Leaving a Legacy for our parish family

 

My church parish is the cradle of my family’s faith

Cory J. Howat
Guest Columnist, Clarion Herald

My mom always reiterated with my brothers and me when we were children: “One thing you will always have is your name; you’d better protect it as generations before you have.”

  Her staunch, motherly wisdom taught us to know that our name was tied to what we did, and that what we did, would be how we would be remembered.

I didn’t realize it then, but that was a foundational lesson in legacy.

Legacy took on a much deeper dimension when my wife and I had our own children. I was able to fully appreciate legacy as the spiritual and material impact you have on this world using the gifts that God has given you.

Spiritual impact

I have fond memories of my paternal grandparents, whom we lovingly called Memere and Pepere.  I still have some small decorations and reminders of them around the house that remain sentimental and dear to me today. Especially during the holidays, I love to share stories and talk about them with my own children. But those material items fade in comparison to their spiritual legacy, a legacy of faith they passed on to us.

I remember attending Mass with them at their parish in Gentilly. Their parish was an extension of the family, so much so that my parents met at the parish. That same parish would eventually become my baptismal name.

The significance of the parish in my family’s life helped elevate it to become part of our legacy.

Material impact

Although we often interpret legacy in our own way, there is no denying the impact that a person makes on the world often is measured materially.  The Church calls us to provide for our families and loved ones, and this is a primary call.

The Gospels also call us to be our brother’s keeper, and that is often considered while thinking of charitable giving as part of one’s planned or legacy giving.

Sadly, our parishes often get overlooked as part of that charitable giving despite that neighborhood church being an extension of our family. I have come to appreciate that the different parishes our family attended (over a few generations) weren’t just “another charity.” Our parish was the place where we encountered our Creator, where we found grace, mercy and love in the sacraments. Our parish was the manifestation of our Catholic faith, and our touchpoint in relationships with the community including many parish priests.

So, when I reflect on our legacy, I think of how I can care for my parish. My wife and I want part of our legacy to be that we invested in the spiritual future of our own children and parishioners for years to come. My parents did.  My parents’ parents did.

I invite you to be on the lookout this weekend for an initiative of the Catholic Community Foundation called “Legacy Sunday.” Parishes across our archdiocese will be encouraging you to help discover your spiritual and material legacy. Some free resources will be offered along with an invitation to think about what impact you will have through your values and your valuables.

Please consider reflecting on your legacy during this unique time in the new year. Please consider also caring for your parish as part of your legacy.

In a spirit of gratitude, I am able to reflect on this deep appreciation for the role our parishes have played in our family’s legacy. So, it only makes sense that care for the parish would be a part of our own legacy.

For more details on Legacy Sunday (an initiative of the Catholic Community Foundation – CCF) and to find free resources to help you in your legacy discovery, visit www.ccfnola.org/legacysunday.

Cory Howat is executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He can be reached at chowat@ccfnola.org.