TESTIMONIAL: MISSION FOR OUR FUTURE
By Cathy Andrews

I have three very compelling reasons to actively support St. Vincent’s Mission for Our Future campaign. Their names are Logan, Jada and Sidney - my grandchildren. Logan will be entering fourth grade, Jada, second grade, and Sid pre-school at St. Vincent’s this coming year. I have this wonderful vision of attending their graduation ceremonies at St. Vincent de Paul’s Family Life Center.

I am very eager to support this campaign financially. My family and I recognize that our church and school community desperately needs the additional space to grow - not only for the sake of meeting our future needs but, ultimately, for the sake of spreading God’s Kingdom. I have been a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Parish for almost 35 years. This faith community has been more than a church congregation to me. It is extended family. Just like I do with my own family I truly feel a deep seated obligation to help provide for the future of our parish community.

Putting the past few months in perspective, however, I recognize that Jesus has been calling me to help support our Capital Campaign not just financially, but in other ways – ways that stretched me beyond any sacrificial offering of treasure. He wanted additional sacrifices from me. But, it seems that every time He’s asked me in my heart to do something special for Him…something out of my comfort zone…I resisted.

When I was first asked to help with this campaign by hosting focus groups - I declined. I argued with Jesus that there are people far better suited than me to do this. I said to Him that I was already willing to pledge dollars to support it. What more could He want? I argued further that I have baby-sitting responsibilities for my grandkids in addition to my responsibilities on parish staff. There is no way I had time to do another thing. I tried all these arguments with Him. I didn’t have peace.

I was really impressed with the presentations and the overview of the plans for the new facilities given at the focus group I attended last April. I learned a lot. I felt the excitement of Kathy Sleva as she introduced and hosted the session and that of Gene Abel and Roger Pokorny as they made their presentations. I, however, ended up leaving in turmoil because I kicked myself for turning down a calling to help with this process.

A few weeks later I was invited to serve on the Campaign’s Spiritual Emphasis Committee to offer prayer support for the campaign. I jumped at the chance to serve as a prayer warrior. This helped ease the pain and frustration I felt from turning down the earlier invitation to help. A few days after I agreed to serve on the Spiritual Emphasis Committee I received a request to serve as its Chair.

I prayed hard about the decision to accept this position. The more I prayed about it, the more I felt at peace. I felt Jesus reeling me in…hook, line and sinker. I could almost see Him smiling at me saying: ‘Why do you even bother resisting? Come to Me and I will give you rest’.’

As Chair of the Spiritual Emphasis Committee I automatically became a member of the Campaign Steering Committee with its outreach responsibilities. This is definitely not where I wanted to be…but I’ve come to realize it’s a place where He wants me to be. I am at peace in serving this way because I am once again a believer that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13)

The moral of my testimonial is don’t argue with Jesus like I did. When He asks you to make a financial and/or any other sacrifice for this campaign (and He will, if He hasn’t already) just say yes, Lord, your servant is listening, and you will save yourself a lot of spiritual grief. Also, remember that the future of our faith community will be shaped by the decisions we make today. I truly look forward to my grandkids graduating at the St. Vincent’s Family Life Center. What is your personal vision of the future for St. Vincent’s?

The spiritual life
Is supernatural life lived in the parish.
In the parish we are baptized, receive the Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation. In the parish, our children are educated and we learn to volunteer. As we grow older, we may receive vocational Sacraments, and before we leave the earth for judgment, we are anointed.

Our family has been greatly blessed in living in the parish of St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. We support the capital campaign to build for the future of our parish. Below are some favorite inspirationals.


This is my Friend by Robert Hugh Benson

Let me tell you how I made his acquaintance.
I had heard much about him, but took no heed.
He sent daily gifts and presents, but I never thanked him.
He often seemed to want my friendship, but remained cold.
I was homeless, and wretched, and starving and in peril
every hour; and he offered me shelter and comfort and
food and safety; but I was ungrateful still.
At last he crossed my path and with tears in his eyes he
besought me saying, come and abide with me.

Let me tell you how he treats me now.
He supplies all my wants.
He gives me more than I dare ask.
He anticipates my every need.
He begs me to ask for more.
He never reminds me of my past ingratitude.
He never rebukes me for my past follies.

Let me tell you what I think of him.
He is as good as he is great.
His love is as ardent as it is true.
He is as lavish of his promises as he is faithful in
keeping them. He is as jealous of my love as he is deserving of it.
I am in all things his debtor, but he bids me call him friend.
Robert Hugh Benson


We should have confidence when we pray to God to give us what we need to do his work. Fr Josemaria Escriva had this to say: "Well then, let us say quite fearlessly: Dearest Jesus, we are working for you. Are you going to deny us the material means we need? You know full well how worthless we are; still, I would not treat a servant working for me in that way. Therefore, we hope and are sure you will give us all we need to be able to serve you."


Sincerely,

Patrick and Yvonne Cole

Why I Support the St. Vincent de Paul’s Mission for Our Future

Let me begin with a reading from the Gospel of John, Chapter 12: 1- 5;

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the village of Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they gave him a banquet and Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive genuine aromatic nard. Judas Iscariot, the disciple about to hand him over, protested because sale of the nard could have provided for the poor.

I chose this reading, because when I first heard about plans for a narthex and/or Parish Life Center, I too took the road that Judas traveled and said that the money could be used for more important issues, like building maintenance or parish ministries, like youth ministry. I didn’t have all of the facts.

Over the past year, a handful of parishioners devoted many hours into gathering the facts and putting together an excellent plan and a presentation for our benefit. As of May 8, 2008 over 200 parishioners attended focus group meetings to see and hear about a new plan. The presentations were very important for learning about the potential for growth in our parish. Those who have gone before us were concerned enough to lay down the foundations for what we currently have. We should be concerned enough to lay the foundation down for future generations.

Several years ago, I was serving on the Parish council for my parish in Louisville, KY when members of our parish came to us with plans for a parish community center. When I first saw the plans, I was impressed, but skeptical that we could raise the money to build the community center. The parish was facing serious financial difficulties. Despite that, the parish decided to go forth and start raising the money. Once the financial milestones were met the parish broke ground and the building construction began. Before the Grand Dedication of the building the entire project was paid for in full. This project although not fully supported by everyone in the parish was a major contributor to Parish Growth. We found to our amazement, that when you start a major project like this, before it is over, it brings people together. Since then the Parish built an addition onto its elementary school. I tell you this story for two reasons: 1) when we go back to visit and I inquire as to the status of parish life, everyone that I talk to has remarked that parish life has increased since the growth of parish facilities. And 2) in the past five years the archdiocese chose to consolidate several catholic schools and merged the students into one school. My old parish was chosen as the location for the new consolidated elementary school and I can’t help but wonder if the willingness of the parish to grow wasn’t a major factor in that decision.

The point? We have no idea what God has planned for St. Vincent de Paul Parish. If it worked for a parish in Louisville of comparative size to Saint Vincent de Paul, it just might work for us.

Bob Kostin
Parishioner and volunteer for "St. Vincent de Paul’s Mission for Our Future”

Dear St. Vincent’s Family,

I write to each of you today to let you all know that I strongly support and endorse the St. Vincent de Paul’s Mission for Our Future capital campaign “For Our Children and the Future”, not only with my words and prayers but also with my fi nancial contribution each month.

During these past three years that I have been your pastor I have noticed a hunger for growth in faith and community involve- ment from all of you. You have created our Perpetual Adoration Chapel, now three years old. You have started our ministry for our seniors and their monthly events of fun and coming together. This is truly a gift to our many single senior citizens to fi nd comfort from our community family. Our children are experiencing more activities, from our middle school kids and summer institute to youth ministry, to our young adults 18 and over group. Even our RCIA and Adult Faith Formation Education programs are increasing.

St. Vincent’s has a rich history of “being there” for its parish members. Our founding families knew the importance of God in their daily lives so much that they freely accepted the self-giving sacrifi ce that it took to build this great Cathedral to God as their outward example of their deep commitment to their faith.

I understand that today we all fi nd ourselves looking at the high cost of gasoline, unstable work conditions, educating our children in colleges and the expense and drain on our incomes. However, our founders also experienced diffi culties but found relief by placing their trust in God for the answers to their needs. They showed their trust in God by stepping up, sacrifi cing their monies and building this parish for you and for the glory of God.

Today, I ask you all to join with me in trusting in God to build these much needed facilities “For Our Children and the Fu- ture”, where we can continue the works that our founders began with the help of a loving God. I keep hearing these words in my mind as I write this to you, “from dust we are and unto dust we will return” and “if not YOU, then WHO? If not Now, When?” I know it will be hard, but TRUST in God during this time of sacrifi ce for the Lord’s church and He will take care of you and all of your needs in return, “pressed down, shaken together and running over”, Luke 6:38.

In the Trusting in God’s Blessing,

Father Rick