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February 24, 2022 madisoncatholicherald.org
WE SHALL OPEN THE WAY FOR THE GOSPEL
BY NATHAN SIMMONS
Justice and Pastoral Outreach
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s a father, I have real- ized the extent to which I am under the proverbial microscope at any given moment. My children are always watching, soaking up every intentional (and uninten- tional) lesson I teach them. That carries with it a great level of responsibility, a great need for exhibiting virtue. Reflecting on my failings in this regard, I see the im- portance of putting the best foot forward at all times, lest I teach the wrong lesson. That same mindset should follow into our lives as Chris- tians, lest we push others away from Christ. We should always be put- ting our best foot forward, willing to share our faith, our hope, and Christ's love with those around us. That is to say, we should be ready to evangelize. Pope Francis reminds all of us of our call to spread the Gospel in his apostolic exhor- tation Evangelii Gaudium : In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become mission- ary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evan- gelization . . . Being a disci- ple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey. As things have opened back up from their COVID- induced hibernation, Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison has been traveling through- out the diocese and continues to see firsthand the fruits of programs of service and Christian charity, and how they go hand-in-hand with evangelization. Reflecting on this, the bishop remarked, "When we genuinely love others, it cre- ates that curiosity of, 'What's your motivation in doing this? You are not getting anything out of this.' That's where we can ideally share our motivation being the love of Christ and our faith in Jesus and the power of the Gospel. Serving those in need opens the way for the Gospel to be preached in people's lives and hearts." There are so many oppor- tunities to share the love of Jesus in our daily lives. One very effective way is through support of the myr- iad initiatives funded through the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). The ACA provides the means for programs and ef- forts that help to bring others to Christ by showcasing His love and setting the founda- tion for a just society for peo- ple at all stages of life. We are able to support the work of Catholic Charities, the Catholic Multicultural Center, the Society of St. Vin- cent de Paul, women's health clinics offering prenatal and postnatal care. Additionally, this year we have also been able to take a collaborative role with other faith groups and civil author- ities in focusing on address- ing the scourge of human trafficking, and we now have a developing relationship with the Diocese of Jacmel in Haiti. These are all made possi- ble by the generosity of the faithful in the Diocese of Madison to the ACA. As Christians, we are called to lives of service. We are called to be transformed by our relationship with God, inspiring us to care for every person, who has been made in His image and likeness. Bishop Hying summarized the importance of Christian charity by stating, "All as- pects of our humanity have been redeemed in Christ, so the mission of the Church isn't only the salvation of souls, although that is the es- sential and primary goal, but is also about helping people live an abundant life of jus- tice, mercy, joy, and relation- ship with God and each other, realizing their human dignity now in this world." So, please, consider fur- ther support of the Annual Catholic Appeal. Let us collectively put our best foot forward and help to open the way for the Gospel in the lives of those around us!
Donate online at madison diocese.org/ch
Called to lives of service
Bishop Donald J. Hying and leaders from the Diocese of Madison, right, sign a Memo of Understanding for a covenant of charity, prayer, and solidarity with the Diocese of Jacmel in Haiti and Bishop Marie Erick Touissant via a Zoom call last year.
(Contributed photo)
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ake a moment to think about all the ways God has blessed you, and all that He has given to you. As Catholics, we know that everything we have is a gift from God - we are not owners of anything, but rather stewards of all He has provided to us. In stewarding His gifts, it is important that we think about the future, to ensure the important ministries of our Catholic faith are alive and well for generations to come. A planned gift to the Dio- cese of Madison provides an opportunity to make an im- pact in the areas that mean the most to you and your family. There are many ways to make a planned gift, and anyone, even those with a modest estate can help to secure the future of our Church with a planned gift. The Diocese of Madison can talk through options with you and decide which of the following planned gifts could be most benefi- cial: IRA Required Distribu- tions Donor Advised Funds Charitable Gift Annu- ities Charitable Trusts Beneficiary Designa- tions Endowments Bequests To learn more about how you can make a difference, visit www.madison diocese.org/plannedgiving or contact Jill McNally at 608-821-3039 or Jill.McNally@madison diocese.org
What will your Catholic legacy be?
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