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Priest Retirement and Seminarian Education
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 26 April 2012 19:40
- Written by Father Brooks Beaulaurier
My Brother Priests,
I hope that this note finds you well as we rejoice in the risen Lord.
A short reminder to you of the upcoming Special Collection for Priest Retirement and Seminarian Education. This year it will be taken up at all the Masses in the Diocese of Yakima the weekend of May 19 and May 20, 2012.
As you may recall, this Special Collection has taken on great importance in recent years as the diocese continues in our efforts to stabilize the funding for both retired priests as well as for seminarians. Currently financial support for our retired priests (and for those who will retire) is underfunded by 37%. As for our seminarians, the financial support is underfunded by 90%. Both of these percentages are measured against the funding level, the amount of money, needed to sustain, or to endow, these programs into the future and in turn to ensure a more healthy and dynamic local church in the years to come.
As was the case last year, our office is providing bi-lingual, custom collection envelopes and bi-lingual collection posters (three per parish) should be delivered to your parish office, in the same box as the envelopes, no later than May 2, 2012. The numbers of envelopes you will receive tracks directly with the total number of parish bulletins you print as well as extras for placement in the pew and in the back of your church.
The bulletin count is taken from information gathered from your parish last year for this same purpose – with adjustments made by several pastors, all of whom I spoke with directly. The envelopes are for distribution in advance of the collection placement inside the parish bulletin, but also for placement in the pews as well as at the back of the church. Several of the pastors are also mailing them to their parishioners with their own letter asking for their support of these worthy causes.
Also as was the case last year we ask that the retired priests of the diocese, if possible, be present on the altar at a parish during one or more of the Masses this particular weekend. We are also asking our seminarians to be present and to be seen (on the altar) at their local parish the weekend of the Special Collection.
On behalf of Bishop Tyson, I ask you to vigorously support this collection, to distribute the collection materials provided to your parish, and as well to exhort your parishioners to generously give to this need.
Thank you for your help in this most important matter.
Should you have any questions, please contact me.
Rev. Brooks F. Beaulaurier
Director of Development and Stewardship
Priest Retirement and Seminarian Education