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The
ministry of The Catholic Moment
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
Each year pastors ask their parishioners to contribute to the cost of
delivering the diocesan paper, The Catholic Moment, to the
households of their parish. The announcement from pulpits and in parish
bulletins takes various forms. I’ve noted it is not unusual for a pastor
in urging people to support the mission of the paper to use these or
similar words: “Last year the paper cost our parish xxxx dollars.
Parishioners contributed xxxx dollars. The balance had to be taken from
parish operating funds and cost us xxxx dollars.” In other words, please
pay up or the parish will have to bear the weight of the expense
involved.
So, what is this all about? It’s been explained many times, but I
suspect some are still puzzled about why they receive the paper (without
asking for it) and how it is financed. Hopefully I can shed light.
Our diocesan paper is a ministry of our Local Church. In addition to
serving Catholics fully engaged in the life of the Church, it provides
outreach to marginalized and lapsed Catholics, as well as to those who
do not identify themselves as Catholics. It is a ministry of catechesis
and evangelization.
It is no secret that there are Catholics who do not understand the
fundamentals of Catholicism. They absent themselves from the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass without awareness that it is a basic
responsibility. Their involvement in the Church is marginal.
Delivery of The Catholic Moment to homes continuously reminds
Catholics of the importance of coming to Mass each week. Its very
arrival in the mailbox is a reminder to folks that they are part of
something significant: “the Church.” It tells them that they are wanted,
not forgotten, important to the faith community to which they have been
bonded by baptism and confirmation.
The paper is also outreach to those who are not Catholic. More than half
the marriages that take place in our Local Church are marriages of mixed
religion. It is hoped that those who are not Catholic but who have a
Catholic spouse will, at least from time to time, take note of The
Catholic Moment and be moved by its basic message of invitation.
The Catholic Moment is also a vehicle that I use to fulfill my
role as teacher, as well as a vital means of communication for the
Church faith community spread across 9,832 square miles of Northcentral
Indiana.
The Catholic Moment is not a newspaper in the normal sense of
that term. It provides no pretense of providing so-called “hard news.”
People naturally look to other media for events of the day. What The
Catholic Moment does provide is something that isn’t found elsewhere
or is only rarely found. It is the perspective of the Church. It exists
for reasons very different from those that drive the for-profit
newspaper industry. It is not a business. It is a ministry of the
Church.
Professional research indicates that The Catholic Moment is read.
It is not a perfect product. And, people have different tastes. That
aside, week in and week out it furthers the mission of evangelization.
As a diocesan ministry, there is commitment to a full-coverage plan.
That means that the paper, by policy, is sent to every Catholic
household in Northcentral Indiana. Pastors have embraced this
full-coverage concept and have agreed to underwrite it just as other
parish ministries are funded. They do that by annually asking
parishioners to support the mission of The Catholic Moment via a
special appeal. That appeal is kicked off during February because that
month is Catholic Press Month.
It costs $18 per year to deliver The Catholic Moment to a
household. The paper is published 47 times a year. A first-class stamp
costs 37 cents. That means the paper is delivered to a home for less
than the price of a first-class stamp. It is truly remarkable that the
price of the paper has been kept at $18 since 1996, and the cost is
rather exceptional when compared to other publications.
When we don’t “order” something, it is natural when it comes to our home
to assume that it’s free. Perhaps some think it’s a perk for being a
member of a parish. The reality is that parishes are committed to
providing full coverage to their parishioners because it is an important
ministry of the diocese and its parishes.
It is hoped parishioners will support this ministry of catechesis and
evangelization by responding positively to the pulpit appeal that is
made each year. Most parishes provide a special envelope for the support
of The Catholic Moment. In addition, an envelope was enclosed in
the Feb. 20 issue of this paper. If these opportunities have been
missed, you can put your donation in an envelope and send it to the
parish office or drop it in the collection. The hope is that you will
consider a donation that will not only cover the delivery of The
Catholic Moment to your home, but to others as well, specifically to
those who are somewhat marginal when it comes to their participation in
the Church. Donations are welcomed throughout the year. Donations of $18
and up lessen the amount your parish will have to pay in support of this
ministry.
Your gift is an investment in the spiritual welfare of your neighbor as
well as your family. Many homes have no Catholic reading other than
The Catholic Moment.
Our paper is a way to give people support in living the faith and gives
me a means to teach the faith. |
