Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • November 29, 2019 18 Details about the annual event can be found on the website https://www.igivecatholic.org. It includes information about an advanced giving day period that begins Nov. 18. People can connect with #iGiveCatho- lic on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram (@iGiveCatho- lic), and share posts by using #iGiveCatholic. The event “kicks off the charitable season and brings the community together to give thanks and give back,” Howat said. Under the leadership of New Orleans Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, #iGiveCatholic was first estab- lished to answer some needs in the archdiocese alone, Howat told Catholic News Service in an interview by email. “Some of our Catholic Foundation staff were dis- cerning a few of the challenges we were facing at the then Community Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in our work with our parishes and schools and ministries such as a lack of trust, brand recognition and awareness, and also no planned giving partner- ships,” he explained. “Those coupled with the lack of fundraising capac- ity, a resistance to online giving and social media, and the dearth of data within the archdiocese caused us to think outside the box,” he said. “Some of our ministries were already participating in our local GiveNOLA day, and we felt a great oppor- tunity in connecting giving to a greater spiritual moti- vation,” Howat said. The Catholic giving day took off and the next year, in 2016, “a few other dioceses asked to join in our effort and at that point Archbishop Aymond recognized this was something for the church worldwide,” he said. Howat was asked if he thought this year’s #iGive- Catholic would be impacted at all by a movement in some quarters to urge Catholics around the country to give less to the church because they are unhappy with how some church leaders have addressed the sex abuse crisis. “We certainly do not see what one would imagine as the traditional impact on giving to #iGiveCatholic related to sex abuse,” he said. “In fact, #iGiveCatholic was born and is thriving right in the middle of it! “With #iGiveCatholic, donors give to the ministries, parishes, and schools they are most passionate about, and obviously trust,” he continued “#iGiveCatholic connects people wherever they are in the world to the parish where they received the sacraments, the school where they were formed in the faith, a ministry that helped them or a family member in a time of need, and they want to give back.” Howat said when people “give from hearts filled with gratitude, nothing will interfere with their gener- osity.” Another demographic that has shown its generosity are younger people, Howat noted, even at a time when statistics show that young people in bigger numbers that ever are “nones,” or religiously unaffiliated. “We continue to see more young Catholics not only giving through #iGiveCatholic, but also getting involved in the preparation and promotion of the big day,” Howat said. “In 2018, 32% of our donors self- identified as being under the age of 49.” Some of the organizations finding the most success with #iGiveCatholic, he said, “are our college Catholic campus ministry centers and our schools with the youth and young adults active in the effort.” “We find young donors are especially inclined to give to causes that are close to their heart, and even more so when that particular organization has secured a matching gift,” he said. “For example, if a younger donor plans to contribute $25, they are likely to do so during the time when another donor has agreed to match donations, because they know their gift will be doubled.” #iGiveCatholic From page 1 Father Fannon From page 9 In 1968, he was appointed pastor of St. Ann Parish in Lizana. In 1975, Bishop Joseph Brunini appointed Father Fannon as the founding pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Ocean Springs. In a 2011 interview with the Gulf Pine Catholic , Father Fannon recalled that St. Elizabeth Seton origi- nally held its services in an old furniture store. After six months, the owner of the furniture store needed his property, and the parish was forced to move to a nearby building that formerly operated as a nightclub. “It was known as Caesar’s Palace and it was located next to the furniture store,” said Father Fannon. “I remember parishioners carrying the pews from the fur- niture store to Caesar’s Palace.” The parish eventually acquired property on Riley Road, where a multipurpose building and rectory were built. Under Father Fannon’s leadership, the current church was built. It was dedicated by Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze in January 1988. A month later, Father Fannon was appointed pastor of St. Clare Parish in Waveland. “It was my privilege to serve the Parish of St. Clare with Father Fannon for 14 years,” said Harriet Bellone, who was principal of St. Clare Elementary School. “He was a quiet man who took to heart Jesus’s model of living a simple life. He never preached about money, and yet there was always money for the needs of the parish. “About the school, he consistently said to fill the empty desk. He never wanted a child to be deprived of a Catholic education. He would eat with the students on many occasions. He always had a smile for them. Bellone said Father Fannon loved golf, and went to the course once a week as long as he could, and fre- quently watched it on television. His second love was Irish music. “He had an extensive collection of long playing albums and cassettes. He really didn’t enjoy being out late and his excuse to leave was always, ‘I have to be home by 9. The Bishop is going to be calling me!’ We all knew what that meant,” Bellone said. “This quiet, unassuming, gentle man was truly a Christ-like figure to many people, and I am so thankful that I had him in my life.” During Father Fannon’s pastorate, a new rectory was built at St. Clare. However, Hurricane Katrina destroyed both the rectory and school. By that time, Father Fannon was well into his last assignment as pas- tor of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in White Cypress. During his pastorate at St. Matthew, a church was con- structed and dedicated in 2008. He retired to Ireland three years later. “I believe Father Fannon was a saintly man, and I saw him as a pastor’s pastor,” said St. Matthew the Apostle parishioner Dr. Mike Ladner. “He labored tire- lessly, with great enthusiasm, in the vineyard of the Lord. [In him] I saw a man who served his community and parishioners with much joy. “There was a certain warmth about his disposition, and he made everyone he encountered feel good about themselves. Father Fannon’s devotion to the priesthood reflected great credit upon himself, and the whole Catholic church.” Fellow Irishman Father Tommy Conway remem- bers Father Fannon’s as “rock-solid as a pastor and very faithful to his people.” “He was always available and kind-hearted,” Father Conway said. “He was truly a holy man and loved being a priest, and regularly visited the sick in the hos- pital and in their homes. He was also a great friend to us priests, and will be missed. God rest his gentle soul.” Father Fannon’s funeral and burial were held in Ireland. Prayer for Vocations Father, weʼre your people, the work of your hands. So precious are we in your sight that you sent your Son, Jesus. Jesus calls us to heal the broken-hearted, to dry the tears of those who mourn, to give hope to those who despair, and to rejoice in your steadfast love. We, the baptized, realize our call to serve. Help us to know how. Call forth from among us priests, sisters, brothers and lay ministers. With our hearts you continue to love your people. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.