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LETTERS
‘Stewardship’ label is misused, reader says
I read the most recent article in The Catholic Virginian about the diocesan fundraising effort for Catholic schools, and while I agree that something must be done to make Catholic schools more affordable and accessible to middle class families, I was extremely upset to read that the diocese is calling it “stewardship.”
In fact, our parish will be asked to follow essentially the same stewardship format that we are currently already using, complete with lay witnesses and a commitment Sunday, but minus the most important elements of stewardship — time and talent.
I have been on my parish’s stewardship committee (not to be confused with the Finance Council or the Fundraising Committee) for about five years. We have been actively fighting the mentality that “stewardship” is just a fancy word for fundraising.
Stewardship is not about people giving to meet a need. It is about people feeling the deep need to give their whole self: time to build a relationship with God, talent and treasure to build the kingdom of God.
Stewardship is about giving out of our gratitude for all of God’s blessings in our lives, not giving because of yet another stereotypical Catholic guilt trip laid on us by “The Church.”
For our diocese, and even the consulting firm, to call this fundraising program “stewardship” is not only inaccurate and incomplete, for those of us who have worked so hard to fight this mentality, it is offensive.
This diocesan program is about getting people to give money to meet a need. It is a real need, and should be addressed.
And if all parishes are expected to foot the bill for these schools (which I believe ARE an important mission of the Church, especially when we consider the priest shortage), the schools should become more accountable to all of us and allow a more diverse group of leaders from all parishes to determine their direction.
Christy Jenkins
Mechanicsville
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Diocesan tax for schools said ‘unfair’
As a product of Catholic education, I value Catholic schools highly but not unreasonably. The proposed 50 percent diocesan tax for schools on increased parish contributions seems to be unfair and unsound.
Cheap labor, dedicated nuns made possible the extensive Catholic school system of bygone days. That cheap labor no longer exists. It now costs about $6,000 per year per child for Catholic education.
A declining number of schools is an economic inevitability, but it is not the end of the world. Neither Christ nor the Apostles established schools, and for many centuries Christianity did quite well despite having no schools.
The diocesan 50 percent tax on increased contributions appears to be a counter-productive band-aid. It is unfair because it drains money from parishes with no schools to give to those with schools and gives little or nothing in return.
It is unfair because it taxes a great many families and provides benefits to only a small minority.
It is counter-productive because it diverts funds from numerous worthy parish activities.
Hopefully, this well-intentioned tax will be abandoned in short order, and the people of the parishes will be allowed to decide for themselves how to use their contributions.
John Barry Donohue, Jr.
Glen Allen
(Editor: The assessment on 50 percent of the parish offertory increases is meant to assist Catholic families who want to send their children to Catholic schools. The true cost of educating each child in a Catholic school takes into account a fair and living wage for teachers and is far less expensive than that of educating a child in a public school.
The success of the Increased Offertory relies on the good will and generosity of the people of each parish. To date, most parishes which have adopted the program are responding favorably.)
Youth ministry offers much for parish teens
Many of the answers to Mr. Fahrenkrug’s questions regarding Catholic Youth Ministry programs (Letters, April 21 issue) could have been easily answered by contacting the diocese to request information, logging on www.richmonddiocese.org/ym or asking his pastor or parish Youth Minister.
 He would have learned of the wide range of programs offered, including the Youth Day event in Lynchburg this past Sunday that drew about 250. There was a contagious enthusiasm among the young people and the dedicated adult volunteers.
A workshop was offered the same day in Virginia Beach — “Be Catholic, Be Radical.” Also, the diocese offers peer-led “Discovery” and “Christian Awakening” weekend retreats for high school students.
Summer Work Camp programs are available as well.
Bishop DiLorenzo’s actions to improve and expand Youth Ministry programs have been extensively covered in The Catholic Virginian, yet merited no mention from Mr. Fahrenkrug.
Instead of telling others that they should be “actively involved in the programs for our youth and truly interested in the various programs a parish can provide,” he could choose to be actively involved in and truly interested in creating those very programs in his parish.
He failed to mention any past or present participation in Youth Ministry, but it’s never too late to start. I just turned 60, began teaching religious education only this past year and am forming a Youth Group in our small parish in Nelson County.
As important as programs are to fulfilling the faith needs of the young, they can easily distract us from teaching the foundations of Catholicism.
If we do not teach that the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, offer what no Protestant religion possibly can, then yes we have failed them by acting as if Catholicism is just one of many faiths from which to choose.
This attitude blends very nicely with a cancer of the soul, moral relativism.
Jim Imbur
Lovingston
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Parents have role teaching the faith
I feel compelled to reply to last week’s letter (April 21 issue) titled “Youth Programs Said Sorely Needed.”
As a parent I feel a responsibility to point out paragraph 2226 in the Catechism...... “Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child’s earliest years. This already happens when family members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a Christian life in keeping with the Gospel.
“Family catechesis precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God.
“The parish is the Eucharistic community and the heart of the liturgical life of Christian families; it is a privileged place for the catechesis of children and parents.”
Please protect your children and teach them the beautiful Catholic faith at home. I’m willing to bet that if we as parents follow the teachings of the Church in this way many of our children will happily spend their lives in service to the Church. It is not the job of CCD teachers, Sunday school teachers and vacation Bible school to bring our children up in the faith.
Andra Sailey
Virginia Beach
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Priest shortage said tool of Satan
Tom Fahrenkrug makes some valid points in his letter (April 21 issue) tying the shortage of priests to a lack of youth programs in the parish.
This writer feels it goes a lot deeper than that. Let’s go back to the 1950s when vocations flourished and see what might have fostered them.
First, we didn’t have many youth activities in our churches other than sports teams on a limited basis. What we did have were families that put Jesus Christ and his teachings as the most important things in life. Families that said the rosary and put October devotions to the blessed Mother ahead of NFL football.
Large families sacrificed and learned to do without, but stayed together and were happier than we are today.
Why would any young man raised in the MTV generation want to sacrifice himself to a life of service in the priesthood? You know he will miss out on the $200,000 house, two fancy cars, designer clothes, IPods. Need I go on?
Satan is very crafty. After all, he showed Jesus all the riches of the world that would be his if he worshipped Satan. Jesus didn’t fall for it. But we did, myself included.
Satan knows all too well that no priests means no Eucharist, the means to eternal life.
Need I say more?
Len Persin
Salem
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Illegal immigration said not right
Much has been written and said on the subject of illegal immigration and the role the Church is playing in defense of illegal immigrants.
Parishes have been consolidated or closed because of the loss of many of their members through defection or by migration of constituents to more affluent neighborhoods. The illegal immigrants will possibly fill the void that currently exists, because they are baptized Catholics and they will likely reside in the areas vacated by more affluent citizens.
So welcoming illegal immigrants is not a matter of evangelization, but rather a matter of head count.
Illegal immigration is by definition the breaking of the law. To sanction breaking the law on the grounds that the action results in improving the lot of the transgressors is inconsistent with the traditional belief that the end never justifies the means.
Furthermore, there are significant costs incurred by the United States as a result of illegal immigration; costs which must ultimately be borne by the legal residents of this country.
There is a practical matter which the Church authorities should consider. While it is true that the majority of the illegals are baptized Catholics, there is evidence that a significant number defect and embrace Pentecostal or other non-Catholic denominations after their arrival in this country.
Church authorities would be better advised to support legislation which promotes legal immigration, rather than sanctioning the breaking of the law.
The argument has been made that this country needs these immigrants to perform vital tasks that would otherwise go undone. If such is the case, then why should not these employers be required to act as sponsors for the immigrants they wish to hire?
My father was a legal immigrant, and he was required to have a sponsor who guaranteed that he would have a job, an income, a place to live, and that he would not be a burden on society.
Then again, if the Bishops feel so strongly about helping these poor individuals, why don’t they come forward and offer sponsorship for them?
Robert H. Verbeke
Forest
Pope asks for respect for immigrant families
Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States was a tremendous display of warmth and affection — both on the part of the Pontiff and from devoted American Catholics.
Media pundits were quick to assign motives to Pope Benedict on his prayers about immigrant families — ideas and motives which the Bishop of Rome did not say.
The Pope did speak about protecting immigrant families and not dividing them. Also, Benedict and our President affirmed in a joint statement the need for a policy that treats immigrants humanely and protects their families.
I believe that Pope Benedict was explaining and instructing us in the law of God — God’s command that we show respect and compassion for immigrant families, and all families in need.
Lou Hart
Charlottesville
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