When I was a kid, we had cool little envelopes that we could put spare change in and put into the collection basket at church when it was passed. They handed them out to us at school (it was a parochial school, of course) and we used them at Mass. They weren't big - at most you could fit two quarters and possibly a dime. And there was barely enough lick-and-seal on the back to hold it shut, so Scotch tape became half the weight of the overall, ready-to-deposit package. But it was a good lesson in giving and stewardship, and it provided the good feeling and grace of being able to contribute when everyone else did during the collection at Mass.Nowadays, things aren't all that different. Suzanne and I get a packet of envelopes in the mail every two months. They have our household number pre-printed (to aid in tax deduction accounting) and there's an envelope for every week, plus for special Masses and feast days. You still couldn't fit much more than two quarters and possibly a dime into them, but they're now conveniently just wide enough to fit a check into on a good day.
We make every effort to give generously out of the abundance with which we've been blessed, and our parish makes every effort. In fact, on the offertory envelope (using just one check), we can designate amounts for (1) the general parish operating fund, (2) the "Protecting Parish Pride" (building renovation / improvement) fund, (3) the school operating fund, and (4) a write-in space to contribute to any other ministry or project at the parish. Some weeks, we can't give as much. Some weeks, we're able to contribute a bit more. But such is the life of giving, I suppose.
This year at Holy Family, we've implemented a new program to bring back childrens' stewardship AND to encourage Mass attendance by our parish school families (which had been dwindling in recent years.)
As recently as last year, the average percentage of eligible (Catholic) school children who were at Sunday Mass each week was as low as 40%.
As a parish pastoral council, along with the school board, we advised encouraged Father to confront this problem in a very straightforward way that also contributed to the idea of encouraging childrens' stewardship.
A new requirement was put in place at the beginning of this school year that all Catholic school children were expected to be at Mass every weekend. If the child and family could not attend Mass for one reason or another, a written explanation from the parents was to be sent to Father. If the family was away or traveling, a priest-signed bulletin from the parish that was visited would suffice.
Here's the kicker: Catholic parishioner school families that did not fulfill this requirement this year would be assessed the higher, non-parishioner tuition starting next school year.
Father composed a beautiful letter that was also signed - in concurrence - by the principal and by the parish pastoral council chairman. (The full text of the letter is after the jump, and a PDF of it is here.) It was mailed to all school families over the summer, given to them at school business day at the start of the school year, and printed in the parish bulletin for the parish at large to read.
There was some grumbling up front, for the first couple of weeks. But it quickly subsided. And we started to see more and more and more new, young, faces at Mass. Young families that we had never (or very seldom) seen before.
And now, a few months in, they continue to join us every Sunday. And the less-than-enthusiastic faces are turning into happy faces, glad to be part of the community and to worship and participate in the Mass.
The kids have envelopes on which they write their name. They can or can't put an offering (there's no requirement thereof) depending on circumstances. And they bring their envelope up to a special "Childrens Envelopes" basket in front of the altar before Mass begins.
At the very end of Mass, Father gives them an added bonus (which also helps ensure they stay to the very end)... he draws one envelope from the basket and calls the child forward to receive a small gift (usually a candy bar.) Only once has the family already left when the child's name was called, and that becomes quite a different story.
The kids are also able to write something on the envelope that expresses some act of mercy they've performed through the week, something they're thankful for, or some talent with which they've been blessed that they can offer to others. Here's a sampling from the last few months of those notes on the kids' envelopes:
- I pray for all the poor, that they may have a warm bed to sleep in every night.
- The talent God gave me is handstands.
- I said the Divine Mercy Prayer for my Grandpa sick in the hospital.
- I pray for all the sick and homeless animals in the world, and for all of them who are endangered.
- I tried to include a classmate at recess when he was by himself.
- God loves us and takes care of us always.
- I would like to thank you for the wonderful world I live in, The wonderful family I have. Also to all the brave soldiers who protect us.
- I thank you for dying on the cross for us, and lastly, I want to thank you for making me!
But more notably, in just a few short months, bringing back the childrens' envelopes tied in with an effort to get our school kids and their families back to Sunday Mass, has been an overwhelming success. The percentage of eligible (Catholic) school students who are at Sunday Mass has risen from around 40% last year to over 90% this year.
Not to mention the best part of it - the increased participation in our community of all of the families that we had been missing for so very long.
Praise be to God!
(Don't forget - the letter that started the whole thing is after the jump.)
______________
The full text of the letter that was mailed to school parents and printed in the parish bulletin to kick off this program:
From the desk of Fr. Larry
This Pastoral Letter is being sent to all registered parents who have children attending Holy Family School. It is the intention of this pastor to put into place a procedure whereby we can better determine our effectiveness in fulfilling our obligation to instill in our children the importance of building a spiritual life, a faith life, a Catholic life.
I am proud to be the pastor of Holy Family Parish. I am also proud and supportive of our school. We enjoy such a good reputation. However, this sentiment is not shared by many priests today. A parish school can be a serious drain on the budget of a struggling parish. And, unfortunately, many parishes find themselves in a struggling situation these days. What exasperates the problem is that we are not seeing the results one would hope for from having a parish supported "Catholic" school. The main purpose for having a Catholic school is to provide a holistic educational experience which addresses both the spiritual and academic formation of our students. One of the most significant measures to gauge whether or not we are being successful, in delivering the spiritual aspect of the mission, is to observe how many Catholic parents and children are attending Mass on the weekends.
This letter is being written with the belief that every Catholic parent wants to provide their children with a holistic educational experience which passes on to their children the beauty and richness of their religion. This, after all, should be the reason for sending your children to a Catholic school in the first place. You want your child to have the best academic education possible so they will have a good foundation when going on to high school and college. The Granite City School District can deliver such an education. Catholic parents seek out a Catholic school, because they also want their children to have the best possible spiritual foundation, to help their children face the difficulties of the real world when they themselves become adults. The Granite City School District cannot fulfill this vitally important part of a holistic education.
As each year goes by, it becomes more evident that we need to focus our resources on making sure that our parish supports a Catholic school for Catholic families, who wish to instill Catholic values in their children. The gold coin project has made it painfully clear that we are failing in getting a considerable percentage of our registered Catholic families to bring their children to Mass on the weekends. We have been able to distribute a gold coin to only 50% of all the children who are eligible to receive one, letting us come to the conclusion that the other 50% are treating Holy Family school as a subsidized private school. If we are to fund a private school, then we must be willing to charge priÂvate school tuition rates. It is unreasonable to continually ask our aging parishioners to subsidize a school for people not wishing to comply with the most basic precept of the church.
The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass." "The precept of participation in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day." Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2180. The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a seriÂous reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit grave sin. Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2181. Somewhere along the line, people have forgotten this basic premise of our faith. It is my job as pastor to re-instill this understanding.
Therefore, we are launching a new policy for Holy Family Catholic School, to be implemented at the beginning of this coming 2008-09 School Year. This matter is of grave concern for me, and our Parish Pastoral Council and School Board share my frustration.
This school year, I am replacing the "Gold Coin System" with a "Children's Envelope System" to track the Mass attendance of our school children. No, it is not another money-making scheme! It is a good lesson to learn though, to give something back to God - a token of thanks for all the blessings he has bestowed on each and everyone of us. It is a good lesson to teach your child(ren) to sacrifice some of their allowance for their Sunday offering. But, if this is not possible, that's okay. Just have the child write a simple sentence about God, church, faith, etc and put that in the envelope.
The bottom line is, I want the envelope turned in at one of the weekend Masses as proof of their attendance at Mass. Each student will be expected to write their name on the envelope and drop it in the collection basket. The envelopes will be tallied each month. And, as with the Gold Coin System, if they attend Mass at a different church, or when they may be out of town, all they need to do is bring in a SIGNED (by the priest) bulletin from that church, and the bulletin will replace the need for an envelope for that Sunday. Please remember to write the child(ren)'s name on the bulletin.
Prior to the beginning of the school year 2009-10, if the student's attendance record indicates that they did not attend Sunday Mass without a written excuse from the parents, then that family will be charged a higher tuition rate for school year 2009-10 -- the Catholic Non-parishioner Tuition Rate, instead of the regular Holy Family Parishioner rate. I think that those of you who are actively participating will appreciate this action.
Attendance at Mass is the minimum requirement that I expect from our families. We have a Catholic School - not a Private School. Assuming that a God-centered education is a total parish priority, I cannot continue to ask, and expect, my parishioners to subsidize approximately 40% of the total cost of operating our school, for parents who cannot fulfill their Sunday obligation of bringing their child(ren) to Mass and thereby not participating in the life of the parish. This cannot be an unreasonable request.
As stated earlier, the "gold coin" policy was 50% effective. After tallying the Gold Coin attendance sheets for the 2007-08 School Year, the final figure was actually 44%, but I rounded it upwards, giving the benefit of doubt for any possible errors of missing someone inadvertently.
This is disgraceful. Why is this happening? Though we know that going to Mass is a good and necessary thing, we can talk ourselves out of going by focusing on the negatives. At first, we may feel a little guilty, but eventually, we justify our decision by convincing ourselves that we are too busy, too tired, too bored, or too frustrated. When that happens, we miss the great gift that God gives to us in the Eucharist.
The effects of a positive attitude regarding going to Mass may surprise you. Research studies show that people who go to church every week are:
Catholic education provides the opportunity to develop religious values and practices. The right to include God in the learning process, is available at a fraction of its worth, thanks to the many who built schools in the past and to the committed educators and supportive parish leaders of the present. The choice is yours, not mine. It is my duty, as your Pastor, to make sure our children keep religion in their daily lives. My goal is to continue to offer a quality program of Christian education to the children of Holy Family, and to the community at large.
In contrast to a luxury, the Catholic school is increasingly necessary in today's society. It exists not for personal enjoyment but contributes practically to the parish and diocese. I believe we need to offer Catholic education today wherever it is possible. But, we need to offer it to those who share the right reason for having Catholic Schools in the first place. The children's envelopes and a copy of this pastoral letter will be distributed on our school business day, August 4, 2008.
The choice is yours, not mine. I am anticipating your full cooperation. May God continue to bless you and yours abundantly, and as always, I will continue to pray for you. Please do the same for me.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Larry Brunette, Pastor
In Concurrence,
Mrs. Margaret Pennell, Principal
Mr. Michael Halbrook, President, Parish Pastoral Council
The full text of the letter that was mailed to school parents and printed in the parish bulletin to kick off this program:
From the desk of Fr. Larry
This Pastoral Letter is being sent to all registered parents who have children attending Holy Family School. It is the intention of this pastor to put into place a procedure whereby we can better determine our effectiveness in fulfilling our obligation to instill in our children the importance of building a spiritual life, a faith life, a Catholic life.
I am proud to be the pastor of Holy Family Parish. I am also proud and supportive of our school. We enjoy such a good reputation. However, this sentiment is not shared by many priests today. A parish school can be a serious drain on the budget of a struggling parish. And, unfortunately, many parishes find themselves in a struggling situation these days. What exasperates the problem is that we are not seeing the results one would hope for from having a parish supported "Catholic" school. The main purpose for having a Catholic school is to provide a holistic educational experience which addresses both the spiritual and academic formation of our students. One of the most significant measures to gauge whether or not we are being successful, in delivering the spiritual aspect of the mission, is to observe how many Catholic parents and children are attending Mass on the weekends.
This letter is being written with the belief that every Catholic parent wants to provide their children with a holistic educational experience which passes on to their children the beauty and richness of their religion. This, after all, should be the reason for sending your children to a Catholic school in the first place. You want your child to have the best academic education possible so they will have a good foundation when going on to high school and college. The Granite City School District can deliver such an education. Catholic parents seek out a Catholic school, because they also want their children to have the best possible spiritual foundation, to help their children face the difficulties of the real world when they themselves become adults. The Granite City School District cannot fulfill this vitally important part of a holistic education.
As each year goes by, it becomes more evident that we need to focus our resources on making sure that our parish supports a Catholic school for Catholic families, who wish to instill Catholic values in their children. The gold coin project has made it painfully clear that we are failing in getting a considerable percentage of our registered Catholic families to bring their children to Mass on the weekends. We have been able to distribute a gold coin to only 50% of all the children who are eligible to receive one, letting us come to the conclusion that the other 50% are treating Holy Family school as a subsidized private school. If we are to fund a private school, then we must be willing to charge priÂvate school tuition rates. It is unreasonable to continually ask our aging parishioners to subsidize a school for people not wishing to comply with the most basic precept of the church.
The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass." "The precept of participation in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day." Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2180. The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a seriÂous reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit grave sin. Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2181. Somewhere along the line, people have forgotten this basic premise of our faith. It is my job as pastor to re-instill this understanding.
Therefore, we are launching a new policy for Holy Family Catholic School, to be implemented at the beginning of this coming 2008-09 School Year. This matter is of grave concern for me, and our Parish Pastoral Council and School Board share my frustration.
This school year, I am replacing the "Gold Coin System" with a "Children's Envelope System" to track the Mass attendance of our school children. No, it is not another money-making scheme! It is a good lesson to learn though, to give something back to God - a token of thanks for all the blessings he has bestowed on each and everyone of us. It is a good lesson to teach your child(ren) to sacrifice some of their allowance for their Sunday offering. But, if this is not possible, that's okay. Just have the child write a simple sentence about God, church, faith, etc and put that in the envelope.
The bottom line is, I want the envelope turned in at one of the weekend Masses as proof of their attendance at Mass. Each student will be expected to write their name on the envelope and drop it in the collection basket. The envelopes will be tallied each month. And, as with the Gold Coin System, if they attend Mass at a different church, or when they may be out of town, all they need to do is bring in a SIGNED (by the priest) bulletin from that church, and the bulletin will replace the need for an envelope for that Sunday. Please remember to write the child(ren)'s name on the bulletin.
Prior to the beginning of the school year 2009-10, if the student's attendance record indicates that they did not attend Sunday Mass without a written excuse from the parents, then that family will be charged a higher tuition rate for school year 2009-10 -- the Catholic Non-parishioner Tuition Rate, instead of the regular Holy Family Parishioner rate. I think that those of you who are actively participating will appreciate this action.
Attendance at Mass is the minimum requirement that I expect from our families. We have a Catholic School - not a Private School. Assuming that a God-centered education is a total parish priority, I cannot continue to ask, and expect, my parishioners to subsidize approximately 40% of the total cost of operating our school, for parents who cannot fulfill their Sunday obligation of bringing their child(ren) to Mass and thereby not participating in the life of the parish. This cannot be an unreasonable request.
As stated earlier, the "gold coin" policy was 50% effective. After tallying the Gold Coin attendance sheets for the 2007-08 School Year, the final figure was actually 44%, but I rounded it upwards, giving the benefit of doubt for any possible errors of missing someone inadvertently.
This is disgraceful. Why is this happening? Though we know that going to Mass is a good and necessary thing, we can talk ourselves out of going by focusing on the negatives. At first, we may feel a little guilty, but eventually, we justify our decision by convincing ourselves that we are too busy, too tired, too bored, or too frustrated. When that happens, we miss the great gift that God gives to us in the Eucharist.
The effects of a positive attitude regarding going to Mass may surprise you. Research studies show that people who go to church every week are:
- Form a better relationship with God
- Less likely to suffer from depression.
- Less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol.
- More likely to have a solid sense of right and wrong.
- More likely to live a longer and a happier life.
Catholic education provides the opportunity to develop religious values and practices. The right to include God in the learning process, is available at a fraction of its worth, thanks to the many who built schools in the past and to the committed educators and supportive parish leaders of the present. The choice is yours, not mine. It is my duty, as your Pastor, to make sure our children keep religion in their daily lives. My goal is to continue to offer a quality program of Christian education to the children of Holy Family, and to the community at large.
In contrast to a luxury, the Catholic school is increasingly necessary in today's society. It exists not for personal enjoyment but contributes practically to the parish and diocese. I believe we need to offer Catholic education today wherever it is possible. But, we need to offer it to those who share the right reason for having Catholic Schools in the first place. The children's envelopes and a copy of this pastoral letter will be distributed on our school business day, August 4, 2008.
The choice is yours, not mine. I am anticipating your full cooperation. May God continue to bless you and yours abundantly, and as always, I will continue to pray for you. Please do the same for me.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Larry Brunette, Pastor
In Concurrence,
Mrs. Margaret Pennell, Principal
Mr. Michael Halbrook, President, Parish Pastoral Council
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