Miter Society members find appeal in helping beyond parish
Mike and Melissa Gossman of St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg hold hands during the Our Father at the Miter Society Mass at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral on May 1. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer)
By Natalie Hoefer
Mary Horn received a life-lasting message from her mother about giving.
“My mother always shared with us as we were growing up that whatever you give, you get back five times in return. I always remembered her philosophy toward giving,” she said.
“So any time my husband [Allan] and I have looked at giving to a major campaign, there are situations when—whether through spiritual growth or a financial bonus—something we weren’t expecting came back to us.”
Yet, receiving is not what prompted the Horns, members of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Bloomington, to donate to the “United Catholic Appeal: Christ Our Hope” annual appeal. It was their desire to see the increased potential of their gift when combined with others.
“We as an archdiocese, as a central and southern Indiana Church community, can do so much more to help struggling parishes, Catholic education, seminarian education and more, by pooling our resources,” Horn noted.
The Horns were among Miter Society members who attended a Mass at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral and a reception at the Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Catholic Center, both in Indianapolis, on May 1.
Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin was the principal celebrant at the liturgy and hosted the reception afterward to thank the 788 members of the Miter Society—those who give $1,500 or more to the “United Catholic Appeal: Christ Our Hope” annual appeal—for their contributions.
The number of Miter Society members is up from 443 in 2008—an increase of nearly 80 percent.
Those 788 members were responsible for contributing 40 percent of the $4.9 million raised by the annual appeal.
Funds raised by the appeal are distributed throughout the archdiocese to assist with Catholic education and faith formation, Catholic Charities, vocations and care for retired priests.
The appeal’s archdiocesan-wide scope appealed to Michael and Linda Eagan, members of Holy Spirit Parish in Indianapolis.
“The Church is bigger than our parish. We are one Catholic Church. We know there are many things the archdiocese provides for folks that a parish can’t,” said Michael.
Linda agreed. “We can reach people we could never reach just within our parish.”
During the reception, Archbishop Tobin thanked those in attendance—more than 250 people—for helping the archdiocese carry out Christ’s mission in central and southern Indiana.
Through the appeal, he said, “… we can continue to serve the poor, educate our children, seminarians and deacons, and continue to care for our retired clergy.”
Many people who attended the Mass and reception see their contributions as nothing more than giving back for abundances they have received through God and his Church.
Dr. Ralph Pratt counts his health among his blessings.
“I’m 92, and I’m still able to be up and active,” said the member of Prince of Peace Parish in Madison.
As a member of prior years’ annual appeal board of trustees, Pratt said he “saw needs years ago, but the needs are so much greater today.”
In the years since converting to Catholicism—more years than he said he can remember—Pratt has received one strong message: “We need to support our churches and the work of the archdiocese. … The Church has needs and we have to support it. We’re called to do that by the Bible and by our Church leaders.”
Andreas Sashegyi of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis has received the same message.
“I know it sounds like a standard response, but [giving to the appeal] is really giving back of my good fortune.”
Sashegyi attributed the standard response to a consistent and repeated message.
“[We are] reminded Sunday after Sunday in the homilies about the Christian responsibility, doing what Christ did. And it just seems to me that over time there’s an unmistakable message: this is not just a nice thing to do,” Sashegyi explained. “Each giving to their own ability is not something we ought to do—it’s what we’re called to do.
“I find it hard to walk out of church and say, ‘Well, I heard it, but the message is not for me.’ ”
Returning to the message that Horn shared from her mother about receiving five times what is given, Horn noted that the gift is “sometimes nothing more than feeling really good that we are helping someone who needed help.
“That’s the best reward of all—feeling good because you helped.”
(For more information on the “United Catholic Appeal: Christ Our Hope” and the Miter Society, or to contribute to the appeal, log on to www.archindy.org/uca. For questions, contact Jolinda Moore, director of annual major giving, at 317-236-1462 or 800-382-9836, ext. 1462.) †
