Catholics from across archdiocese attend Miter Society Mass
Janis and Gordon Becker, members of St. John the Apostle Parish in Bloomington, kneel in prayer during the Miter Society Mass on May 5 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)
By Sean Gallagher
The economy has been challenging for all Hoosiers the past few years.
But that didn’t keep a growing number of Catholics in central and southern Indiana from making major contributions to the Christ Our Hope: Compassion in Community annual archdiocesan stewardship appeal.
Those who contribute $1,500 or more to the appeal become part of the archdiocese’s Miter Society.
It is one way that the archdiocese honors those who, through their significant contributions, help to support Catholic schools, Catholic Charities, priestly formation for seminarians and the support of retired priests.
At a reception following a Mass for members of the Miter Society on May 5 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis, Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel, vicar general, noted that a record 526 households across the archdiocese qualified for the society through their participation in last fall’s Christ Our Hope appeal.
“The previous record before that was 470,” Msgr. Schaedel said. “That’s about a 12 percent increase despite the economic times that we’re in.”
Together, the 526 households contributed $1.38 million to Christ Our Hope.
Approximately 100 members of the Miter Society were on hand for the Mass and the reception that followed. They came from 26 parishes and nine of the archdiocese’s 11 deaneries.
Ralph Pratt, 89, came to the Mass from Chicago, where he had been visiting relatives. A retired physician who is a member of Prince of Peace Parish in Madison, Pratt once lived near the cathedral while he was a medical student in Indianapolis more than 50 years ago.
Calling himself “the most fortunate man alive,” Pratt was received into the full communion of the Church in 1942 at the time of his marriage to Lucille, his Catholic fiancé, shortly before he was deployed as a member of the U.S. Army in World War II. He served in France, Germany and Austria.
Ralph and Lucille eventually adopted three children through Catholic Charities in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a ministry he still supports today.
“It’s a good cause, certainly,” Pratt said. “It’s wonderful. I’m in favor of it.”
On the night of the Miter Society Mass, Gordon and Janis Becker, members of St. John the Apostle Parish in Bloomington, celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary.
Both in their late 50s, the Beckers were glad to worship with Catholics from across the archdiocese.
“It is exciting,” Janis said. “We realize that we are one family in Christ, all brothers and sisters. So we enjoy and feel a part of being in that family.
“We go to a lot of different churches, especially when we’re on vacation. We feel just as much a part of them as we do our own.”
Janis Becker’s comments were echoed by Norm and Gerrie Kurchan, longtime members of St. Pius X Parish in Indianapolis and the Miter Society.
“It’s great to meet new people,” said Gerrie. “We have the same goal in mind, to support the archdiocese.”
“We’re all part of the same body of Christ,” said Norm. “This helps you to realize that as you meet people and talk to people from north to south.”
Pratt, the Beckers and the Kurchans have been members of the Miter Society for many years.
Chris Hagemeier, however, became a member of the Miter Society for the first time this year. A member of SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi Parish in Greenwood, Hagemeier, 40, appreciated the society’s Mass and reception.
“I think it’s a great event,” he said. “When we donated, we certainly weren’t looking at this for being the reason to donate. We just wanted to try to help out and do what we could extra on the tithing side of it. This is kind of the icing on the cake, if you will—being able to come together and see all the different people that are contributing.”
(For more information on the Miter Society, log on to www.archindy.org/ChristOurHope/miter.html.) †
