Mass each week with her mother, grandmother and younger sister was a way for the women in Joanne s family to stay close.

Transcription

1 incent St. de Paul catholic church July The Traits of the Christian Steward 3 We Provide the Gifts, God Provides the Miracles 4 Mike and Holly Klein Living Stewardship Through Service 6 The People God Chooses to Do His Will Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne - July 26 7 Finance Council Helps Parish to Carry Out its Mission Van Ministry Helps Faithful Make it to Mass With Friendship and Memories Joanne Bruegman was a grandma s girl. Attending Mass each week with her mother, grandmother and younger sister was a way for the women in Joanne s family to stay close. When Joanne was 21, her grandmother passed away, leaving a void in her life that she soon filled by answering an ad in the church bulletin at her former parish for van drivers. The ministry was devoted to helping transport elderly parishioners to and from Mass each week. I had never heard God s voice so clearly as when I heard that it really spoke to me, she says. I drove for them and I probably wasn t the best driver, but it was always a wonderful thing for me and it filled that emptiness from when I lost my grandmother. Years later, when Joanne began attending Mass at St. Vincent de Paul, she volunteered to help Fr. Joseph Kraker start a van ministry here. From there, the Van Ministry was born and has since grown to include multiple volunteer drivers who help on a rotating basis. I started driving while I had a 1-year-old and I was pregnant with my other child, Joanne says. The kids rode with me and it was a good experience for them, too. Having little kids in the car was an added joy for the elderly people we were picking up. As they got older and into middle school, it would be their job to help people into the van. We d walk with them and help them get safely up into the van. Joanne says her favorite moments driving passengers have included watching a man who had lived in the Philippines during World War II help her son with his history homework, and taking widows to visit their husbands graves. Some days, you don t want to get up for Mass because you re tired or it s snowing and it s cold, Joanne says, speaking to emotions so many of us have had on a Sunday morning. In these times, she says she thinks of elderly passengers who never missed Mass, regardless of the weather or their health. It inspired my faith, she says. I thought, If they can do it, I can do it. continued on back cover 164 West Market Street Akron, oh stvincentchurch.com

2 St. Vincent de Paul catholic church The Traits of the Christian Steward Each day, we strive to live stewardship in our lives, recognizing our roles as God s co-workers in His creative, redemptive and sanctifying work. But in our quest to live as disciples of Christ, many obstacles often arise. One of the most prevalent roadblocks in living stewardship is understanding the traits that make up a good Christian steward. Surely, it would be much more convenient if we had some sort of stewardship profiler who could lay out the necessary steps to becoming a good steward, like on one of those television crime dramas. Unfortunately, it more often feels like living stewardship is a lifelong journey that we will never fully comprehend. Fortunately, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops pastoral letter on stewardship, Stewardship: A Disciple s Response, gives some insight into the characteristics that make up a good Christian steward. It may not have the powers of a stewardship profiler or mentalist, but it certainly gives us some tangible things to think about. The Christian steward should display some of the following traits: Insight Before the disciples could live what we know as the stewardship way of life, they needed a flash of insight, or a certain way of viewing the world and their relationship to it in a fresh light. This divine grandeur, more than anything else, is often what sets people on the path to Christian stewardship (Stewardship: A Disciple s Response, 39). Conscientiousness Stewards are fully conscious of their accountability in sharing of their time, talent and treasure. As caretakers of the gifts that God has given them, they have the opportunity and responsibility to use them to their fullest potential to spread God s Kingdom on Earth (40). Generosity Christian stewards are generous out of love as well as duty. They should display a desire to share with and care for others based on the sacramental graces they have received. And they are also cognizant of the many warnings that the New Testament presents to those who fail in charity and authentic love (40). Joy Christian stewards are often presented with difficult obstacles, but they should remain joyful in the face of challenges to their lives of stewardship. Like Paul, the good steward is able to say, I am filled with encouragement, I am overflowing with joy all the more because of all our affliction (2 Cor. 7:4). Only by serving with a joyful spirit will stewards fully reap the rewards of their service, both in this life and the next. Indeed, living as a Christian steward is a lifelong journey with many ups and downs along the way. But if we strive to consciously incorporate each of these characteristics into our giving of time, talent and treasure, we will find that the profile of a good Christian steward will become much clearer with each experience of service.

3 A Letter From Our Stewardship Council We Provide the Gifts, God Performs the Miracles Dear Members of our St. Vincent de Paul Parish Family, It is human nature to try to neatly place things into categories. If we categorize the miracles performed by Christ, the two largest groupings might fall under the headings Healing and Feeding. This is exactly what we are about here at St. Vincent de Paul. At the base of all our liturgies is the Eucharist, when we come together in communion with the Lord and with one another to be both fed and healed. Even one of Christ s most famous miracles The Feeding of the Multitude involved both healing and feeding from a spiritual and a literal perspective. The reason the large crowd gathered was because Jesus reputation as a healer had spread and grown. He felt compassion for that crowd, which is another way of saying He loved them and felt sorry that they were hungry due to their willingness to sit and be with Him for so long. Recognizing it was late in the day and that many of them had not eaten, Jesus literally fed them but that day, He didn t stop with physical nourishment. He also fed them spiritually with His words, and simultaneously, healed their wounded hearts by preaching a message of hope and forgiveness in the midst of a dark and hardened world. The narrative of Christ taking a small amount of food and using it to feed thousands is familiar to all of us. It is reported in all four Gospels. However, we would like to highlight one aspect of that miracle. It all started with one boy who was willing to share what little he had. Because the boy made the gift of his fishes and loaves, the Lord took it and multiplied it many times over, nourishing so many more people than what that little bit initially could. Isn t that what we as a parish are called to do? We make gifts of our time, our talent, and our treasure as good stewards but nevertheless, it is God who takes those gifts and performs miracles with them. Our goal is to give what we have so that Christ might use it, multiplying it to feed, to heal and draw a multitude of people closer to Him. The reality is that without the gifts, there can be no miracles, and without miracles, we are a hungry and broken people. Christ has come to renew, nourish, fulfill, and restore and that, brothers and sisters, is what Christianity is all about. Gratefully yours in Christ, The members of the St. Vincent de Paul Stewardship Council

4 Mike and H Living Stewardship One of the most beautiful things about our Catholic faith is our tradition of service to others. No act of service is too big or too small, and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI often said that God s gift of freedom true freedom meant for everyone on earth is ultimately achieved through service as we strive to be the hands and feet of Christ here on earth. And here in our parish, Holly and Michael Klein show how serving others helps us grow in our faith, and how our faith gives us what is necessary to serve others. There is no end to faith and how deep you can feel faith, Holly says. And service to others deepens faith. In the Gospel, we are instructed to serve and love others. Service to others equals service to God. Of course, faith and service have to be learned somewhere, and both Mike and Holly credit their parents for giving them a strong foundation in which faith, family and prayer were an important part of their upbringing. Holly was especially influenced by her mother and grandmother s examples on how to live the faith and even today, Mike says that when he hears someone praying the Rosary, he can hear the voice of his Irish Catholic grandmother. When Mike and Holly met years later while working at a social service agency that provides services for adult developmentally disabled individuals, they each brought to their relationship a strong sense of faith, family and service to others. Today, both of them work in the health field Mike is a Nurse Practitioner for Summa s Palliative Care & Hospice Service, and Holly is a Registered Nurse working as a manager for Summa at Home, Hos- Mike Klein with his daughter, Caitlin, and his sons, Jack and Riley Volunteering our time is one of the best lessons we can teach our kids. Serving and giving to others is important, and we can serve others in so many ways. Sometimes, becoming involved is hard. But for parents, the actions we take when our children are growing will be remembered. They will learn that doing things for others is just part of what you do, and it will be natural for them to repeat those lessons. Holly Klein

5 olly Klein Through Service pice. Working in a field in which they are helping patients and families cope with end-of-life issues reinforces for them God s grace and love in all stages of life. For this reason, they take inspiration from Blessed Mother Teresa, who demonstrated faith in action through her service to the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted. And because this is an area in which Mike and Holly have been called to serve, they are in the process of starting a charity-funded hospice home using the model of the Malachi House to provide a place for the dying poor to be cared for with love and compassion. I work very closely every day with people that are reaching the end of their life, and I feel like I am invited to a sacred place, Mike says. My faith gives me meaning and purpose to life and instructs me how to love and how to spread that love to others. I am taught how to love, how to forgive, and how to forgive myself. I am reminded that we are made in the image and likeness of God. Volunteering our time is one of the best lessons we can teach our kids, Holly says. Serving and giving to others is important, and we can serve others in so many ways. Sometimes, becoming involved is hard. But for parents, the actions we take when our children are growing will be remembered. They will learn that doing things for others is just part of what you do, and it will be natural for them to repeat those lessons. Ultimately, we are all called to service each according to the gifts God has given us. Blessed Mother Teresa often said that while we may not be called to do great things, everyone can do small things with great love. Which is all God asks of Mike and Holly, and any one of us, to be good stewards of God s gifts by putting our faith into action and doing what we can, however we can, when we can. For Holly and Mike, faith and service go hand-in-hand, but prayer is the means of finding a balance between busy days and quiet time to re-charge. Holly says that she always begins and ends her day with prayer by meditating, praying, reciting the Rosary, participating in the Loyola 3-Minute Retreat and that those 30 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening help keep her focused. My faith is the foundation of the person I am, Holly says. It is an important part of my daily life to demonstrate my faith through action. I try to treat everyone with kindness because I feel that is one of the best ways to share my faith. I find that on really busy days where I fall into routine and don t stop to think about my faith are the days that are the hardest to get through. And they do have busy days. Mike and Holly have been married 17 years and with five children Riley, 16; Bailey, 14; Cassie, 11; Caitlin, 6; and Jack, 2 there is no doubt that life gets hectic with school, sports, family obligations, and extracurricular activities. But even with their full schedules they find the time to give back to the parish and St. Vincent de Paul Parish School. Mike coaches CYO cross country, basketball, track and volunteers at school and parish events. Holly coaches soccer and volleyball, participates in the Parents Association, is a member of the Parish Council, and in the past has co-chaired the silent auction. And whenever Mike and Holly help out with parish events, all five of their children are right there at their side. The Klein children (bottom row) Cassie and Jack, (top row, from left) Riley, Bailey, and Caitlin

6 St. Vincent de Paul catholic church The People God Chooses to Do His Will Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne July 26 God raises up many saints for His Kingdom. The Father wishes to bring all men to Himself, and in order to do so, He calls all of us to do His will and to give ourselves for Him. In other words, God asks that we all strive to become saints. It was through people like you and me that the Lord brought salvation to a sinful world. He sent Christ to earth to be born of a young Jewish girl and save humankind. It is hard to imagine Mary as anything like you and me. For starters, she was sinless from conception, and she grew up to be the mother of our Savior. But let s change gears for a second. Imagine yourself as St. Anne, Mary s mother. Unlike Mary, St. Anne was not conceived without sin but nevertheless, she would one day raise the Mother of God. That s a pretty big deal! What was it about St. Anne that prompted God to give her such a significant role in the history of salvation? There s no way to know for sure, but there is one thing we can definitely say about St. Anne God uses those who put themselves at His service, and that is precisely what St. Anne did. Having grown up a Jew in Jerusalem, St. Anne married a shepherd named Joachim from Nazareth. According to tradition, the couple moved to Jerusalem and prospered in more ways than one. Their marriage was a strong one blessed by God and Joachim owned a large flock of sheep. As far as standards go, Anne and Joachim were pretty well-off. But after 20 years of marriage, the couple had no children. They begged God for a child, year after year, and promised all the while that if the Lord would bless them with a baby, they would dedicate that child to the Lord. But Anne and Joachim never became pregnant. One day, Joachim went out to the hill country it was a habit of his to speak with God in the wilderness. While he prayed, an angel appeared to Joachim and told him that Anne would conceive a child. He was instructed to name the baby Mary. The angel told Joachim that he and Anne were to dedicate Mary to God, because she would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from her mother s womb. Later, the angel appeared to Anne and told her the same. Joachim and Anne rejoiced at the news. When Mary was finally born after many years of frustration and infertility on her parents part Joachim and Anne did just as they promised. They dedicated her to the Lord, and raised a holy woman who would mother Christ Himself! Although we do not know much more about St. Anne, we can assume that she was a very holy woman based upon the woman her daughter, Mary, grew to be. Anne was the one from whom Mary learned to be a mother. She was the one from whom Mary learned to serve God. She was the one who instilled in Mary the confidence and faith to say yes to God Be it done unto me according to your word. There is no doubt that St. Anne was a humble, holy woman. She was given a great gift a child who she readily gave back to God. And, thanks to her faith-filled gratitude to God for His gift, Mary opened her heart to the will of God, and became the mother of Christ. Talk about stewardship in action! The Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne is celebrated on July 26.

7 Finance Council Helps Parish to Carry Out its Mission For Ted Walter, serving as a member of the Finance Council was an excellent way to answer the stewardship call giving back to the parish, and in turn helping the parish carry out its overall mission. The Finance Council provides the oversight for the resources that people provide for the parish, says Ted, a longtime member of the council. We help to make sure that these resources can carry out the mission of the Church. For me, being a member of the council has reaffirmed the importance of giving back. I have a financial background, so I m happy to apply my skills to the needs of the parish. The Finance Council primarily serves as an advisory council, ensuring that parish funds are being used wisely and efficiently at our parish and St. Vincent de Paul Parish School. The council is made up of about ten members including the school principal and the parish business manager who usually meet every other month, or as needed. The pastor looks to the Finance Council for advice and good stewardship, Ted says. We try to make sure that we understand the financial requirements of the parish so that we can give him the best advice. We re always making sure that we have a balanced budget, and when there are capital projects that need to be done, we help to figure out how they will be funded, and how to use our funds in the appropriate way. We make sure that the review of our accounts and financial statements are accurate, and that we understand any variances in those statements and in the budget. We also review the financial reports that go to the diocese. We also coordinate with the school principal so that we are aware of their enrollment trends and financial requirements, he continues. This helps us to have a good understanding of the way any decision will affect the school s finances. The principal will usually come up with recommendations relating to the budget, and we ll provide our guidance, see what the parish budget looks like, and decide the right way to move forward. Our goal is for the school and parish to operate in the most financially responsible way. For the members of the parish s Finance Council, stewardship is an important and necessary part of their overall mission. Stewardship is the foundation for what we do, Ted says. It s about being good stewards, and making sure that the money that people work so hard to make and contribute is invested wisely in the church. It is a measure of how we live our faith, how we educate others in our faith, and how we preserve the capital resources that many generations have provided to our school and parish. Although financial expertise is always a plus, there a number of traits and skill sets that the Finance Council needs in order to do its best possible job. We would certainly welcome additional members to the Finance Council, Ted says. Although we generally look for people who have some financial acumen, we are also looking for folks who are engaged and active in the church and school. That level of passion is really our first criteria. Even if they don t have a background in finance, a background in other areas would be helpful. For example, someone with a background in construction would be great to have on our Building Facilities team, to increase our understanding of that. There are certainly subcommittees that, from time to time, will need new talent. For those interested, members of the Finance Council are happy to answer any questions. For more information, please contact the parish office at Stewardship is the foundation for what we do. It s about being good stewards, and making sure that the money that people work so hard to make and contribute is invested wisely in the church. It is a measure of how we live our faith, how we educate others in our faith, and how we preserve the capital resources that many generations have provided to our school and parish. Ted Walter

8 St. Vincent de Paul catholic church NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM ZIP CODE PERMIT NO. 3 Masses Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM Sunday: 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM Weekdays: 6:30 AM Holy Days: 6:30, 9:00 AM and 5:30 PM Confessions: Saturday: 11:00 to 12:00 Noon and Thursday before First Friday; 3:30-4:30 PM Van Ministry continued from front cover Joanne adds that the ministry is important to St. Vincent de Paul because so many older or homebound parishioners rely on it as a chance to get out in the world. Part of the reason I started driving the van was I knew how important it was for my grandmother to get to Mass both spiritually and socially, she says. A lot of people at the church are the same it s spiritual, but it s also about inclusion and about seeing another person. Joanne says the most important thing she wants parishioners to know is that the van ministry is for anyone who needs a ride to Mass, regardless of their age or health situation. We need riders, she says. Anyone who doesn t have a car for whatever reason, we re happy to get people to church who need a ride to church. The van operates every Sunday for the 8:30 a.m. Mass only. Parishioners who would like to lend their time to drive need no special training and are asked to call the Rectory at to sign up. It takes about half an hour to pick up people and take them back home again, so it s not a huge time commitment, and you only have a turn once every five weeks or so, Joanne says.