July 12, 2026, 12:00 PM
Let me talk about money today.
But, before you stop reading, it’s not going to be an ask for more money. Instead, I want to share about money we’ve received.
Recently we learned that the Diocese has responded positively to St Ann and St Boniface Parishes’ requests for grants from the diocesan Social Justice and Faith Formation programs. This isn’t our first time around. We’ve received these monies in the past. But, sometimes we take the grants for granted! We should be aware of the commitment that our Diocese makes to our programming in our parish communities.
First, on the faith formation front: We’ve received funding this fiscal year to support the very well-received Women’s Retreat and the Steubenville Youth Conference. Both offer opportunities for our people to grow spiritually—and to make connections with fellow Catholics.
Secondly, on the social justice side: We’ve received generous support to the Mary Carlucci Food Pantry. (That pantry is the one that gets the food you put in the bins in our churches. It’s the place we send folks when they come to our door looking to feed their families.) For the first time, we’ve asked and received $5,000 to help people in search of temporary housing. Too many folks are trying to manage by sleeping in cars and camping in the woods—mind you, as their “normal” way to find shelter. We’re responding by trying to fill in the gaps. Other churches, other organizations run the shelters, help people find low-income housing, etc. But, we’re able to put a person or a family in a hotel during the days before they find a more stable solution.
Now, I said these words weren’t going to be about your contributions. But, in a sense they are. When we receive—as we have for years—grants from the Diocese, we’re receiving from the Catholic Ministries Appeal. Those funds come from parishioners across these eleven counties. They come from you—as we support the mission of Christ throughout our Diocese, in all our parishes. So, thank you! You’ve given women and young people the space to powerfully and prayerfully experience their faith. You’ve given food to the hungry. You’ve brought a homeless person out of the woods into a warm room. And we all know where that lands us: “I was hungry and you gave Me to eat…. I was a stranger and you welcomed Me.”
Fr. McCreary
