Reflections - Fall 2015

...recognizing our gifts of time, talent and treasure

Fall 2015

reflections... a newsletter from the Stewardship and Development Office

We, the Diocese of Austin, through the Word and Eucharist, prayer, formation and education, social ministries and advocacy, embrace diverse cultures throughout the diocese so that together, as the Catholic Church, we may continue the mission of Christ in the world today.

Stewardship and Development Office Diocese of Austin 6225 Highway 290 E. Austin, TX 78723 (512) 949-2400

Most Rev. Joe S. Vásquez Bishop of Austin

Most Rev. Daniel E. Garcia Auxiliary Bishop of Austin

Scott Whitaker Director of Stewardship and Development

Jean Bondy Associate Director of Catholic School Development

The Catholic Diocese of Austin

2015

2016

“Yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now.”

–St. Teresa of Avila (attributed)

Each November, parishes across the Diocese of Austin participate in the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA). Through the CSA, Catholics throughout our diocese are able to join together to support many critical diocesan ministries. Each gift to the CSA enables us to provide quality formation for 42 seminarians and 176 priests; educate thousands of students at our 22 Catholic school campuses; form our deacons, catechists and lay ministers; care for our 35 retired priests; and provide direct assistance to countless families in need through Catholic Charities of Central Texas. Now in its 38th year, the CSA has provided more than $82 million of support to these ministries. {continued on page 2}

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Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the earth, yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now.

Your donation to the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) is a powerful witness of God’s love. By helping those in need, promoting a culture of life, supporting religious vocations, and educating our youth, you are becoming an instrument of Christ’s love and providing him with the hands through which he is to bless the world.

As Catholics, we seek both justice and mercy. We believe that our faith calls us to protect public safety, promote the common good, and restore community. Through the many ministries supported by the CSA, we come together as the Body of Christ, sharing his mercy with those in need.

Pope Francis writes, “Mercy . . . is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace.” It is “ . . . the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever . . . ” (Misericordiae Vultus, 2) Through the sharing of this gift of mercy we are able to become more effective signs of Christ’s love.

The Catholic Services Appeal provides us with a chance to be involved in diverse ministries, such as the education of seminarians, Catholic schools, Catholic Charities, Hispanic ministry and youth ministry, which affect our entire Catholic community. By sharing our faith and our gifts with one another, we are bringing the hands of mercy not only to our communities in central Texas, we are also building a community of faith that will last for generations. This commitment to stewardship allows the diocesan church to provide the necessary resources that one parish could not provide alone.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus challenges us to let our light shine before others (5:16). At a time when needs are increasing and resources are limited, our generosity to the CSA not only brings the light of Christ to individuals, families and parishes throughout our diocese, but it also serves as a powerful witness of our own faith and trust in the Lord.

In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis calls on us to share this gift of mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of God’s great love for us. Your donations to the Catholic Services Appeal make these ministries possible. Please prayerfully consider supporting the Catholic Services Appeal this November.

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Francis of Assisi (1181? – 1226) Memorial – October 4 “Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is falling down.” St. Francis of Assisi heard the Lord say these words in a vision in the crumbling chapel of San Damiano and set to work at once. Renouncing his father’s wealth and privilege, St. Francis embraced a life of radical poverty that found him begging, door to door, for the means to rebuild the church and assist the poor. Friends thought he was mad. But before long, his genuine love for the poor led others to join him.

These itinerant preachers who followed St. Francis and live the Gospel with such simplicity and joy became the Order of Friars Minor, or “Franciscans.” The life of poverty and humility to which Christ called St. Francis, “built up” the Church in ways he could never have imagined that first day in San Damiano. Few of us will be called to the total poverty of St. Francis of Assisi, but, inspired by his example, we can seek to live more simply and be better stewards of the abundance that is ours to share.

Adapted from Sharon Hueckel, Steward Saints for Every Day, Copyright © 1999, the National Catholic Stewardship Council, Inc., Washington, D.C. All rights reserved.

FALL 2015

Stewardship—Now is the Time Stewardship seems to be a very difficult concept for many people. Perhaps it is because we get caught up in the notion that stewardship is only about money and getting more volunteers for the church. Perhaps we are not doing a good job of educating our parishioners about the real meaning of stewardship.

Whatever the reason, a complete and total commitment to stewardship is difficult and challenging for any Christian.

However challenging stewardship is all of us share in one vocation—to be a disciple of Jesus. It is through our discipleship that our stewardship comes alive. Actually, stewardship has very little to do with time, talent and treasure. In reality, stewardship is an outgrowth of a true conversion toward Christ. Stewardship is built upon a close, intimate and personal relationship with Jesus through prayer. It is this relationship with Jesus

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that allows us to grow closer to our parish communities through the generous sharing of our gifts.

According to the U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Stewardship, “stewards of God’s gifts are not passive beneficiaries.” We are all called to share in God’s plan for redemption, not only for ourselves but for others. We are also obligated to be good stewards of the church. We share in the redemptive work of Jesus. We share in the mission of teaching and serving. We have a personal responsibility to our parish and our local church, the diocese.

As members of the church, the Body of Christ, we each have our own roles.

As parents, we have an obligation to nurture and support our children and to teach them about the faith. As parishioners, we need to find ways to live out our

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faith in our parish communities. As Catholics, we give generously — time, money, prayers and service — to our parishes, schools and diocesan communities. Our responsibility is clear — to continue the mission of Jesus. Our roles clearly define how we can make difference.

Those who seek to live their lives as stewards know that “all things work for good for those who love God” (Rom 8:28) The question then becomes, “Are we ready to be disciples of Jesus and to commit ourselves to living as a Christian steward?” If we are, then we recognize that each of us has gifts to share and those gifts come from a good and gracious God. God empowers us to use those gifts wisely and to share them freely. Jesus shows us the way and stewardship is a part of that journey.

faLL 2015

Do I Need to Complete a

Beneficiary Form If I Have a Will?

By Brad Wiewel The Wiewel Law Firm • www.TexasTrustLaw.com Wills are often misunderstood. People assume if they have a will, all of their assets are distributed according to the will. Unfortunately, wills do not control where retirement accounts, life insurance and annuities will be distributed at death. These assets are only distributed to the beneficiary that may be someone not listed in your will. To make sure your retirement accounts are going to the right people or charity, a Beneficiary Designation form must be completed. You

can even give those accounts to the Diocese of Austin, your local parish or Catholic school by naming them as your primary or contingent beneficiary, and you do not need a lawyer’s help. The tax savings can also be tremendous, too. Any individual who “inherits” your retirement account will pay income taxes on the entire amount. When you leave it to the Catholic charity of your choice, the diocese, parish or school will receive the entire amount and not pay any tax.

Please contact Scott Whitaker at (512) 949-2441 or scott-whitaker@austindiocese.org for information on the wording for your beneficiary form.

UPCOMING DIOCESAN EVENTS

October 8 24th Annual Red Mass St. Mary Cathedral, Austin

IS ONLINE!

Scan this QR code with your smart phone or mobile device, or visit www.austindiocese.org/reflections to read the latest and past issues.

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November 7-8 Catholic Service Appeal Commitment Weekend

December 2 Assembly of Catholic Professionals Luncheon Hyatt Regency, Town Lake

December 5 Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta Diocesana St. Anthony Marie de Claret Parish, Kyle

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For event information, visit www.austindiocese.org

FALL 2015

“I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jn 8:12 By: DeeAnn Smith woman who discovers she is pregnant and doesn’t know what to do or where to turn.

We may be sitting across from an inmate, offering him words of comfort through sharing the message of Christ’s unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness.

We might be thinking we are way outside of our comfort zone as we anxiously wait in a stiff leather chair outside the office of a state legislator, whom we intend to address with our concerns regarding religious freedom and freedom of conscience.

We may be ministering to the young man who considers his life hopeless and contemplates suicide, assuring him of his dignity and worth, when society has all but thrown him away.

We may be stuffing our car full of diapers, food, formula and clothing to deliver across town to a single mother of three.

We might be embracing the grief-stricken woman, who after decades of silence and suffering, finally opens up about the abortion in her past.

Or we may pray in silence on behalf of others, perhaps when no one else will.

I often find myself returning to that sweltering summer afternoon, as we stood on the sidewalk in prayer and I reflect once again upon those words “Go do something useful!” Are we doing something useful? We trust, as Catholics, that God alone knows the answer to that question.

“Go do something useful!” someone screamed out of a car window to a dozen or so of us gathered in a silent prayer vigil near a south Austin abortion facility. As I recollected myself after the jarring interruption, I started to question whether what we were doing was indeed, really useful.

Admittedly, it can be a little discouraging at times when we don’t see the results of our efforts. Because the way we’re used to gauging our usefulness is almost always measured upon perceived success, productivity or outcome, how can we be certain that we are being useful — that what we are doing is making a difference in the lives of others?

The reality is we may never know the direct or indirect effect of our encounters with others. But that isn’t what drives our motivation when it comes to ministry. What drives us is discipleship. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, our mission in life is to walk humbly, as Christ did, with others through their suffering, pain, isolation, confusion, fear and hopelessness. Our active witness isn’t dependent upon validation or consolation, it is driven by our desire to be Christ in this world for others.

We may sit beside a hospital bed, holding the fragile hand of someone who faces the inevitability of his death, who is frightened and all alone.

We might help someone navigate through the complexities of the legal system to obtain the services that their family desperately needs.

We may answer the phone in the middle of the night, when no one else will, to talk with a panic stricken young

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The office of Pro-Life Activities is supported in part by the Catholic Services Appeal.

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FALL 2015

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TEXAS PERMIT NO. 1504

Stewardship and Development Office Diocese of Austin 6225 Highway 290 E. Austin, TX 78723

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Stewardship Spotlight St. Mary, Bremond In 1875, the Bartula and Bienski families, Polish immigrants, searching for a better way of life, came through Galveston to New Waverley and ultimately arrived in Bremond. They wrote letters to encourage other Polish families to come since it was a railroad and farming town. There were jobs and land could be purchased at $10 per acre and the land was excellent for growing cotton.

In 1877, the 50 Polish families decided to build a church but they could only raise $115. Help came from J. C. Roberts and other Protestants to build the $1,200 structure. The first Mass in the church was on Pentecost 1879. The church was named St. Mary, in honor of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the Patroness of Poland. A second Church was built in 1908 and

the current Church building in 1971.

Struggling in the early days, the parish did not have the funds to pay the priest his salary so he was forced by economic necessity to raise cotton as a side occupation to give himself an income.

Today, the parish has 300 member families, primarily of Polish descent. They have three weekend Masses. Two priests also serve St. Francis Parish in Franklin. There is a huge homecoming festival on the third Sunday of October. Former parishioners return that day each year to celebrate with the parish. One feature of the festival is the livestock auction with cattle, goats, ducks and rabbits up for bid. It is quite a sight to behold. All are welcome to this years’ festival on Oct. 18.