St. Benedict
Cathedral
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
The Visiting Ministry:
Consoling Others with the Presence of Christ
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t is so comforting to know that whether or not you are physically capable of making it to Holy Mass at our parish, you won’t be left without the consoling presence of Our Lord. Thanks to the generous efforts of the Visiting Ministry, you can rest assured that Jesus and His people will be there for you during hard times. “This is a very important ministry for people who are not able to come to Mass or even watch it on television,” says Pastoral Associate Sr. Pat McGuire, who coordinates this ministry. “It is very valuable for them to be able to receive a visit from us. It really helps them to feel that they are an important part of our parish family, even though they may Essentially, the Visiting Ministry not be able to come to church. These people focuses mainly on the Stewardship have been such a vital part of our parish Pillar of Hospitality because it makes community in the past, and it is a wonderful others understand just how much their thing to keep them in the loop. This ministry brothers and sisters in Christ really care about them. keeps our parish family close together.” The Visiting Ministry includes a handful of volunteers who regularly visit and/or keep in contact with our homebound parishioners and those in nursing homes. The ministry members provide updates on what is going on at our parish, pray with the homebound, and bring them Holy Communion at times as well. “Our volunteers know it is a great ministry to be able to bring Communion to those in need,” Sr. Pat says. “When you take Communion to someone, continued on back cover
Inside AUGUST 2022
2 Good for the Giver 3 Much Will Be Required of the Person Entrusted With Much 4 Our Annual Stewardship Renewal Go Make Disciples 6 The Assumption of Mary: August 15 The Promises of the Lord Fulfilled in the Blessed Virgin 7 Cathedral School Staff, Faculty and Students Gear Up for 2022-23 School Year
Giver
Good for the H
ere’s a simple riddle: Name something you can’t keep if you don’t give it away, but if you give it away, it will increase. The best answer to this riddle, if you haven’t already guessed, is love. But the beauty of this paradox is that there can be a number of different answers. Another response might be artistic talent. Ask any artist, and they’ll tell you that their skill for drawing or painting diminishes after a few weeks or months of inactivity. But the more they paint, the more their talent grows. We also see this truth illustrated in nature. The Sea of Galilee, teeming with fish and other wildlife, is one example. All of the water in this beautiful reservoir is constantly being drained through the Jordan River, which stretches for about 60 miles, providing the only fresh water for all of Israel. It finally drains into the Dead Sea, which has no outlet. It is consequently stagnant and totally lifeless, continually evaporating into thin air. The point, in a nutshell, is that the good steward takes care of his or her gifts by giving them away. As a result, you won’t have less left over, but will instead have more! There is a story about St. Teresa of Calcutta and her visit to one of the hundreds of convents she had founded. The Superior of the convent told her, “Mother, we don’t have enough time to do our work with the poor; there’s just not enough hours in the day.” St. Teresa responded, “Then you need to pray more.” When the convent added another full hour of prayer each day, they somehow found that they had enough time to do even more for the poor in that city. The difficulty with this idea – that by giving we receive – is that it is still a struggle to give. When we arrive at the moment of giving, it appears on the surface that we will have less left over. This is especially true regarding money. When writing a check to a charity or to the parish, you mathematically end up with less money to spend on 2
other things. And yet, the immaterial value of our sacrifice is immeasurable. This is why Jesus speaks so frequently in the Gospels about the spiritual benefits of giving to others. We do have more after we give, but it is simply more of something else – and something better. When we emphasize stewardship, it is not primarily to increase “volunteerism” or to swell our budget. Indeed, our first aim is always the “good of the giver.” It is not because the parish has needs, but because we have a need to give. We recognize that the model Steward is Jesus, who gave all, even His very life, so that we may have everything.
Stewardship in Nature The Sea of Galilee stays fresh and healthy because it “gives away” all its water through the Jordan River. When all that water is finally drained into the Dead Sea, it stays there, becoming stagnant and lifeless. Human beings are the same way. Giving of ourselves is one of the main ways we stay spiritually healthy.
A Letter From Our Cathedral Rector
Much Will Be Required of the Person Entrusted With Much My Fellow Parishioners:
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o matter your situation in life, chances are there is someone out there who has more than you. Too often we may hesitate to follow stewardship as a way of life because we are waiting for someone more blessed than we are to show us the way. You may be aware that the Scripture readings we hear at each Mass are part of a three-year cycle. In general, the Gospel passages in Cycle A are from Matthew: Cycle B is principally Mark; and Cycle C, the year we are now in, is primarily from Luke. John is mixed in and especially used during Lent. We are in what might be called a “Luke year.” As we hear the Gospels from Luke, we need to be acutely aware of the stewardship messages found there. In one recent Gospel passage from Luke, Jesus uses a parable to remind us of an important stewardship lesson. He precedes the parable by reminding us all, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions” (Luke 12:15). You and I both know that God does not judge us based upon what we may have accumulated during our lifetimes, but based upon how we lived those lives, and especially how we used those gifts — those possessions. The parable focuses on a “rich man” who builds larger grain bins to store his abundant harvests. God calls the man a fool and reminds him that growing rich for himself is not as important as growing rich in the sight of God. The very next week (the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time), Luke again tells us how Jesus warns and cautions His disciples — “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Luke 12:34). The Lord warns them that they do not know what day or what hour He will return and summarizes it all with another important insight into what is expected of us — “Much will be required of the person entrusted with
much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more” (Luke 12:48). You see, we are not “off the hook” if someone else has more gifts but fails to use them well. Stewardship demands that each of us use our gifts, and each of us is gifted whether we want to admit it or not, to serve God and others. Luke’s implied stewardship messages come full circle in the Gospel reading on Aug. 21 — “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:30). That admonition from the Lord has always seemed a bit confusing. It more or less says that to be first, we need to be last, and if we are first, we may be last. I think perhaps all of these messages, including the first and last one, are cautions to us that we cannot be complacent and we cannot take salvation and holiness for granted. We need to work on them. We are not measured by our possessions; God indeed does expect a lot of us, no matter how small or extensive our gifts may be. Regardless of how holy we may strive to be, it is God who will judge; it is by His grace that we will be saved. Amid all these magnificent stewardship messages, we celebrate the Assumption of our Blessed Mother on Aug. 15 — “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant” (Luke 1:46-48). God bless you all! Peace,
Fr. Alex Zenthoefer Cathedral Rector 3
Our Ann O
ur stewardship way of life is about actively following Jesus — step-by-step, wherever He leads. Periodically, we need to re-examine the ways in which we’ll answer this call, which is the reason for this Stewardship Renewal. You will be receiving in the mail your Stewardship Renewal packet. Enclosed in this packet is a brochure that will lead you through that self-examination. It is a time to ask how we can better use our time, talent, and treasure.
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ST. BEN ED ICT CA THE DR AL
2022 COMMITMENT CARD My Offering of Time, Talent & Treasure
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First & Last Name Phone
Spouse: First & Last Name Spouse: Phone
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Spouse: Email
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Please bring this card to Mass on Aug. 27/28, or mail using the envelope provided. Thank you and God bless you!
Commitment Weekend is August 27-28. Don’t forget to bring your Commitment Card to Mass!
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Do I make time for prayer? By myself and with my family?
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Is my talent at work in our parish actively building the Church?
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Do I give a proportionate amount of my treasure to the weekly offertory?
How do I use my Commitment Card? Your Commitment Card allows you to make commitments to prayer, parish ministries, and offertory giving. It is designed to be used by the whole family. Time Section: Except for the ill and homebound, everyone should be able to check “Come to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.” Try to check at least a few other items. Daily prayer should be a priority for every person trying to grow closer to God. Talent Section: You can either sign up for new ministries or re-commit to your current ministries. Be sure to write your first name next to the ministry! This is especially important if more than one person is using the card. Treasure Section: Clearly print how much money you plan to give each week or month to our parish. Try to take a step toward giving five percent of your income to St. Benedict Cathedral. Is your prayer life in need of a tune-up? Honestly ask yourself, “How much time do I spend in prayer each week?” The answer is probably a bit embarrassing. Everyone wants to spend more time in prayer, but there’s just never enough time to do everything we want to
nual Stewardship Renewal Go Make Disciples
do. Good intentions are just that: intentions. This year, as you’re discerning how you will offer your time to God, resolve to follow through with your commitments. Consider each moment you spend in prayer as nourishment for your soul. The spiritual health of our parish is only as strong as the sum of its parts (individual parishioners).
faith that God will help us make it through the month. All of these are good things for each of us, individually. After faithfully giving to the offertory for a few months, many Catholics find that it’s not only possible to give a weekly offering, but that the fruits of their gift far outweigh the expense. At St. Benedict Cathedral, we ask that you give five percent to our parish, one percent to the diocese, and four percent to other charities. Why a percentage of income? First, because the tithe (10 percent) is a scriptural benchmark that the Church has honored for centuries (see Malachi 3:10). Secondly, we give a percentage of income because it is a common-sense standard by which everyone can equitably support the parish. Most of all, we give because we believe God comes first in everything, even finances.
Is your level of parish involvement in need of a boost? We give our talents back to God when we get involved in ministries at St. Benedict Cathedral. And, with a host of ministries to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Sure, ministries give parishioners opportunities to serve others in the community, but they also benefit those in the ministry itself. Ask anyone who actively participates in a ministry at St. Benedict Cathedral, “Why do you enjoy serving in this way?” They’ll probably Every parish family receives a special say, “I get more out of the ministry than the people “Stewardship Package” in the mail that I serve.” This year, as you’re discerning how you further explains our parish’s vision of will offer your talents to God, consider signing up stewardship. It includes a booklet that for a ministry that may benefit you, like a Bible describes every ministry in the parish, study, prayer group, or retreat. Or contribute to as well as your Commitment Card. an outreach ministry, where your good deeds not only help others in the Stewardship of TIME GoMake DISCIPLES community but also give you feelings of satisfaction and thankfulness. Do you give a percentage of your income to the offertory? It may be hard to see offertory giving as a way to “help yourself,” but when we approach the subject from a spiritual viewpoint, it can lead to individual spiritual growth and an increase in faith. Even the savviest business person worries about his or her personal finances from time to time. Adding a weekly offertory check to the list of monthly bills may seem crazy but, ultimately, sacrificial giving forces us to cut unnecessary spending, create a budget and have
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19-20
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fter Jesus’ Resurrection and before His Ascension into heaven, He leaves His disciples a clear command: Go and make disciples (Mt 28:19). He tells them to share what He has shared with them, which is the love and knowledge of the Father so that all people may be invited into a life with Christ through baptism. And it is by our baptism that we have been invited into a life with Christ and partake in this mission of discipleship. It is our duty to spread the good news. Pope Francis explains this in his Apostolic Letter, The Joy of Living the Gospel, “In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples… Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization…” (Evangelii Gaudium). It is our call today, and every day, to live out the Gospel. Becoming a missionary disciple is ultimately living a life of stewardship. It is recognizing that our lives are a true gift from God, and in gratitude for this gift, we want to give back to the Gracious Giver. We give back to God by living our lives for Him – spending time with Him, cultivating our gifts and talents and using those talents for His glory. This will result in personal transformation and a life filled with a happiness that lasts. And once we capture this contagious joy, how could we not want to share it? Therefore, we are asking all at St. Benedict Cathedral to live out our call to Go Make Disciples through a life of stewardship.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” — Acts 1:8 2
CULTIVATING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD
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iscipleship begins with a conversion and transformation of heart. This transformation is not a one-time event, but a daily choice, for Jesus proclaimed, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). It is through a physical walk with Christ — time spent in prayer, reception of the sacraments and time in His presence — that we will be able to share what we have received. For it is through personal experience with Christ that we will be able to spread the Gospel with conviction. As Pope Francis states, “It is impossible to persevere in a fervent evangelization unless we are convinced from personal experience that it is not the same thing to have known Jesus as not to have known him…” (Evangelii Gaudium). Therefore, we must spend time with God to know God and share Him unto the ends of the earth. Will you consider some ways to better know the Lord? • Pope Francis encourages all to spend 15 minutes every morning in quiet prayer by reading and reflecting on Sacred Scripture. A helpful place to start is the readings for each day, found at usccb.org/bible/readings or on Catholic phone and tablet apps, such as iBreviary, Laudate, Magnificat or Divine Office. • Spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic Adoration. This time with the physical presence of Christ deepens our relationship with Him. • Cultivate the joy of knowing God by thanking Him for the good things He has given you and the ways He has worked in your life. 3
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The Assumption of Mary: August 15
The Promises of the Lord Fulfilled in the Blessed Virgin
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an a pile of bones really be that exciting? Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, eager to glimpse the spot in which the alleged bones of St. Peter, our first pope, remain to this day. The relics of saints have been venerated throughout the ages in every corner of the world — yet, the bones of the very first Christian, the Mystical Rose, are nowhere to be found. When it comes to the day, manner or year of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s death, nothing is certain. No account is given in Scripture. The Church turns instead to Tradition for an answer. Since the birth of the Church, no Marian relics have ever been venerated — nor can they ever be — because her body was assumed, or taken up, into heaven. There exist, therefore, no remains of the Blessed Virgin’s body on this earth. She lives, right now, body and soul, in heavenly glory. Although the particular dogma of the Assumption cannot be found in the writings of Scripture, if we look at many other writings by the early Christians, it is clear that the Church has always held this dogma to be true. Even more, though there is no statement of fact in the Bible itself that Mary was assumed body and soul, the truths that we do know about Mary from Scripture simply serve to back up the reality that she was assumed into heaven. She gave herself wholly to the Lord and followed His will for her life, perfectly, to the end. The Assumption of Mary reveals that the promises of the Lord — including the resurrection of the body — were fulfilled in Mary. She shared most intimately in the life, death and resurrection of her Son, and was free from original sin and its effects — including corruption of the body at death. Therefore, it was no surprise when, in 1950, Pope Pius XII declared infallibly the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a dogma of the Catholic faith with these words: “The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into 6
heavenly glory” (Munificentissimus Deus, 44). The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is observed on the liturgical calendar as a solemnity — of higher importance than a feast — and is a Holy Day of Obligation. On Aug. 15, this wonderful celebration is accompanied by great hope in the resurrection of the body and everlasting union with God in heaven.
Cathedral School Staff, Faculty and Students Gear Up for 2022-23 School Year
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t. Benedict Cathedral School faculty and staff truly believe in their mission to assist parents in passing on the Catholic faith. The school is built on the Catholic principles of “respect, responsibility, and recognition of each student’s capacity for growth in faith and character.” With these principles in mind, everyone at the school is ready for the new school year with a great degree of excitement. This year’s focus for our schools and churches throughout the diocese is the Eucharist Renewal. Principal Kari Ford looks forward to learning and studying the Eucharist with this theme. “I love learning more about these parts of the Catholic faith,” Mrs. Ford says. “Our faith-based education here really sets us apart.” Last year’s theme was Saints in the Making, and the students spent the whole year learning about a new saint each day. “It was awesome to watch each grade choose a saint and do some kind of service project related to that saint,” Mrs. Ford says. “They were all so creative.” The details of how the school will celebrate this year’s theme are still in the works, but there are many other plans and activities on the horizon. Over the summer, Lisa Wu, Nancy Mayer, and Meredith Bysarovich are attending the Ron Clark Academy to learn about a new House System for middle school. The diocese introduced some changes to the math curriculum, which will be implemented this school year. The school is also changing its assessment tool from the Star Assessment to the i-Ready Assessment. As we look forward to the 2022-23 school year, Mrs. Ford hopes parishioners will continue their valuable support of the school. “When parishioners give of their time, talent, and treasure to the school, they help create faithbased experiences for students,” Mrs. Ford says. “We couldn’t do it without their support.” School fundraisers include the Raven Raffle, Mardi Gras/Spring Masquerade, Calendar Fundraiser, and Half-Pot Fundraiser. In addition, there will be several staff reassignments this year. Mr. Chamberlain is
moving to serve as Principal at St. James Catholic School. Bart Burke will now be serving as Dean of Students. Lauren Rutherford will move to teach fourth grade. Susan Fischer took a new position at Holy Cross Catholic School, where her children attend. A section was added to fifth grade, and Stephanie VanWinkle will teach that group. Tara Schaefer and Brooklyn Cater were recently hired to teach second grade, and Jacob Girten is our new middle school social studies teacher. Mrs. Ford looks forward to all of the excitement that comes with a new school year. Last school year, the annual Children’s Social was moved to May to close out the year. This event is a favorite for Mrs. Ford as the teachers and the Parent Teacher Organization members plan a fun day including field events, carnival games, and food. We welcome back all the students, faculty, and staff at St. Benedict Cathedral School and wish them a fantastic 2022-23 school year!
“When parishioners give of their time, talent and treasure to the school, they help create faith-based experiences for students. We couldn’t do it without their support.” — Kari Ford, Principal 7
1328 Lincoln Avenue | Evansville, IN 47714 (812) 425-3369 | www.saintbenedictcathedral.org
The Visiting Ministry
continued from front cover
Jesus is in the midst of both of you. It is a sacred, holy time set aside for God. God touches us and graces us in many ways, and this is one of them!” Those who give their time and talent to this ministry find themselves abundantly blessed in return. “The people we visit are always so appreciative,” Sr. Pat says. “And our volunteers find this ministry very fulfilling as well. They get to know the people they visit, and they consider it such a privilege to be able to do so. They say it is a deeply meaningful ministry for them to participate in.” Essentially, the Visiting Ministry focuses mainly on the Stewardship Pillar of Hospitality because it makes others understand just how much their brothers and sisters in Christ really care about them. “This ministry is about reaching out to others
and including them,” Sr. Pat says. “It involves taking Our Lord to them when they need Him the most.”
If you have family members who are in a nursing home or are homebound and they would like to receive Holy Communion, or if you would like to volunteer for this ministry, please call the parish office at 812-425-3369. More volunteers are needed for this ministry. Training is provided by Sr. Pat.
LITURGY SCHEDULE
Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m. | Sunday: 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Daily Mass: Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. Confessions: Tuesday through Friday 8:40 - 8:55 a.m., Saturday 9:30 - 10:00 a.m. & 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.