Gala supports three ministries that do the work of Christ in changing lives

Seminarians of Bishop Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis sing “Salve Regina” during the Legacy Gala at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis on Feb. 9. (Photo by Rob Banayote)

By John Shaughnessy

As the oldest of 11 children—with his youngest sibling just a few months old—21-year-old Randall Schneider has long known the power and reach of a family.

He credits his parents for instilling prayer as an important part of his life, and he also values the moments of joy and the lessons in perseverance that he has shared with them and his siblings.

At the same time, Schneider was the youngest seminarian when he entered Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis, a place that has given him another sense of family, albeit from a different end-of-the-spectrum perspective.

“Bruté has a home-away-from-home feel to it,” he says. “I’ve always found a lot of comfort in coming here. It’s almost as if I was given the opportunity to experience what it was like to be the youngest, and all of that helped me to know how to be a good leader. One of the ways I’ve gotten the most benefit here is through formation for my brother seminarians.”

It’s all part of his desire to serve God as a priest in the archdiocese.

“I’ve wanted to be a priest for a long time, since a pretty young age,” he says. “Something drew me to the saints who, at some point in their life, made a promise or a vow to God like, ‘I’m going to do this.’ That kind of determination really kind of attracted me. And so, I wanted to kind of do that myself.”

He especially enjoys pursuing that path with his fellow seminarians.

“We’re all praying in communion, and I’ll be in the back of the chapel, and I’ll just think often that if they all become priests, I will know so many good and holy and saintly priests.”

Schneider offered these insights in a video that was shared during the archdiocese’s Legacy Gala at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis on Feb. 9—an evening that highlighted the powerful impact that the college seminary, Catholic Charities and Catholic schools have on the lives of many people in central and southern Indiana. (Related story: Archdiocese honors a pioneer on a night marked by memories, joy and emotion)

The Gala is the archdiocese’s annual fundraising event to support these three ministries.

“At Bishop Simon Bruté, we educate and support our seminarians as they discern a call to the priesthood,” Father Joseph Moriarty, rector of the college seminary, told the Gala audience. “I live and work in an environment every day that allows me to see the open hearts and minds of these young men who are saying yes to God’s call. And for that, I am so grateful. Your support enables us to continue our mission and grow the next generation of priests.”

That support also helps to fund Catholic Charities agencies across the archdiocese, which have served more than 400,000 people in need in central and southern Indiana in the most recent fiscal year.

“At Catholic Charities, we stand as a beacon for those facing despair and uncertainty by providing food, shelter, clothing, counseling services, adoption services and more,” said David Bethuram, executive director of Catholic Charities for the archdiocese. “We bring help and hope to those in need of our love and support.”

The impact of the 67 Catholic schools in the archdiocese has a similar powerful impact, according to Brian Disney, the superintendent of Catholic schools in the archdiocese. They share the faith and a quality, Christ-centered education with about 22,000 students through the dedicated efforts of nearly 2,300 staff members.

“In our Catholic schools, we believe in the transformative power of education of the whole person,” Disney said. “We strive to provide an academically rigorous and excellent education—and a culture infused with Catholic values and teachings. Your generosity can help us to provide scholarships, educational materials and a pathway to a brighter future.”

On behalf of these three ministries, Father Moriarty offered his gratitude to the Gala audience.

“Thank you for your generosity. And may the blessings of giving be showered upon each and every one of you,” he said. “Let us continue to be the light that brightens the lives of others. God bless you.”
 

(Anyone wanting to make a donation to support the archdiocese’s Catholic schools, Catholic Charities agencies and Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary can do so by connecting to the following link,: bit.ly/49eCKoV. Checks can also be sent to Legacy Gala, c/o Office of Stewardship and Development, 1400 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202. Make checks out to “Archdiocese of Indianapolis” and note “Legacy Gala” on the memo line.) †