In-pew approach helps United Catholic Appeal exceed goal
By Natalie Hoefer
Using the in-pew approach throughout the archdiocese, the United Catholic Appeal: Christ Our Hope effort raised $6.02 million, exceeding its goal of $5.7 million.
This generous commitment is more than a feather-in-the-cap, says archdiocesan director of stewardship and development Jolinda Moore.
Because “parishioners responded in such a positive way,” she says, they have enabled the Church to “make a more positive impact” in proclaiming the word of God, celebrating the sacraments and exercising charity throughout central and southern Indiana.
“Our first year using the in-pew approach was very successful,” she says. “We attribute that to the support of our pastors, parish life coordinators and volunteers who helped the people in the pews understand the significance of this approach and how the funds are used.
“There was quite a bit of skepticism at first among parish priests about doing an in-pew appeal,” Moore admits. “But it really was quite a resounding success. Some parishes that never met their goal did so this year, and [priests] attribute that success in part to the in-pew approach.”
Father Jonathan Meyer, pastor of All Saints Parish in Dearborn County, was not one of the skeptics. He has used the in-pew approach previously.
This time, Father Meyer says, he enacted the in-pew approach “on steroids.”
“I preached on it for three weeks,” he says. “I was pretty bold in my preaching that this is what we’re about. You can’t call yourself Catholic and not participate in the universal efforts of the Church. Christ calls us to prayer, fasting and almsgiving, and we have to come out of ourselves and see the universal needs of the Church and respond.”
All Saints Parish almost doubled its goal for the United Catholic Appeal (UCA).
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross Parish in Bright met their goal “for the first time in a decade,” according to Father Aaron Jenkins, the parish’s pastor.
“We’ve steadily increased our results by 10 percent in the last 2-3 years, but this year we increased by 40 percent,” he says.
Father Jenkins feels the act of completing and gathering the pledge cards during Mass “did a good job of helping people see that their gifts are something that cooperate with God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice.
“[The in-pew approach] does push people more than they’re used to, but there’s an aspect of being able to come together as a community and see that we’re all giving together. I think that really encouraged people to give.”
Father Patrick Beidelman had the same experience at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral Parish in Indianapolis, where he serves as pastor-rector in addition to being executive director of the archdiocesan Secretariat for Spiritual Life and Worship.
He placed one dollar in each envelope that was given to those who did not bring the UCA form they received in the mail to the in-pew form-gathering Mass.
“We have several families on fixed income,” Father Beidelman explains. “I asked if they were not able to add to the gift of one dollar, then to use my dollar as a symbolic offering coupled with their prayers for the shared ministries of the archdiocese. Because of that, many felt compelled to turn in a card for the first time in their life because they recognized the value of prayer.”
In each of the last three years, says Father Beidelman, the 160 households of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral Parish slightly surpassed the parish’s UCA goal. This year, they almost doubled it.
While the in-pew approach for last year’s United Catholic Appeal may be over, the Office of Stewardship and Development continues building their use of social media and online “Ministry Minute” videos to “raise awareness of what it means when we say your dollars help in the three areas” of proclaiming the word of God, celebrating the sacraments and exercising charity, says Moore.
“We’re also going to start doing some specific and custom methods for our Hispanic members of the archdiocese,” she says. “Our idea of stewardship doesn’t translate well in the Hispanic community because there’s no [Spanish] word for stewardship. So Archbishop [Joseph W.] Tobin will help with that message and deliver it in Spanish.”
And when it is time for the in-pew effort again in the fall, Father Meyer will stand in full support of it.
“I personally think the in-pew concept is very good,” he says. “Imagine what the income could be if all parishes had 100 percent participation?”
(For more information on the United Catholic Appeal: Christ Our Hope, to donate and to view the “Ministry Minute” videos, log on to www.archindy.org/uca.) †