St. Benedict Cathedral Newsletter — July 2021

St. Benedict

Cathedral

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Inside

HEAVENLY DUSTER MINISTRY Steps Up to Keep Our Cathedral Neat and Tidy

W

e all have a place at St. Benedict Cathedral.

We may be called to serve as a lector, sing, be part of a committee, or teach faith formation. Perhaps God may be calling us to do something as simple as cleaning.

After all, just as our homes need our attention, our cathedral needs our care and attention, too.

Most of us are likely familiar with the saying “many hands make light work.” This is certainly the case for the Heavenly Duster Ministry! The many hands of this ministry help to spread out the work while keeping our cathedral looking neat and tidy.

Jennifer Ziemer appreciates that she The Heavenly Duster members can make an impact on her own schedule work on their own to complete various with this ministry, as it gives her a cleaning tasks. valuable opportunity to slow down and spend some time in the cathedral.

“It never ceases to amaze me how much peace I find after I’ve cleaned the sacristy, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve in a special way and stop the busyness in my life,” she says.

A group of about 30 volunteers cleans an assigned section of the cathedral. A person cleans three or four times per month, every three months. This keeps custodial costs lower and makes the cathedral more continued on page 2

JULY 2021

3 We Are Blessed as a Church and a Nation 4

The Scholarship Granting Organization An Exciting Way to Invest in the Future of Our Church and School

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Chosen to Do His Will The Feast of St. Anne — July 26

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The Pastoral Council: Guiding the Mission and Vision of Our Faith Community

HEAVENLY DUSTER MINISTRY welcoming. Volunteers clean floors, pews, the choir loft, stairwells, woodwork, vestibules, and the sanctuary.

The ministry is flexible because members come whenever it works best for them. Many bring family members, including children, to help. Jennifer thinks of her fellow parishioners as a family and St. Benedict Cathedral as home. Cleaning needs to be done, whether at home or at St. Benedict. So, Jennifer enjoys bringing her children to help when they are available.

“I explain to them that every parishioner has a role at our church,” she says. “It’s important to

Volunteers clean floors, pews, the choir loft, stairwells, woodwork, vestibules and the sanctuary.

continued from front cover

get involved to help the church thrive. No job is too small.”

As part of the Heavenly Duster Ministry, Jennifer has had the opportunity to meet other parishioners when she has trained them. She believes serving as a Heavenly Duster member is something she can do in return for all she has been given. She is blessed and is glad to use this ministry to give back.

“I usually spend some time after I’m done just sitting in the quiet, thinking of my blessings and praying for the parish, family, and friends,” Jennifer says. “I chat with God, Jesus, and Mary to ask for their support.”

A person cleans three or four times per month, every three months. This keeps custodial costs lower and makes the cathedral more welcoming.

Just as our homes need our attention, our own cathedral needs our care and attention, too.

If you would like to get involved in the Heavenly Duster Ministry, please call the parish office at 812-425-3369.

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A Letter From Our Cathedral Rector

We Are

Blessed as a Church and a Nation

My Fellow Parishioners:

T

he month of July, which falls right in the middle of summer, may seem for many of us like a bit of an “in-between” month. A look at the calendar shows us that all of the Sundays this month are in Ordinary Time. Of course, we know that Ordinary Time is anything but “ordinary,” even though it might seem that way — especially after a springtime full of celebrations.

However, one thing that happens this month is certainly unique to us as Americans — Independence Day. We are Catholics, but we also are Americans, and we should be proud to be both — grateful for the gift of faith, and equally grateful for the gift of liberty we receive as American citizens.

Yet, to be Catholic and American should not mean choosing one over the other. These allegiances should be complementary. Our Catholic faith states that we need to work together as fellow citizens for the common good of everyone in this great country.

Through the Constitution, our Founding Fathers guaranteed us religious rights to contribute to our common life together.

Freedom is a special inheritance we have received, fought for, and protected by many at a

great price, and it is a heritage that must be guarded — we are truly stewards of the gifts of freedom.

In 1886, Bishop James Gibbons of Baltimore was made the second American Cardinal. He attributed the progress of the Church in America to the “civil liberty we enjoy in our enlightened republic.” He continued to say that “in the genial atmosphere of liberty, the Church blossoms like a rose.”

July is not just a time for us to celebrate — it is also a time for us to blossom. It is not a time to cease praying or working to build the Kingdom of Christ. Rather, it is a time to work even more diligently to express our appreciation for our many gifts and to share them with others. We are blessed — by the gifts of our faith and the gifts of freedom — and we must always remember to thank God for that.

Peace,

Very Rev. Godfrey Mullen, OSB Cathedral Rector

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THE SCHOLARSHIP GRANTING ORGANIZATION

An Exciting W

A

s Catholics, we are blessed to be part of the Church established by Jesus Christ to serve all of God’s people. In fact, the word “Catholic” comes from the Latin for “universal.” With this in mind, we are asked to open wide the doors of our churches and parish schools, making both accessible to all individuals and families. The Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO), facilitated by Indiana’s Institute for Quality Education, is one program that allows us to assist families who are seeking a Catholic education for their children. Contributions made to this SGO benefit the St. Benedict Cathedral School and students while providing a valuable tax deduction to donors — and that’s what we like to call a “win-win”!

St. Benedict Cathedral Finance Council Chair, Steve Titzer, sees the SGO as a blessing for absolutely everyone involved.

“The thing that is great about it is that it’s a win for everybody,” Steve says. “It’s a win for the families that can send their kids to St. Benedict that might not otherwise afford it, it’s a win for school enrollment, and then a win for the contributors to the SGO because of the tax benefit. And that benefit is huge.”

As Steve explains, recent changes to the way federal tax deductions are determined have not affected the state tax benefits of contributing to our parish school through the SGO. Individuals who donate to the SGO receive a tax credit equal to 50 percent of the amount donated. Some businesses and individuals may also qualify for additional federal tax credits.

The cathedral is grateful for all of the direct contributions made to the parish and school, which do not incur any other costs. In cases where parishioners are hoping to stretch their donation amount or make an additional contribution, the SGO offers a wonderful opportunity to do so. After a seven-percent administrative fee for the SGO, all money contributed to St. Benedict Cathedral School goes directly into scholarships for our students.

“Families that are at a certain income level 4

Students from our cathedral school attend First Holy Communion practice.

that is above qualifying for the voucher system can apply, and we can award a certain number of scholarships that are funded through the SGO,” Steve says. “The state tax benefit to donors is unlimited. You can give as much as you want and then get that 50-percent tax credit. If you give $10,000, you get a $5,000 tax credit. If you also itemize for federal purposes, you can take a charitable deduction for $5,000. So it would cost $3,500 to give $10,000 to the school through the SGO. There’s a big difference there.”

Of course, direct donations to the parish will always be needed. The cathedral school is subsidized by the parish budget. For those who love St. Benedict and value our school, the SGO provides an excellent opportunity for giving something in addition to their tithe while

Way to Invest in the Future of Our Church and School receiving a significant tax benefit.

An investment in St. Benedict Cathedral School is an investment in the future of the Catholic Church.

“My three kids went through Catholic schools, and academically they offer a great product, with more structure and organization,” Steve says.

“And of course, the other dynamics involved in religious education and creating a character of caring and giving and concern for one another is so important. I think we are losing some of that commitment. It’s important for kids to grow up in an environment where there is an emphasis on going to Mass and listening to the message and applying it in our everyday lives. That is so valuable to a family.”

In recognition of the universality of our faith and with a desire to make Catholic education available to all, we encourage parishioners to prayerfully consider contributing to scholarship funds at St. Benedict Cathedral School through the Institute for Quality Education’s Scholarship Granting Organization. With more children receiving the opportunity to attend our parish school thanks to this program, the future certainly does look bright!

Students thrive at St. Benedict Cathedral School, thanks to support from our faith community.

“The thing that is great about it is that it’s a win for everybody.

It’s a win for the families that can send their kids to St. Benedict that might not otherwise afford it, it’s a win for school enrollment, and then a win for the contributors to the SGO because of the tax benefit. And that benefit is huge.” — STEVE TITZER If you would like more information about how to apply to receive scholarship funds through the St. Benedict Cathedral School SGO, please contact the school office at 812-425-4596. For questions about the benefits of contributing to the SGO, please email Steve Titzer at stitzer1969@gmail.com.

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Chosen to Do His Will THE FEAST OF ST. ANNE — JULY 26 D

id you know that St. Anne is the patron saint of miners?

In medieval times, the Virgin Mary and Jesus were often compared to precious metals of silver and gold. Hence, the lives that came from the womb of St. Anne made her the source of precious riches.

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.

Not much is mentioned about St. Anne in the Bible, but her name derives from the longer name “Hannah,” or the Hebrew word for “grace.” We understand that, having believed herself to be barren for 20 years, an angel appeared to Anne and told her that she would soon have a daughter that she should name Mary.

When Mary was finally born, after many years of frustration and infertility on her parents’ part, Anne did just as she promised — she dedicated Mary to the Lord, and raised a holy woman who would mother Christ Himself!

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The Feast of St. Anne is celebrated on July 26.

Early Christians are said to have been very intrigued by the story of Jesus’ grandmother and, around the year 550, erected a church in Jerusalem where St. Anne, her husband, Joachim, and Mary are said to have lived.

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 — “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

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 Pastoral Council:

Guiding the Mission and Vision of Our Faith Community

B

ob Wuertz won’t mince words — he originally believed stewardship was just a campaign to help with the financial needs of the parish. Gradually, his faith life led to a much richer understanding.

“I now know that stewardship is a way of life,” Bob says. “It is a way to bring Christ into my daily activities. Participating with others in our faith community helps me understand and reinforces the sacred purpose of our parish, which is ‘to become holy disciples, generous with God’s gifts for building the Kingdom, on the path to heaven.’”

As a member of the Pastoral Council who grew up a few blocks from “St. Ben’s,” Bob now considers how we can live stewardship as individuals but also as a faith community. In essence, the Pastoral Council guides the mission and vision for our cathedral parish.

“The purpose of the council is to investigate pastoral matters and to propose practical conclusions to the pastor,” Bob says. “These matters include everything that pertains to the pastor’s ministries of proclaiming God’s Word, celebrating the sacraments, caring for the faithful, promoting the mission of the Church, and being a good steward of parish resources.”

Stewardship has blossomed at St. Benedict over recent years, as evidenced in our 2020 Stewardship Renewal completed last fall. During the pandemic, 96 percent of participating households made prayer commitments, and approximately 85 percent of the participating households made a commitment to ministry.

“Also, 285 of the 1,014 ministry commitments were new commitments, which is an indication

St. Benedict Cathedral’s Pastoral Council meeting “virtually” via the Zoom videoconferencing platform

that parishioners are stepping forward to get more involved in parish life,” Bob says.

Furthermore, the Renewal showed that 89 percent of participating households made a treasure commitment that was 11 percent more than they had actually given the previous 12 months.

“For the last several years, St. Benedict parishioners have demonstrated a strong willingness to devote their time, talent, and treasure to the mission of their parish,” Bob says. “That commitment to stewardship has grown. During this year of extreme hardships, our parishioners never faltered in their stewardship commitment. What an continued on back cover

“For the last several years, St. Benedict parishioners have demonstrated a strong willingness to devote their time, talent and treasure to the mission of their parish. That commitment to stewardship has grown. During this year of extreme hardships, our parishioners never faltered in their stewardship commitment.

What an unbelievable response to their faith.” — BOB WUERTZ 7

1328 Lincoln Avenue | Evansville, IN 47714 (812) 425-3369 | www.saintbenedictcathedral.org

The Pastoral Council

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unbelievable response to their faith.”

Looking forward, Bob believes that two key factors articulated by previous Pastoral Councils will continue to keep our focus on stewardship — hospitality and communication. Ongoing initiatives related to both these factors are occurring.

“We established a Welcoming Ministry, creating a group of volunteers to serve as greeters at the beginning of each weekend Mass and Appreciation Masses for eighth-grade and high school graduates,” Bob says. “A Communication Committee was

established to address and coordinate methods of reaching all parishioners through our website, social media, email, print, and in person.”

If any faith community members are interested in joining the Pastoral Council, elections occur in August or September every three years. Eight members are elected by the parish and four are appointed by the rector.

“I was looking for some opportunity to reignite my enthusiasm in regard to my faith, and being on the Pastoral Council has,” Bob says.

For more information about the Pastoral Council at St. Benedict Cathedral, please reach out to Bob Wuertz at rjwuertz@gmail.com.

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.