Weekly HOMILY for February 8, 2009: The Annual Archbishop's Appeal

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
February 8, 2009

The Annual Archbishop’s Appeal
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Nine Winners

There is a wonderful story from the Seattle Special Olympics several years ago.

Nine runners – all physically or mentally handicapped – are assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the sound of the starter’s gun, they all take off, not exactly in a dash, but eager to finish the race and win.

All, that is, except one boy who stumbles, tumbles over, and begins to cry. The other eight runners hear the boy crying and slow down to see what has happened.

Then they all turn around and run back to the boy. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bends down and whispers to him, “This will make it better” and she kisses him on the cheek.

All nine runners link arms and walk together to the finish line.

Everyone in the stadium stands up and cheers for the winners – all nine of them.


What They Saw

That day those children in the Seattle Special Olympics saw the truth about each other.

They saw each other first and foremost as persons, not as competitors. They were not so carried away with the desire to win that they forgot the core of who we are – that we are all one.

They saw the child who fell as a person in need. They realized that it is better for all of us to win than for one or some of us to win, while others lose in the game of life itself.

This, I believe, is the insight that Saint Paul has in our second reading today. He is absorbed with care for all persons as his brothers and sisters in need of Christ’s presence.

Paul wants to bring the Gospel to everyone and to do so he even says: “I have become all things to all.” We have to imagine that Paul would also have been there for that one child who stumbled and fell in the Special Olympics.


Archbishop’s Annual Appeal

I see this as the basis of something that our parish and all the parishes in the Archdiocese are asked to do this month.

We are all taking part in what we call “The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal” – formerly “The Lenten Appeal.” We have been participating in this Appeal for about fifteen years and it invites us to look beyond the boundaries of our parish.

The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal invites us to support and be part of the programs, services, and ministries that are offered on the Archdiocesan level. Some of these programs serve people in areas that are financially poor and where our Catholic presence is clearly needed.

Some are services that individual parishes, like Our Lady of Grace cannot do alone and that we need to do together as an Archdiocesan Church. For example, the Appeal provides some support to Catholic Education and Religious Education Programs in needy areas.

It supports the Youth Retreat Center right here in Sparks. It supports the programs and institutions of Catholic Charities – the largest private provider of social services in the entire State of Maryland.

You can see a fuller listing of what the Appeal supports in my bulletin column today. We can be very proud of all that we do as a Local Church.


What to Give

Many of us have contributed to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal in the past and some of us have already given this year.

On behalf of the Archbishop, I thank you very much. I have asked myself, “How much should I give?” “What is an appropriate amount?” Well, I do want to say that our giving to Our Lady of Grace comes first.

Archbishop O’Brien does not want this Appeal to hurt parish giving or parish ministries. Each parish is assigned a goal for the Appeal that equals 9% of its Annual Offertory Collection.

Our Lady of Grace’s goal is $42,000. This is a goal, a target, but in the end, we give what we can give.

Our Parish Committee working on this and I are recommending that we as individuals or families contribute 10% of what we give to the parish each year. So, if you give $1,000 a year in the Offertory, we ask you to consider a gift of $100 to the Appeal.

These gifts can be made as pledges and spread out over ten months. Some of us are unable to give 10% and others are able to give more.

The important thing is that we think and pray about this and do what we can. I ask you to reflect on this during the coming week.


Conclusion

Before I conclude, it is important to add this.

Each parish will receive back 25% of what it gives. So, 25% of Our Lady of Grace’s contribution to the Appeal will be our share for special needs that we have designated.

Our parish leadership has decided to use our share for three purposes. 1/3rd for Tuition Assistance for parishioners going to Our Lady of Grace School; this is important since the Archdiocese will match what we designate for this.

1/3rd will go toward our Debt Reduction. And 1/3rd will go to our Sister Parish of St. Cecilia’s in Baltimore City.

In closing, I would ask you to approach this Appeal with the spirit of those children in the Special Olympics – joining hands to help one another so that all can be winners.

Please read my bulletin column on the Archbishop’s Appeal, reflect and pray about this, and try to come to Mass next weekend prepared with your decision about a commitment.