Miter Society members discuss ministries aided by appeal
Msgr. William F. Stumpf, archdiocesan vicar general, left; Father Patrick Beidelman, executive director of the archdiocesan Secretariat for Worship and Evangelization; Archbishop Charles C. Thompson; and Father Joseph Newton, archdiocesan judicial vicar, pray the eucharistic prayer during a Mass for members of the United Catholic Appeal’s Miter Society at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis on Oct. 18. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer)
By Natalie Hoefer
They came to SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis from cities and towns across central and southern Indiana—Bloomington, Columbus, Jeffersonville, Shelbyville and Terre Haute, to name a few.
They came first to receive the Eucharist, from which flows the good works of archdiocesan ministries that no single parish could support: seminarian and deacon formation, clergy retirement, quality education for children of low-income families, refugee resettlement and many more.
And they came on Oct. 18 with a united goal: supporting these archdiocesan ministries through the annual United Catholic Appeal as members of the Miter Society, giving “all for the sake of others,” as is the theme of this year’s appeal. (See related article that begins on page 1.)
While members of the society are those who contribute $1,500 or more to the appeal, many of those interviewed at the reception that followed the Mass acknowledged that all contributions to the appeal—whether large or small, whether designated to support a specific ministry or not—are of value.
The Criterion spoke with Miter Society members regarding the archdiocesan ministry supported by the United Catholic Appeal that they either designate funds to or are passionate about.
All for the sake of: our clergy
The ministry mentioned by Deacon Steven Gretencord of Sacred Heart Parish in Terre Haute is not surprising.
“The permanent deacon formation is very close to my heart,” said the member of the archdiocese’s first class of permanent deacons, who were ordained in 2008. “[That ministry] means the world to me.”
The support of the United Catholic Appeal was not only “wonderful,” he said, but also much needed.
“At the time of my formation, I was told that it was estimated that each deacon was a $20,000 expenditure. There were almost 25 of us. That’s almost a half a million dollars. We couldn’t afford it on our own.
“It was through the efforts of the United Catholic Appeal and all its many supporters—the ones that give much, and the ones that give what they can—that the permanent diaconate is growing in this archdiocese,” said Deacon Gretencord. “I’m grateful to the United Catholic Appeal, and everyone who supports it.”
Deacon Gretencord is giving back to the archdiocese not just by donating to the United Catholic Appeal, but also in his service as a deacon. In that role, he ministers at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute. the Vigo County jail, Hospice of the Wabash Valley and Union Hospital—all in addition to his service at Sacred Heart Parish.
Archdiocesan priests, too, receive assistance from the United Catholic Appeal, in the form of retreats and sabbaticals offered by the archdiocese, as well as financial help in retirement.
On the other end of the clergy spectrum aided by the appeal is the formation of seminarians at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis and at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad.
“If they don’t receive support, then we don’t have priests, and that trickles down to all of us,” said Liz Berg, a member of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis.
She and her husband Bill do not designate their appeal funds toward a specific archdiocesan ministry. “I mean, how do you choose among them? They’re all good,” said Bill.
“But if we had to say we wanted our money to go somewhere, seminarian [formation] would be pretty high on the list. They’re [forming] the priests of the future, and they’re doing quite a good job. Funding something like that is always a good thing to do.”
All for the sake of: our families
The United Catholic Appeal helps spread the Good News in central and southern Indiana by addressing the spiritual growth of Catholic youths, college students and young adults. It does so through faith formation programs, catechesis, faith-centered activities and Catholic student centers at 12 colleges.
The appeal also accomplishes this by supporting 24,000 students, their principals and teachers in 68 archdiocesan schools.
Keith Bauer, a member of St. Agnes Parish in Nashville, designates his United Catholic Appeal contributions to Catholic education.
“I think it’s just so important to establish those Catholic values when kids are young,” said Bauer. “As you get older, you become responsible and knowledgeable of giving and being serving of others. … I figure if you can develop those values when you’re young, and keep supporting them, promoting them, enforcing them along the way as you mature, then probably the outcome is you’re going to be a pretty good person.”
He said his 12 years of Catholic education “just made me a better person, thinking about the Christian values to live by, and helped me make my decisions as I’ve gone through life. And it’s really helped me look for support when times get tough.
“But when times are good, be thankful for those as well. That’s kind of what I learned along the way. That’s what I think about when I designate my money to the United Catholic Appeal.”
All for the sake of: our needy
When Amanda Strong was young, she said her father “was a strong preacher of giving back something because God gives to you. So if God blesses me with something, I want to bless somebody else.”
This lesson of giving back is why the member of Holy Angels Parish in Indianapolis has spent years volunteering for Catholic Charities of Indianapolis, and more recently at her parish’s school, Holy Angels School, a Notre Dame ACE Academies (NDAA) school.
Her belief in these charitable causes is why she feels strongly about supporting them through the United Catholic Appeal.
The five archdiocesan NDAA inner-city schools in Indianapolis provide education to nearly 1,100 children as a first step in breaking the cycle of poverty.
“I really want to see that school [at Holy Angels] grow,” said Strong.
But there are many others still caught in the cycle of poverty, she noted. In downtown Indianapolis, she said, “You can just walk down the street and see somebody in need.
“It takes a lot of dedication” to provide assistance to those who lack even the most basic of needs, she continued. “The archdiocese takes on the big stuff. No one parish could take care of that stuff.”
Similarly, no one parish could address the massive effort of refugee resettlement.
Andra Liepa of St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis designates her appeal funds to Catholic Charities, which includes the archdiocesan Office of Refugee and Immigrant Services. Providing help for refugees hits home for Liepa on several levels.
“From a personal perspective, my parents were refugees from eastern Europe when the Soviet Union came in and occupied their home country [of Latvia] and they were forced to flee,” she said. “They spent six or so years in refugee camps, and basically lived without a home until they were able to get permission to come to the U.S. and start their new life.”
Liepa also takes seriously the call for Christians “to welcome the refugee, the homeless, the oppressed. As Catholics we’ve been taught that … we’re required to share our blessings with those who have less, and refugees fall into that category.”
Through her experience volunteering with the archdiocese’s refugee resettlement program, Liepa was astonished to learn that it is one of only two agencies in the state approved to find homes for refugees.
“It’s not just a local activity,” she said. “For me, it was compelling that the archdiocese is not just serving Catholics and people who live in Indiana, but also part of an international network serving people who are looking for a better life and to be rescued from some really terrible situations.”
All for the sake of others
For some United Catholic Appeal donors, it is simply impossible to choose just one area to designate their funds. Like the Bergs, they consider each of the ministries to help clergy, families and those in need as important and necessary.
When it comes to directing appeal directions, Jerry Wagner of St. Patrick Parish in Terre Haute is among those who chooses not to choose.
“Any of the areas is fine—they’re all winners,” he said. “That’s why I leave it up to the people running [the appeal]. They know where there’s a need. I’m just fortunate to be able to help anyone in any of those areas.”
(For more information on the United Catholic Appeal, go to www.archindy.org/UCA, or contact Dana Stone at 317-236-1591, 800-382-9836, ext. 1591, or dstone@archindy.org.) †
