By PAT HENNESSY
Fairfield County Catholic, February 24, 2007

"When you're working in religious education, it's important to have support outside your parish," says Roseann D'Aureli, director of religious education at Saint Patrick Parish in Redding Ridge. Saint Patrick's has 215 children in its religious education program. The figure represents an enormous growth since D'Aureli took the position of DRE five years ago.

As she deals with the challenges of that growth, D'Aureli is grateful to the assistance offered Saint Patrick's through the ministries and programs supported by the Annual Bishop's Appeal. When the Appeal kicks off in all 87 parishes the weekend of March 3-4, the family of faith in the Diocese of Bridgeport will have the chance once again to realize that making a sacrificial gift both helps them and lets them help others.

"WHEN YOU'RE WORKING IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, it's important to have support outside your parish," says Roseann D'Aureli, director of religious education at Saint Patrick Parish in Redding Ridge (conferring above with Parish Secretary Anne McSherry). D'Aureli is grateful to the assistance offered to Saint Patrick's through the ministries and programs supported by the Annual Bishop's Appeal. (PHOTO BY JOHN GLOVER)

"Living Our Faith"

The Appeal is the single most important fundraiser for the essential programs and ministries of the Catholic Church in Fairfield County. The theme for this year's Appeal is "Living Our Faith." The goal is $10.5 million. Last year's goal, $10 million, was exceeded by 22 percent, with $12.3 million received, and 85 of 87 parishes met or passed their goal.

"We simply cannot do the Lord's work without the generosity of the faithful through the Appeal," says Bishop William E. Lori. He points to many accomplishments over the past year, made possible by funding from the Appeal: the reopening of two Catholic schools, Saint Augustine's in Bridgeport and Sacred Heart in Stamford; the launching of the Pastoral Plan for Evangelization; the introduction of a new Parish Finance Services program to assist pastors, staff, and volunteers with day-to-day parish operations and to enhance diocesan- wide financial transparency; and the creation of two new full-time Catholic chaplaincy positions at local hospitals.

"The Catholic Church is always there, 24/7," the bishop continues. "As we continue our program of services to the poor, food for the hungry, and educating our children in the faith, we hope everyone will consider a gift as an expression of 'Living Our Faith.'"

Prayer Requests

Clergy and laity have been actively organizing this year's Appeal with the Pastors' Advisory Committee and the Lay Advisory Committee. To spread the word, a speakers' bureau will offer talks after Sunday Mass. And making a gift is easier than ever by using a credit card on the secure donations page on the website: click here.

A popular feature of the 2006 Appeal has been continued for 2007: the prayer request section of the Appeal brochure, which is being mailed to every household. In recent years, donors had written on the back of their pledge cards, inviting Bishop Lori to pray for a loved one, or a special intention. Now there is a dedicated spot in the brochure to submit a request, which will be remembered at Mass by the bishop.

Building Up the Church

Contributions to the Appeal help to build up the life of the Church throughout Fairfield County. They provide for the education of seminarians entering the Saint John Fisher Seminary Residence in Stamford and care for the needs of retired priests. The generosity of Catholics in parishes scattered throughout the diocese will ensure that senior citizens in hospitals and nursing homes have the services of a priest. Through the marriage tribunal they will help couples struggling through the annulment process. They assist the education of the newest generation of Catholics both through 39 Catholic schools and 87 parish religious education programs. Ethnic ministries nurture the faith lives of African-American, Hispanic, and Haitian Catholics.

Catholic Charities receives 14 percent of the Appeal. Through hubs in the major cities of Fairfield County, Catholic Charities offers 30 communitybased services delivered throughout the county. Because it includes everything from early childhood consultation services to senior nutrition feeding sites (700,000 meals served last year), and has programs to assist with immigration, welfare-to-work, affordable housing, and a host of other services, support of Catholic Charities through the Appeal allows Catholics to help their neighbors in need, without regard for religious affiliation.

For parishes across Fairfield County, the programs and services funded by the Annual Appeal are a lifeline, providing resources to help them fulfill their mission at the local level.

At Saint Patrick's, D'Aureli is appreciative of the assistance offered through the diocesan Office for Pastoral Services. "Even though I had worked as a catechist and an assistant in the religious education office, it was a big change when I became DRE," she says. "For me, the saving grace was the regular meetings of DREs in my vicariate. I could ask questions and share ideas with DREs from other parishes."

Close-Knit Group

Because of the small size of vicariate meetings, religious education directors in Vicariate V (the northern part of Fairfield County) have become a close-knit group, always available to help one another. "Because we're so close, I can go to my pastor and say, 'I'd like to try this. I know a person who is involved in that capacity in our parish,'" D'Aureli says.

She appreciates the effort the staff of Pastoral Services makes to attend vicariate meetings and listen to the challenges and achievements of the DREs. "Having a representative from the diocese is wonderful," she says. "It's easer to get to know them in a smaller group, and you're more comfortable asking questions you might not bring up in a larger meeting."

The diocese's expanse is greatest from north to south, and the presence of members of Pastoral Services helps shrink the distance from the northern parishes to coastal Bridgeport. "Because of the rapport I've developed with the staff at the Catholic Center, they've become part of our parish family," D'Aureli says. "I feel comfortable picking up the phone and calling them."

As a result, D'Aureli felt confident when Pastoral Services asked Saint Patrick's to host a course in the Saint Cyril of Jerusalem School of Formation. "That's huge for us," she says. "We had a good turnout, not just from Ridgefield and Bethel but from Stamford and Shelton. We feel like we're a real, vibrant part of the diocese."

Close to Home

While Saint Patrick's is in the northern tier of the diocese, Holy Trinity Parish claims its northernmost tip. Over 40 miles and more than an hour's drive from the Catholic Center in Bridgeport, its parishioners, too, feel the benefit of the Annual Bishop's Appeal in their home parish even as they generously assist the needs of the diocese and the county at large.

"Our parish is really on the young side," says Michelle Curnan, who became DRE of Holy Trinity in the fall of 2005. With 500 registered families, Holy Trinity can boast of 235 students in its religious education program.

Understandably, the young and growing parish wanted to arrange a convenient Virtus: Protecting God's Children training session for its volunteers. Virtus training is headed by Erin Neil, director of Safe Environments for the diocese. More than 40,000 clergy, employees, volunteers, parents, and children in the diocese have received the awareness training since the founding of the Safe Environments program in 2003.

"When I spoke to Erin, she was immediately responsive," says Curnan. "The session was posted on the diocesan website the same day I talked to her."

Equally useful, Curnan says, is that the site lists all Virtus training sites and dates in the diocese, with the ability for each person to pre-register at a convenient date and location. "They can go to the Virtus website (www.virtus.org) and see what works for them."

It can be uncomfortable to learn about sexual predators and ways to keep children safe when the topic is discussed in a large conference surrounded by strangers. But in a friendly, local setting the topic is easier to discuss.

"We have volunteers and new catechists from surrounding parishes signing up," says Curnan. "We're trying to encourage all our parents to go, too. It's really valuable for parents to understand what's out there. One of our parishioners, Dr. Janice Jordan, has trained as a Virtus facilitator. Parents have worshipped with her on Sunday, and they're familiar with her."

Because of the support given by the Appeal to the ministries of the diocese, parishioners can learn to protect their children's safety at a time that works best for them, and in a location that feels comfortable.

Family of Faith

Tiny Saint Ladislaus Parish in South Norwalk is as different from its northern cousins as a parish can get. It sits a mile from the waters of Long Island Sound in an older residential neighborhood. Yet its concerns and generosity are equally as great. North or south, all parishes in the diocese make up the family of faith that supports and benefits from the Annual Bishop's Appeal. In so doing, they are active participants in the Body of Christ, the Church.

"The Appeal is not just another thing we have to do," says Father Michael Bachman, Saint Ladislaus' pastor. Just as with his counterparts, he can say with certainty, "They do it from their own spirit, their own pride in their Church."

(Donations to the 2007 Annual Bishop's Appeal can be made securely online using a credit card: click here. For more information on the Appeal, inquire at your parish, or call the Development Office: 416-1479.)

Back to Fairfield County Catholic