Membership in archdiocese’s Miter Society continues to grow

Bishop Christopher J. Coyne, right, auxiliary bishop and vicar general, speaks to members of the archdiocese’s Miter Society on May 4 at the Archbishop O’Meara Catholic Center in Indianapolis. (Photos by Sean Gallagher)

By Sean Gallagher

Each year, members of the archdiocese’s Miter Society gather from parishes across central and southern Indiana to worship together during a Mass at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.

This year’s liturgy took place on May 4. Bishop Christopher J. Coyne, auxiliary bishop and vicar general, was the principal celebrant.

Members of the Miter Society are Catholics who contributed $1,500 or more to the Christ Our Hope: Compassion in Community annual appeal.

The number of members continues to grow. This year, there were 657 households that met the society’s criteria. That is a growth of nearly 25 percent from last year’s Miter Society membership, which was 526 households.

The 657 households that make up the membership this year pledged $1.6 million to the Christ Our Hope appeal.

“That’s an amazing number, and really just speaks to your generosity,” said Bishop Coyne during a reception following the Mass.

“We want to congratulate you and thank you for helping us carry out Christ’s mission in the archdiocese through your generous gifts,” added Bishop Coyne, who thanked Miter Society members on behalf of Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, who continues to recuperate from a stroke.

“Your commitment to being good stewards makes it possible to provide care for the poor and vulnerable throughout the archdiocese.”

Some of the people who attended the Mass are longtime members of the Miter Society.

Pat Byrne, a member of St. Mary-of-

the-Knobs Parish in Floyd County, drove two hours to attend the event because simply being a member of the society isn’t enough for him.

He wants to get to know others in the archdiocese who, like himself, place a high value on supporting ministries that help proclaim the word of God, celebrate the sacraments and offer the ministry of charity to those in need.

“I think it’s critical that when you’re involved in something that you really get to know the people,” Byrne said. “ … It’s worth the two-hour drive to see individuals and feel their spirit.

“I look forward to any gathering—whether it’s the archdiocese or the deanery. I’m not a St. Mary-of-the-Knobs Catholic. I’m a Catholic.”

Byrne was encouraged to take this broader view of the Church by his former pastor, Father John Geis.

“He talked about the whole Catholic community,” Byrne said. “It’s not just St. Mary-of-the-Knobs. The whole archdiocese is one whole family.”

The life and ministry of a priest like Father Geis was one of the motives that moved Byrne to make significant contributions each year to Christ Our Hope, which supports the formation of future priests and the care for retired priests.

Max Oldham, a member of St. Roch Parish in Indianapolis, is a first-time member of the Miter Society. Like Byrne, he was in part moved to make a large contribution to the Christ Our Hope appeal because of the pastoral leadership that he has seen in his pastor, Father James Wilmoth.

“Father Wilmoth is an inspiration at St. Roch and, I would say, to everyone in the South Deanery because his [influence] is that far reaching,” Oldham said. “Seeing priests like Father Wilmoth certainly encourages all parishioners to support the Church to the degree that they are financially able to do.

“It’s very pleasing and prideful to be a part of all of the archdiocese’s many [ministries] where they reach out to people across the archdiocese.”

One of those ministries supported by Christ Our Hope is the archdiocese’s deacon formation program.

There are now more than two dozen permanent deacons spread across central and southern Indiana extending the reach of the ministry of charity farther than in the past.

Ron Pirau, a member of SS. Francis and Clare Parish in Greenwood, is an archdiocesan deacon candidate who hopes to be ordained with his 16 classmates in 2012. He is also a member of the Miter Society.

He has a special awareness of the importance of the support of his fellow Miter Society members that has made possible the nearly three years of formation he has received thus far.

Pirau knows deacon candidates for whom paying for such formation would be financially impossible.

“It’s very, very much appreciated,” said Pirau, “[especially] when you look at the whole cost of having quality instructors and room and board over the [formation] weekends.”

While supporting vital ministries like the deacon formation program is important to Miter Society members like Terri Vallillo, simply coming to the society’s annual Mass and reception is also a valuable blessing.

“Just coming together as a community is neat,” said Vallillo, a member of St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg “It’s something outside your own [parish] community. With all of the parishes coming together, you can support [important ministries].”

(For more information on the archdiocese’s Miter Society, log on to www.archindy.org/ChristOurHope/miter.html.) †