Intention weekend for Called to Serve appeal is Nov. 3-4

By Sean Gallagher

Stewardship as a way of living out one’s faith happens year-round for most Catholics. Giving of themselves to the Church and being kind to friends and strangers alike in many ways is simply an ordinary part of their lives.

On Nov. 3-4, Catholics in central and southern Indiana will be asked at their parishes to pause and deliberately consider the blessings they have received and how, in turn, they can respond generously to God.

Known as “Intention Weekend,” this is part of the annual Called to Serve: 2007-08 Parish Stewardship and United Catholic Appeal.

Most of the members of the 74 parishes that will be participating in the appeal have received letters from their pastors or parish life coordinators with an enclosed intention card to be turned in at parishes during this time.

The card is designed to help parishioners not only plan how they will contribute financially to Called to Serve, but also how they might take part in new ways in their parish’s ministries.

Those remaining parishes that are not part of Called to Serve this fall are in the midst of participating in the Legacy for Our Mission: For Our Children and the Future campaign.

Through gifts given to the Called to Serve and Legacy for Our Mission funds, the archdiocese hopes to raise $5.5 million to support ministries that are shared by all parishes as well as home missions in central and southern Indiana.

Shared ministries include those services too large in scope for any one parish to accomplish on its own. These include the formation of the archdiocese’s future priests and permanent deacons, the care given to thousands through Catholic Charities’ agencies and Catholic education programs that help the faithful across the archdiocese.

About half of the funds raised in Called to Serve will be used to support these and other shared ministries.

The rest will benefit the archdiocese’s home missions—parishes that continue to serve the faithful in their areas, but face financial challenges in carrying out their vital ministry.

Any pledges that go beyond a parish’s financial goal in Called to Serve can be dedicated to the St. Francis Xavier Home Mission Fund, which annually awards grants to home mission schools and parishes.

Over the past several years, Father William Ernst, pastor of St. Mary Parish in New Albany, has seen how these grants have benefited his faith community.

His parish applied for and received four grants from the St. Francis Xavier Home Mission Fund over the past five years.

The money has been used to establish a preschool program and hire a special-needs teacher for the parish school, which was honored in 2004 as a “No Child Left Behind” Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education.

“We do have students with special needs, and so it is important to try to help them as best we can,” said Father Ernst. “And a teacher giving some direction on special needs, I think, is a big help to the student.”

Welcoming students with special needs is consistent with the Church’s valuing of the dignity of each human person, but doing this comes with a challenge, one that is hard for a parish like St. Mary’s, that has changed

substantially over the years, to meet.

“At one time, St. Mary was a very prosperous parish,” Father Ernst said. “But that time has passed, and it’s struggling a bit. And I think that’s true of a lot of older parishes. But you still have people that need to be served in those parishes.”

The intention weekend also gives members of archdiocesan parishes the opportunity to learn about ways they can give generously of their time and talent in the ministries of their faith communities.

Like many other parishes in the archdiocese, Christ the King Parish in Indianapolis will hold a ministry fair

during intention weekend.

For six years, Kathy Bogan, administrative assistant at Christ the King, has helped organize this event at which approximately 50 ministries have booths that educate parishioners about their mission and encourage them to participate.

“I think people are surprised that there are so many things going on,” Bogan said. “They realize that there’s a lot going on at Christ the King, and there are a lot of opportunities for different age groups and different things that people might be interested in.”

Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein sees these ministries at the parish level and those shared ministries that have a broader scope linked by Christ himself.

“As Christian stewards and a eucharistic people, let us remember that our mission flows from Christ and is nourished through the graces we receive from prayers and discipleship,” he said. “Together and as individuals, we are called to see the face of Christ in people—especially those in need.”

(For more information about Called to Serve: 2007-08 Parish Stewardship and United Catholic Appeal, log on to www.archindy.org/uca, where you can make donations securely, or call 317-236-1425 or 800-382-9836, ext. 1425.) †