cohort, members?

WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG. like social action.

“Best Practices” was the first

”

The following list of best practices has been developed from extensive research done with Catholic parishes on a national level. This is an edited version from the Parish Stewardship Tool Kit. You can access the entire kit online at: WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG/DEPARTMENTS/DEVELOPMENT-STEWARDSHIP.

1.

2.

Be a welcoming parish that takes community building seriously. Parishes need to warmly welcome all members. Everyone has something to contribute.

Appoint a stewardship committee. Parishes that have an active and involved stewardship committee are more successful because the parishioners take an active role in planning and implementing a stewardship program.

3.

Be accountable to your parishioners. Showing parishioners where their gifts are used and how their time and talents are being managed can lead to a broader understanding of stewardship and a greater sense of fulfillment. One way to share this message is by developing and communicating a Parish Stewardship Accountability Report.

4.

5.

Seek annual commitments. Stewardship requires a commitment on the part of parishioners.

Set goals. Vibrant parishes have a shared vision and goals that support that vision. Goals should be set for all ministries. They should be challenging, yet realistic and, when possible, measurable. The parish also needs to report on the progress made toward reaching their goals.

6.

Communicate with parishioners. The message of stewardship should be communicated many times over the course of the year — utilizing many media sources.

7.

Identify lay witnesses. An important part of stewardship education is the testimonies presented to parishioners by individuals whose lives have changed as a result of stewardship. Stewardship is a part of the internal change of heart or conversion process we know so well from the Scriptures — stories of men and women who became compelled to put their faith into action.

8.

Be grounded in prayer. Several parishes have their own stewardship prayer and they invite all households to pray the stewardship prayer during the renewal season and at periodic times throughout the year.

9.

Ask for help from the Office of Development and Stewardship. Most strong stewardship parishes have not done it alone. Call (651) 290-1610.

8A T

HE

Catholic Services Appeal

CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 31, 2013

6

ways

TO GIVE

Registered parishioners will receive a letter in the mail along with a personalized pledge envelope. Blank pledge envelopes are available in parish pews or in parish literature racks.

Please fill out the pledge envelope information and return it to your parish.

DONATE ONLINE

TRANSFER STOCK

This is a quick and easy way to make your yearly donation. Go to HTTP://APPEAL.ARCHSPM.ORG/ GIVING.HTML to make your donation online. You can use your credit card or bank accounts.

Transferring appreciated stock directly to the Catholic Services Appeal is both easy and tax deductible. Contact Jennifer Beaudry, development officer, for more information at (651) 291-4529.

WRITE A CHECK You can make your check payable to The Catholic Services Appeal and mail it along with your pledge envelope directly to your parish or to: Development and Stewardship Office, 328 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul, MN 55102.

CREATE AN AUTOMATIC BANK WITHDRAWAL Instead of a one-time gift, consider spreading your pledge throughout the year. Both the pledge envelope and the online giving site allow you to create a weekly or monthly gift withdrawal from your credit card or bank accounts.

MAKE A PLEDGE GIFT Gifts to the CSA can be pledged over a 10month period. By spreading your commitment over 10 months, you can increase the size and impact of your gift.

SEEK MATCHING FUNDS It may be possible to double your gift to the Catholic Services Appeal through a matching gift. Many employers (and former employers, for retirees) match the charitable gifts of their employees. Check with your employer’s human resources department to see if it will match your charitable contribution. Complete its matching gift form (or fill one out online) and send it along with your gift information to the archdiocesan Office for Development and Stewardship.

archspm.org TheCatholicSpirit.com