The following story first appeared in the Autumn 2005 Home Mission News

Mission Awareness Presentations Benefit All

It’s the end of “appeal season,” and Christina Fadden smiles as she recalls some of the “interesting” events that took place as 23 missioners made multiple mission awareness presentations in 83 parishes in 30 dioceses.

As coordinator of the Glenmary Mission Office, she is on the frontline, making sure presentations throughout the United States are scheduled and filled by Glenmary priests, brothers and coworkers.

One missioner had his car broken into while on an appeal. Another missioner got sick and couldn’t make his assigned appeal. At the last minute Christina called another missioner who, providentially, was going to be in the area for another engagement and would be 20 minutes from the parish she needed covered.

“The Lord definitely has a hand in this” she laughs. She relies on that type of help each year, especially in July, the heaviest scheduled month. “If someone gets sick in July, when we usually have over 30 appeals scheduled, we really have to stretch our personnel.”

It’s important, she says, to realize that missioners typically give up their vacation time to do these appeals. “So, if we can schedule specific missioners close to family or friends, they can combine the appeal with some vacation. But, many times, they spend the majority of their ‘vacation’ working.”

During the last fiscal year, mission appeals given by Glenmary priests, brothers and coworkers raised $177,805. These are the funds generated from collections taken up at each parish hosting a Glenmary speaker to help continue the society’s home mission ministry.

“But mission awareness presentations are not just about the money—although obviously that’s a large part,” Christina says. “It’s also about hearing why mission is important,” Christina says. “Our missioners remind the people in the pew that our call to mission as Catholics is to give others an opportunity to share in the gift of our faith.”

Missioners also solicit prayers for the success of their ministry as well as for vocations to priesthood and religious life.

For Father Dan Dorsey, president of Glenmary, the presentations offer a chance to tell others about Glenmary and, even more important, to remind them that there are mission areas in the United States that aren’t being served and are in real need.

But sometimes he’s preaching to the choir. “Usually we [Glenmarians giving appeals] run into someone who knows a Glenmarian or is involved with Glenmary in one way or another,” he says. “Then we have the opportunity to thank them in person for their support.”

Father Neil Pezzulo adds that his travels throughout the country serve as a reminder to him of the width and breadth of the Catholic Church. “Going out on appeals serves as a reminder that my ministry is only part of the overall ministry of the Church,” he says. “I also hope we give a little of the ‘flavor’ of a Glenmary parish and missioner.”

Part of that flavor, Christina laughs, is the ability Glenmarians have for “traveling cheap.” “We need to be good stewards and we really try hard to keep travel expenses to about 6.5 percent of what we take in,” she says.

Each appeal season brings challenges and provides many blessings, both for those who hear the appeals and those who give them. “It’s exciting to be part of facilitating the process that helps others learn about Glenmary’s work,” Christina says.