December 15, 2023 – Pastor’s Note

Actual Pastor’s Note

Outreach Envelope Update
If you click the online giving link on our website, you will notice that right beneath the parish tithe, there is an “Outreach” category. If you receive paper envelopes, you will notice monthly “Outreach Envelopes”. What are these about?

You can read some history and context here, but the short answer is that this is how we fund different charitable causes that the parish thinks it is important to support. Specifically, our Life, Justice, and Peace Commission sets the distribution percentages each year, and these percentages determine how each Outreach dollar is divided up.

The L-J-P Commission will be talking more about the Outreach Envelope in the coming months, but for now they have revised the distribution percentages, which will go into effect on January 01. See the “Parish News” section for that information. We will also try to publish some numbers in the New Year, so that you can how much has actually been given to whom over the last two years.

Getting Distracted at Mass
Over the last few months, I have had an increase in people confessing that they are getting distracted at Mass. So many, that I want to address that here in the bulletin.

First, getting distracted is itself not a sin. This is just something that happens to us. The sin comes with the choice. Once I notice that I am distracted, do I indulge in that distraction or do I try to turn back to prayer?

Second, Mass, liturgy, and all ritual is intentionally boring. The reason we use rituals as human beings, the reason we say nearly the same words at every single Mass, is because ritual takes away the emotional burden of creativity. If everything is new every time, a person has to expend a lot of energy to stay engaged and follow along. But if something is repetitive, it becomes easy and comforting. In this sense, I expect you to get distracted at Mass.

And that is intentional! We use comforting, repetitive rituals (another example is the Rosary) to distract the “squirrel parts” of our brain so that the higher parts of our brain are free to pray (i.e. “contemplate the mysteries”). The difference between distraction and prayer is just the subject matter. If you find yourself thinking about what you want for brunch after Mass, then yes, turn your mind back to God. But if you are thinking about your family, your friends, your job, your problems, or your blessings, then all you have to do is offer those thoughts up to the Lord! This is prayer! I promise you, I (and the Lord) am not offended if you do not catch every word of my homily or of the Eucharistic Prayer. We have a little bell to catch your attention again at the most important part, but otherwise, feel free to offer those “distractions” up on the altar.

Outreach Envelope Update (from later in the bulletin)

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us that when we serve the least of our brethren, we are serving him. The Outreach Envelope allows us, as a parish, to care for those who are poor; those with a financial or health crisis; the emotionally and physically handicapped; those unable to find adequate work; those who lack the necessities of life (food, shelter, clothing, healthcare); new mothers, young families, local and migrant farmworkers, and education/advocacy ministries.

The Outreach Envelope distribution percentages are determined by the parish Life, Justice, and Peace Commission, which consists of representatives from parish ministries related to those areas. The Commission has revised the distribution percentages for 2024, which are presented below, and which will apply to all donations starting on January 01, 2024. 

Organization	2022 – 2023 Distribution	2024 Distribution	Organization	2022 – 2023 Distribution	2024 Distribution
Local Aid to the Poor			Pro-Life
Hope House1	50%	50%	Prepares4	3.33%	5%
Interfaith Coalition	15%	15%	Project Rachel4	3.33%	2.5%
Lighthouse Mission2	10%	7%	Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic4	3.33%	2.5%
Shoulder-to-Shoulder	5%	5%	Welcome Baby5	0%	5%
Agape Service Project3	0%	5%
Other
International Relief6	5%	0%	L-J-P Discretionary8	0%	3%
Emergency Fund7	5%	0%

1. The Outreach Envelope does not pay for Hope House supplies, staffing, physical location or repairs. Instead, this funds “Assumption Financial Assistance” which is distributed at Hope House for small needs (like a replacement driver’s’ license, prescriptions, or gas for a vehicle) that are not typically covered by CCS.
2. While the work of the Mission is vital to the homeless, there are many other local donors.
3. A local, Catholic project that collaborates closely with our parish.
4. Both these organizations do good work but have many other local and regional donors. PREPARES, however, relies more on local funding.
5. A parish ministry that does not otherwise have a funding source.
6. The consensus of the L-J-P Commission is that this is already covered in the Archdiocesan CRS Collection (that also supports USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human development, Migrant and Refugee Service, Holy Father’s, Relief Fund, and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc.-CLINIC), CRS Rice Bowl, Peter’s Pence, Holy Land Good Friday, and the World Missions collection. If there’s an emergency such as Ukraine and Gaza, then the parish puts in the bulletin the link to CRS website for parishioners to contribute directly.
7.  Our hope is that Shoulder-to-Shoulder (for parishioners) and Hope House (for others) already adequately address the causes this fund would be used for.
8. This will provide funding for supplies, registrations for other ministries in the parish that focus on faith justice education and advocacy (Creation Care, Pax Christi, Pro-Life, JustFaith/JustReads, CRS Chapter)

Any feedback on the Outreach Envelope program and the changes is welcomed. Contact Kathy Ernst, parish staff liaison to the Life, Justice, and Peace Commission, at kathye@assumption.org or (360) 733-1380.