There I was, sitting at my desk signing checks, and I realized I was smiling.
No, that does not happen often. Oh, I smile often enough; and I sign checks more than enough; it is the combination of the two that is rare.
Ron Farias, Saint Bernadette Business Manager Extraordinaire, governs our outflow judiciously. He prepares checks in response to bills and other obligations, and gives them to me by the batch for my signature. He uses his distinctive Red Folder so I know the pile inside is from him, and tries to leave them on my desk when I am not looking, because he knows smiling is not my usual response to a pile of checks.
But right there in the midst of my midweek stack of checks, I was signing and smiling, because I was sending out what you had given to the Community Fund.
It always cheers me to send something to the Little Sisters of the Poor. Likewise, Centro Tepeyac, Saint Joseph House, Gabriel Project, and MUSST (ministries United of Silver Spring/Takoma Park). Others among our joyful disbursements include A Wider Circle, Catholic Charities, Gift of Peace, Holy Cross Hospice, House of Ruth, SOME, Shepherd’s Table, the Spanish Catholic Center, and of course the Mulholland Foundation.
How do we decide who gets what from your contributions? Our Allocation Committee, under the leadership of the indomitable and inimitable Ruthann Arnsberger, reviews the requests we get, watches the contributions we receive, and assigns amounts. The checks go out in batches, the ones that make me smile.
Most of the recipients are “frequent flyers” – that is, groups we routinely support. Because of our relationship with them, sometimes they will call for a particular need the agency lacks the resources to meet. For example, Catholic Charities may call about a family on the verge of a utilities cutoff, and if we can cover half the bill, they can cover the rest. Maybe MUSST calls with someone who cannot meet rent payments and is on the verge of eviction, and could we provide $400 toward that. We respond quickly to those, as we can, because the agency verifies the need and the recipient, and makes certain that the funds go directly to the declared purpose. Because we here at the rectory lack the resources to do that sort of control, we in turn refer people with larger needs to these same agencies. We may then wind up providing most of the funds, but the agency helps with this necessary verification.
When I looked up from my happy check-signing and remembered that this is the weekend for our monthly collection for the Community Fund, I thought it was a good time to let you know how your contributions go to the assistance of the local poor, as you have heard it said so many times.
It also might help you find yourself signing a check, and smiling.
Monsignor Smith
