St. Michael Parish Newsletter — May/June 2022

In This Issue:

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Introducing Our New Parish Stewardship Newsletter What Does Stewardship Mean?

Meet Our Knights of Columbus Indiana School Choice Program Makes Achieving Academic Excellence Possible Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

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A Letter from Our Pastor

Introducing Our New Parish Stewardship Newsletter Dear Parishioners, am pleased to present to you our new parish newsletter! This newsletter will help us learn how the stewardship way of life is a disciple’s response to the call to know, love, and follow our Lord Jesus Christ. In each newsletter, we will share stories that will help us better understand who we are as Catholics and individual members of God’s family. The upcoming issues will feature activities and events happening within our St. Michael community and how these help change hearts, minds, and lives as through them we grow closer to Christ and to each other. In each article, we will see how Christ is at work within us and our community as we more intentionally engage the stewardship way of life.

I hope that this newsletter will be a meaningful way to continue learning more about our faith.

As we learn more about our faith and how our fellow parishioners are living their faith out in our community, it will bear much fruit and inspire you to consider how you can be more involved in the life of our parish — for some, perhaps this will be an opportunity to try new things.

Another important step in our stewardship journey will be our Annual Stewardship Renewal that will happen this autumn. The Renewal is our annual chance to ask ourselves how we prioritize the

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way we use God’s gifts in the Church.

We will make written commitments to ourselves and to God concerning how we will be more devoted with our use of time (using our time on earth wisely; making time for personal prayer, family prayer, and quality time with friends and loved ones); talent (using our Godgiven gifts to strengthen the Church through service to parish ministries and other activities), and treasure (the wise and just management of our financial resources; giving a proportionate amount of my income to the parish).

As we strive to develop stewardship as a way of life at St. Michael, the support and involvement of each individual parishioner is necessary to sustain the life of our parish. All of you have a place here, and all of you have a role to fill in the life of the parish as we live our lives as disciples of Christ.

May the Holy Spirit renew and refresh all of us as we work together to build our parish family through the use of our time, talent, and treasure.

Sincerely In Christ,

Fr. Aaron Jenkins

The Old Testament is not the only place where we can find references to stewardship. Indeed, of the 36 parables in the New Testament, more than half of them deal with time, talent, possessions, or money. Therefore, if Jesus spoke of stewardship that much, it should be a very important part of our lives!

What Does

S EWARDSHIP

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hat comes to mind when you hear the word “stewardship”?

Do you think of it as just another way to talk about money? Do you quickly dismiss it as a notion that has nothing to do with being Catholic?

Stewardship is actually a concept that is Scripturally-based and is vital to our life as Catholics. God tells us, in the very first book of the Old Testament, “Be fertile and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and all the living things that move on the earth” (Gen 1:28).

What does that mean to us today?

It simply means that God is telling us, “This is yours, so take care of it.” One of the first things God tells us to do is to be good stewards of the gifts He has entrusted to us!

The Old Testament is not the only place where we can find references to stewardship. Indeed, of the 36 parables in the New Testament, more than half of them deal with time, talent, possessions, or money. Therefore, if Jesus spoke of stewardship that much, it should be a very important part of our lives!

As Catholics, we refer to the three facets of stewardship as “time, talent, and treasure.” Although these are three concrete ways to express and measure stewardship, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops tells us that stewardship is part of discipleship.

Stewardship is a way of responding to God’s call in every aspect of our lives.

The Scriptures and Church traditions teach us one important point that cannot be overstated — that stewardship is primarily based on our need to give in gratitude, not on the Church’s need to receive. Of course, both the Catholic Church and our particular parish will always need money. However, we are not asked to give simply to defray costs and fund charitable programs. We are instead asked to remember our need to gratefully return a portion of our time, talent, and treasure to God, recognizing all that He has given to us.

It is important to remember that stewardship is a way of life, and not a program. True Catholic stewardship involves an ongoing call to live as followers of Christ. It takes time to find and define personal goals. You

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can begin by examining your commitments to the parish. How do you live your faith in your daily life with your family and friends? How much time do you spend in daily prayer, going to Mass, or being involved in parish ministries and activities? What percentage of your income should you give back to God every week? What talents do you have that could be used to strengthen our parish family?

In the coming months, we will be increasing and intensifying our education and communication on stewardship. We will be developing a better understanding of how stewardship is a way of responding to God’s call to discipleship. And with God’s help, changes will occur in each of our hearts as we devote ourselves to a stewardship renewal within our parish. Examine how you are currently responding to God’s call to stewardship. If God called you home tomorrow, would He proclaim, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”?

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MEET OUR

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Putting Stewardship

Joe Jurisa helps with dishes and other areas at the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen.

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hen it comes to a living example of stewardship in action in our parish, look no further than the members of our Knights of Columbus council.

Serving God and their local community side-byside, our Knights from St. John Neumann Council 10713 here at St. Michael Catholic Church set the bar high at our parish when it comes to sharing their time, talent, and treasure in our community.

“I believe the main question God will ask us at the end of this earthly life is, ‘What did you do for the least of my brothers?’” says parishioner Joe Jurisa, a member of our Knights of Columbus council.

“God gave everyone some type of talent, and I believe that we should use all of our skills to help those who are less fortunate.”

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization founded in 1882 by Fr. Michael J. McGivney in Connecticut to bring together men with a shared 4

Catholic faith to assist the many families left fatherless by the dangerous working conditions in local mines and factories. To this day, charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism remain the four central principles of the organization.

Joe and many of his fellow Knights put the Word of God into action through various charitable endeavors in our community, including regular service at the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen on Main Street in Greenfield.

Joe joined the Knights of Columbus in 1989, chasing his desire to help people and make a difference.

The Knights are a national organization dedicated to assisting those who are sick, disabled, and less fortunate through financial aid and acts of service.

The local Council that Joe is a part of supports numerous programs such as the Gabriel Project, which aids women and families facing crises. They

Into Action by Serving Others Generously are strong supporters of the pro-life cause and raise funds to buy and donate ultrasound machines to prolife pregnancy centers. Recently, the national Knights of Columbus organization partnered with their counterparts in Poland and donated $2 million to provide humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees.

But for Joe, and the Knights from our local council, their work with the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen is near and dear to their hearts.

When Joe and his family moved to the Greenfield area in 2015, the soup kitchen was in the midst of its annual winter coat drive. Since he was new to the area, he had to use his GPS to figure out how to get to the kitchen to drop off his coats. From his initial visit, Joe knew that he wanted to get involved.

“I don’t even know how to cook, but I recognized the need that the soup kitchen addressed within our community, and I went back to serve as soon as I could,” says Joe. “I mainly wash dishes and clean.

From time to time I will chop veggies and serve our customers when the need is there.”

Joe’s ability to serve the community drastically increased once his children graduated from college.

Since then, he has volunteered at the soup kitchen each week. His consistent service allows him to meet amazing, holy people seeking to do the Lord’s work.

Serving at the soup kitchen has had a particular impact on Joe. He has recognized that these experiences of giving back to God by offering his time and

talent have shaped him into a better person. In all his work he aims to grow in the love of God. “I’m surrounded by Christians who go out of their way to serve Christ,” Joe says. “I was a part of one service group that wore t-shirts that said, ‘Serving God by serving people.’ I believe that.”

Chris Seifert assembles meals for guests at the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen.

The St. John Neumann Council 10713 meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the parish office meeting room. A social meeting is held on the third Wednesday of each month. This meeting is open to anyone, including spouses. If someone is interested in the K of C, this is the meeting to attend. For more information on our Knights of Columbus Council, please visit www.stmichaelsgrfld.org/knights-of-columbus

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Indiana School Choice Program Makes Achieving Academic Excellence Possible

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mall class sizes, being known by name at school, quality education — these are all things parents want for their children. Here at St. Michael, we are blessed to offer all of this at our parish school. As the school mission states, “Led by the Holy Spirit, St. Michael Catholic School encourages our students to grow in their Catholic faith, achieve academic excellence, and become responsible citizens.”

Sending children to a religious or public school is a decision each family has to make. But this past school year, the State of Indiana made that decision easier with changes to the Indiana School Choice program. This program puts taxpayer dollars back in the hands of parents so they can choose where their student goes to school.

For the 2021-2022 school year, the income limits have

changed, making this program available to about 85 percent of school families.

“This money comes from the state,” says Ruth Hittel, Principal. “Tax dollars are able to pay 90 percent of what the public school pays to educate children.”

This Indiana School Choice program has been around for about 15 years, but the income limits have changed drastically. Previously, this program was mostly for families who qualified for free and reduced lunch.

Now, anyone who makes 300 percent and less of those limits qualifies.

“This program means parents now have more options for sending their children to school — whether that be St. Michael or somewhere else,” Mrs. Hittel says.

Having been at St. Michael for four years, Mrs. Hittel has worked in education for more than 20 years. She hopes this incredible program will continue for years to come.

“If you said before that you wanted to send your child to a Catholic school, but you couldn’t afford it, now you have the option,” Mrs. Hittel says. “This makes the school affordable to all families. If you skip going out to dinner once per month, you can afford St. Michael.”

Mrs. Hittel asks all parish families to consider sending their children to St. Michael School if you aren’t already — and tell your friends!

“I get to pray with students multiple times per day,” Mrs. Hittel says. “If you want a faith-based setting with amazing staff and small class sizes, check out St. Michael.”

“I get to pray with students multiple times per day.

If you want a faith-based setting with amazing staff and small class sizes, check out St. Michael.” — RUTH HITTEL, PRINCIPAL If you are looking for more information on the Indiana School Choice Program and St. Michael Catholic School, please contact Principal Ruth Hittel at rhittel@stmichaelsgrfld.org or 317-462-6380.

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Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Blessed to Perform a Humble Service

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or Tim McCarthy, who serves as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, sharing the Eucharist with his fellow parishioners during Mass is a profound, impactful experience.

“When I look down at the Eucharist when I’m distributing it, I have to fight every time to keep from tearing up,” Tim says. “It’s very emotional.”

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, or EMOHCs, are responsible for assisting the priest or deacon with distributing Communion during the Mass or to the homebound.

Tim has a long history of service in his nearly 30 years at St. Michael, but it took some time for him to come around to the idea of serving as an EMOHC. Through the Catholic Youth Organization, he coached sports — including track, volleyball, football, and wrestling — for 27 years. He also served in Youth Ministry and volunteered with the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) process.

“But I never felt that I would be able to be a Eucharistic Minister,” Tim says. “I didn’t like getting up in front of people, even though I taught kids. I also thought, ‘Who am I to be giving out the Body of Christ?’ I always receive the Eucharist on my tongue because it shows more reverence, but here I would be holding the Body of Christ. I felt unworthy.

“Others told me that it’s not about being worthy,” he adds. “I mulled that over for a long time. Eventually, I accepted the fact that at 62, it’s a way I can serve.”

A cradle Catholic, Tim was raised with an understanding of transubstantiation.

“It has definitely intensified that understanding,” he says. “Once a month, I serve in the Eucharistic Ministry. It’s a humbling experience.

“We’re all sinners, and here I’m handing the Body of Jesus to fellow sinners and who am I to do that?” he adds. “I love my faith and I know that the only

Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Tim McCarthy and his wife, Letsy

way I could ever get to heaven is through mercy. The Eucharist is an incredible thing. I’ve been humbled through becoming a Eucharistic Minister.”

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are needed at Sunday Masses and for nursing home visits, hospital visits, and home visits. continued on back cover

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519 Jefferson Blvd. | Greenfield, IN 46140 317-462-4240 | www.stmichaelsgrfld.org LORD’S DAY MASSES: Saturday 5 p.m.

Sunday 8:30 and 11 a.m.

WEEKDAY MASSES: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 6 p.m.

Friday 8:30 a.m.

CONFESSION: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 5:30-5:50 p.m.

Saturday 4:00-4:45 p.m.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion continued from page 7

Training for new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion is held as needed. You must be trained and commissioned to participate in this ministry.

This is a commissioned ministry that lasts for three years. In order to serve, you must be confirmed, and if married, the marriage must be by the laws of the Church. There is an established schedule for each weekend Mass, and sign-ups occur throughout the year for extra Mass schedules (Easter, Christmas, and feast days).

“I love my faith and I know that the only way I could ever get to heaven is through mercy. The Eucharist is an incredible thing.

I’ve been humbled through becoming a Eucharistic Minister.”

— TIM MCCARTHY

If you are interested in joining this ministry, you may sign up on the parish website at www.stmichaelsgrfld.org/extraordinary-ministers-of-holy-communion or contact Christie Murphy at 317-462-4240 or cmurphy@stmichaelsgrfld.org.