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April 8, 2021We have been invited to support and participate in the Annual Catholic Appeal. The life of the archdiocese and many of its ministries, services and apostolates are supported by it and depend on our participation. Every year the archbishop makes an invitation for all Catholics in the archdiocese to contribute their donations. These donations are in addition to our offering at our parish.
The problem is that, as Hispanics, we do not have the culture of giving so ingrained. One of the values that I most admire in North American culture is precisely its generosity. The American Catholic is very generous. The amount of monetary gifts that are made, the involvement in community service, non-profit organizations, etc., are without a doubt a great blessing for the Church.
The Church in Latin America, however, was founded differently. It was the mission of New Spain. They provided for us, they sent us missionaries, they built our churches. The bad influence of the trauma of corruption does not help us either. At all times we are thinking that the money we will offer will be used in a bad way. It is understandable; we certainly have suffered with this issue.
The word used in Spanish to refer to the offering we put in the basket during Mass is alms … as if it were something we have left over. However, the proper word is offering. It is an act of gratitude. Before any other identity, the most important one is that we are sons and daughters of God. The Lord has made us his and everything we have and are is a gift of his, of his love for us.
And, he not only loves us to the degree of giving us everything we have and are, but he considers us trustworthy by giving us everything we have and are. He considers us trustworthy to be stewards of all the blessings that he gives us every day – health, work, family, our material goods, life, etc. And, since we are his trustworthy sons and daughters, we cannot help but respond with gratitude, loving him the same way because "love is repaid with love" as the Spanish saying goes.
That is why, when we come to meet the Lord at Mass, we do not come empty handed. We bring an offering of thanksgiving. We don’t come to give him leftovers. In fact, when friends invite us to their house for dinner, the first thing we ask him is, what do you want me to bring? We do not arrive empty handed. We want to be grateful for opening the door.
So, it is with the Lord. He opens the doors of his family, the Church, and invites us to his table. We can only show loving gratitude.
In a similar way it happens with the Annual Catholic Appeal. Once a year, the archbishop invites us to join in the mission, not only of our parish, but of the entire archdiocese. Through the archdiocese many ministries and services are possible. As Catholics we have the privilege of being able to participate. It is not just a responsibility, but a privilege. We have the opportunity to do our part in the great mission of the Church.
In many churches and denominations, members are required to share a tithe, 10 percent of their income. But, if we at least offer in our parish one hour of what we work and another hour in the Annual Catholic Appeal, our Church and parish would be strengthened. We would be saying thank you God for considering us your trustworthy children, and lovingly return something that is already yours.
Everyone knows what they can give and offer, what is important is that every Catholic participates actively in the life of the Church and this is a perfect opportunity.