Catholic Aid Youth & Young Adults

Gather4Good - New Ulm

2010-07-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

Catholic Aid's Gather4Good event was a great success in New Ulm. Check out our pictures here.

Gather4Good

2010-06-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

Learn more at www.catholicaid.org/links/gather4good

May/June Edition of the Fraternal Dispatch

2010-05-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, and thanks for looking to Fraternal Dispatch for news, updates and ideas for
Fraternal activities through Catholic Aid Association.

Click here to download the most recent issue of the Fraternal Dispatch.

Topics in this issue:

· 2010 Annual Convention Details and Schedule

· Scholarship Winner Highlight: Ryan Symanietz

· Salute to Youth Winners: John Kimlinger, Anthony LeClair, Brooke Matuska, Brandon Schaust. Honorable Mentions: Andrew Kueppers, Jacob Scott

· 2009 Fraternal Program Summary

· Nominate your volunteers of the year

· More youth news on www.catholicaid.org

· Get paid now! Find out how!

· A message from Director Kathleen Moriarty

If you have any problems with this download, email ads@catholicaid.org.

If you want to receive a paper copy of this newsletter, email cvoyda@catholicaid.org.

Thank you!

Your Fraternal Staff

Salute to Youth 2010

2010-04-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our Salute to Youth award winners! Salute to Youth is a national recognition program to honor high school seniors who give of their time, energy and talents to serve others and to improve themselves. The high school senior should be a member of the Catholic Aid Association, lead a balanced life, pay back to the community, and keep at least a 2.75 grade point average. Congratulations to John Kimlinger, Tony LeClair, Brooke Matuska and Buddy Schaust!

Learn more about each Salute to Youth winner here.

What's next for CAA?

2010-04-06T09:03:00.001-07:00

by Jared Roddy, Editor

Spring is a time of change. The snows melt, the streams and rivers swell, the earth eases out a sigh of moist organic smells and the sky is once again filled with the song of birds. Out from their shuttered homes troop the stoic Upper-Midwesterners to sunny, 40-degree weather and declare winter officially over as snowbirds return from their winter escapes.

Like those that came before it for untold years, the spring of 2010 will tempt out the winter-weary, drop a few more inches of unwelcome snow, then bloom into the season of green. Unlike those of years past, Catholic Aid is in for some changes as well.

Nothing remains static, true of nature and the nature of business. Change keeps things fresh, allows an organization to adapt, and prevents the stagnation of ideas. So at a spry 132 years old, what’s new for Catholic Aid in this coming year?

Making It Count
The social and service aspects of a fraternal society are part of what makes our Association so different from commercial insurers.

In 2010, Catholic Aid will test a pilot-program seeking to involve more people in larger, region-wide celebrations and service projects. It is the hope of the company to organize festive gatherings this summer and fall, while in some way improving the lives of Catholics and the communities in which they live.

A change announced at last year’s Convention was the plan for a shorter, one-day business meeting in August this year. With the money saved by shortening the main convention, Catholic Aid hopes to throw two or three member celebrations across its territory. The focus of these will not be the business of the Association, but the business of fraternalism.

The idea at this stage is to offer members and non-members the opportunity to take part in a volunteer activity that would directly improve the community in which it takes place.

“As far as we know, this will be a first for Catholic Aid,” Fraternal Director Kathleen Moriarty says. “Organizing a community event, leveraging our membership base to improve a community, offering a chance to give back – we like to think that our Council events do all these things, but we’ve never done it on such a large scale.”

In 2011, there will be time to reflect on the success of this year’s member celebrations, which will likely offer a community picnic, children’s activities and service opportunities, capped off by an outdoor Saturday evening Mass. The goals of the program are to increase the visibility of Catholic Aid in the communities and Dioceses it operates in, to improve the community itself, to increase awareness of the company and its products, and ultimately, to increase membership rolls. These events are meant to involve members and non-members, and we hope to have a large turnout.

Participants will have the opportunity to do a good work, meet new people, and see the power of an organized Fraternal in action. For kids and youth, it’s another way to improve college applications and instill a culture of service; for adults and seniors, it’s a way to give back to the community and work together.

For everyone, it’s a chance to spend a nice day outdoors with family and friends. Though no firm dates have been established, a trial run is hoped to be offered in early summer, with another one or two in the early fall.

Once again, the name game
For most members and employees of the Catholic Aid Association, however, no change will be more monumental than the one the delegates will consider at the official one-day convention in August.

Like a debate in Washington, this issue has been polarizing at times. One goal throughout the process, aided by this publication, has been transparency and due process. President Michael McGovern explains what has gone into this process so far:

“By last summer’s convention, we had committed to the name update enough to end our gathering with a video that explained why. After the convention, the real work began. We compiled names, sifted them against our criteria, checked whether they were legally available, commissioned a survey of members and non-members and compiled the results. There has been a clear winner, in all our surveys. And on Thursday, March 11, the Board voted to accept this name. The very next day, the Constitution Committee approved the name and declared the path clear for a vote at the convention. We’ll continue to accept feedback and hope to engage our members more than ever over the next few months to further understanding of why this name update is important to our organization.”

Before the Board vote, however, Lead Director Fran Barten spoke to her fellow board members and helped to crystallize exactly why she believes the update was necessary. “This is about our future, and our future members. If you Google ‘Catholic’ and ‘financial,’ we don’t even show up. Yet this is exactly what we do as an organization. We have to be able to be found by the current generation. They don’t look in the yellow pages, they don’t make the connection between ‘aid’ and ‘financial’ except in terms of college loans. Catholic is who we are. United is what we are. Financial is what we do. This name update is about our future, not our past. For those who, like myself, grew up with Catholic Aid, we have to remember that the most important element of our name, ‘Catholic,’ still comes first. It influences every decision we make, and so, like Catholic Aid, Catholic United Financial is Catholic first.”
The more things change

A yea or nay vote in August by the elected delegates of the Catholic Aid Association will determine what name the Association takes in the future. That control of this great Association is one thing that has not and will not change. We may try different ways of involving our members, or of holding our annual meetings, we may even change what we call ourselves. But none of those things changes who we are or what we do. And as always, the final decisions will rest in the hands of the members.

Originally published in the March/April 2010 issue of Catholic Aid Journey, the official magazine of Catholic Aid Association.

Meeting the Daily Needs of Our Seminarians...

2010-04-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

by Susan F. Detlefsen, Staff Writer
This story originally appeared in the January/February issue of Catholic Aid Journey magazine.

The Monsignor Schuler Seminarian Charitable Trust was able to bless more than 100 seminarians with grants this year. The Trust gave out $25,200 in major awards and $11,500 in minor awards for a total of 109 grants and $36,700 total dollars awarded.

The numbers are high this year, but the most rewarding part of the grant program is receiving the moving notes of thanks and gratitude from the grant recipients.

Many seminarians said that the grants help them focus on their studies rather than fret about finances. “Time in the seminary is filled with many challenges, not least of which is the occasional financial challenge of books, travel and various other personal expenses. With your generous and prayerful support, it makes it possible for seminary to be a time to be concerned with the study of Theology, formation and especially to be growing in prayer,” wrote Jeremy Vidmar.

Lee Fortin of Watertown, S.D., agrees. “It’s scholarships like the Msgr. Schuler Trust that allows seminarians the time to focus on classes, discernment and formation. I encourage you in this giving because it is becoming ever more apparent to me that our God is never outdone in generosity.”

This is the fourth grant that Matt Wiering has received since starting his studies in Rome more than three years ago. “After my ordination, I will obviously no longer need the grant, but I will always remember the help the Schuler Charitable Trust gave me during my seminary years,” Wiering wrote to the Trust in a letter.

The grants helped seminarians travel back home for holidays. “Thanks to your generosity, I am able to get back to my Diocese for Holy Week to serve and celebrate with our Diocese at our Mass,” said Seth Gogolin of Brainerd, Minn. Gregory Haman of Fargo, N.D., also used his grant money to make a welcome trip home for the holidays.

The grant will help Deacon Alex Carlson travel to Ares, France, where he will prepare for ordination on May 29, 2010.For others, grant monies made sure that some unexpected bills weren’t a burden. “I recently had to replace my glasses; the Msgr. Schuler Grant paid for this unexpected expense,” said Aaron Kalmon of Superior, Wis. “Thanks to your gift I’ll be able to pay my car insurance and for some gas,” said Sean Mulligan of Grand Forks, N.D.

Grant recipient Elliot Huss of Coon Rapids, Minn., testified not only to the importance of the grant he received, but also to his fellow seminarians. “I can personally attest to the quality of men in the seminary currently and want you to know your hard work could not have benefited a greater bunch of young men. Please also know your generosity is greatly appreciated,” said Huss.

Donations to the Schuler Charitable Trust can be made online at: www.catholicaid.org/links/schuler. Click on the blue “Donate Now” button.

Read more about the Schuler Charitable Trust.
Download the photos and names of the 2009 seminarian grant recipients.
Donate now to the Schuler Trust (via www.razoo.com)

The Results are In...

2010-03-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Catholic Aid Membership Drive results are in!

Catholic Aid's 'Nuts for New Members' contest offered prizes and incentives for councils and members who help Catholic Aid generate new member growth. With our member's help and their positive word-of-mouth, we worked together to add new members and make an even greater impact on the Catholic community! Click here for more information!

Salute to Youth

2010-03-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

If you know a high school senior (including a student in your family) who has a balanced life, pays back the community, and keeps at least 2.75 grade point average, the student can be nominated for Salute to Youth, a national recognition program to honor high school seniors who give of their time, energy and talents to serve others and to improve themselves.

While Degree of Honor is the official host of Salute to Youth, Catholic Aid partners with them on this effort. Both Catholic Aid and Degree of Honor are fraternal benefit societies, societies that conduct fraternal programs, are not for profit, have a representative form of government, have a system of local lodges (Catholic Aid’s are called councils) and provide insurance, along with other member benefits.

Nomination forms should be submitted to Catholic Aid Association by March 12, 2010 at 3499 Lexington Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55126. Heather Vargo, the Youth Fraternal Liaison is available for questions or comments regarding this program. You can reach Heather by phone at 800.568.6670 ext 187 or by email, hvargo@catholicaid.org.

To download a nomination form, please click here. Please note that this link takes you to issuu.com.

Youth Volunteer of the Year Award Nominations

2010-03-03T13:57:00.000-08:00

Youth Volunteer of the Year Award Nominations are due June 1, 2010.

The Youth Volunteer of the Year Award is an honor presented by Catholic Aid Association to recognize a young adult, between ages 16-30, within the Catholic Aid Association who, through example and accomplishment, provided outstanding volunteer service to his or her community and/or council during the past year. Please contact Heather Vargo for more information or to receive a nomination form.

Click here for a nomination form. (Please note: This link takes you to issuu.com)

.:: Catholic Aid Upcoming Events ::.

2010-03-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

March 6 - Diocese of St. Cloud
All are invited to a Mini Retreat with Dr. Janet Smith, Chair of Life Ethics, Professor of Moral Theology. Dr. Smith is the author of Humanae Vitae: A Generation Later, Editor of Why Humanae Vitae was Right: A Reader co-authored Life Issues, Medical Choices, Questions and Answers for Catholics, and authored Right to Privacy. Over a million copies of her talk “Contraception: Why Not" have been distributed. The mini retreat will be held at St. Henry's Parish in Perham beginning with Mass at 7:30am, followed by continental breakfast, talk on " Contraception: Why Not", then Father Aaron Kuhn will speak on "The Sacrament of Reconciliation - A personal encounter with Jesus", then Adoration/Sacrament of Reconciliation, Lunch (included), with a final presentation on "The Right to Privacy" by Dr. Janet Smith.

The cost of the event is $20 in advance/$25 at the door. Tickets are available at St. Henry's Parish office at 218-346-4240. Questions please call Deb at 218-346-2467 or Joe at 218-346-5797.

This Mini-Retreat is co-sponsored by Catholic Aid Association and the Catholic Aid Association Foundation. Please attend this spiritually filled event.

March 6 & 7 – Diocese of St. Cloud
St. Mary Catholic Aid Council in St. Augusta, MN will host a Garage Sale from 9:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday and 9:00am to 11:00am on Sunday at St. Mary Help of Christians Parish Center. $1.00 a bag from 1:00 to 3:00pm on Saturday and from 9:00 to 11:00am on Sunday. For more information, please contact Field Representative Greg Gall at 320.229.0717.

March 7 – Diocese of St. Cloud
SS Bernard & Elizabeth Catholic Aid Council in Melrose, MN will host their Communion Breakfast with Mass at 10:30 AM; Breakfast to follow at St. Mary’s Church. For more information contact Field Representative Dave Ehlert at 320.836.2617.

March 7 – Diocese of St. Cloud
St. Mary Catholic Aid Council in Upsala, MN will host their Matching Grant Breakfast serving from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at St. Mary’s Church Basement. Menu consists of pancakes, with toppings, eggs, sausage and rolls. Adults are $6.00, Children 4 - 10 are $3.50 and children under 3 are FREE. For more information contact Field Representative Shawn Ehlert at 320.845.6612.

March 12 – SALUTE TO YOUTH DEADLINE
Honor an outstanding high school senior that you know with the Salute to Youth honor program. Nominations for this honor are due to our Fraternal department by today. Email hvargo@catholicaid.org for more details.

March 12 - Diocese of St. Cloud
The Catholic Aid members of Holy Family council in Perham, MN will host a Lenten Fish Fry at St. Henry’s from 5:00 PM to 7:30PM. Dinner includes delicious deep fried fish, coleslaw, baked potato, buns, beverages and desserts. Contact Kathy Hemmelgarn with questions at 218.346.5797.

March 14 – Diocese of New Ulm
St. Joseph Catholic Aid Council in New Ulm, MN will host their Communion Breakfast and 50 year Recognition at 8:00 AM at Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. For more information contact Field Representative Bob Skillings at 507.354.7593.

March 14 – Diocese of St. Cloud
St. Joseph Catholic Aid Council in Wadena, MN will host their Annual Breakfast after the 8:30 AM Mass at St. Anne's Parish. For more information contact Field Representative Ryan Schmitz at 218.445.5296.

March 14 – Diocese of St. Cloud
St. Paul Catholic Aid Council in Sauk Centre, MN will host their Communion Breakfast after the 8:30 AM Mass at Holy Family School - Cafeteria. For more information contact Field Representative Cindy Heveron at 320.554.7579.

Name Update: Your Submissions

2010-02-11T10:22:00.001-08:00

In the last 2009 issue of CA Journey magazine, we asked for your ideas. The Board of Directors has decided to update the name of our Association, and you are helping us do it!

We received 97 name ideas from 32 contributors. The list will be narrowed down by vetting names for availability, and comparing them to our criteria for our updated identity (some points listed below, full criteria available online.) After the list has been narrowed, members and non-members will be surveyed to give the Board direction in selecting a final candidate.

The Board has followed your guidance and decided that an updated name is vital to the future growth of our company. Our new identity will have to meet the following requirements. It will eliminate name confusion with similar organizations (Catholic Charities); will better reflect and describe who we are and what we do; will be distinctive and original; and will reflect our Catholic tradition and our vision for the future.

Updating our identity is something we’ve done before, but we need your support for such an effort to be successful. We’re doing everything we can to keep you informed and involve you in the decision.

List of Submitted Names:
Catholic American Financial
Family Tithes Catholic Financial
Catholic Financial Services
Catholic Modern Life
Catholic Virtues Finance
Catholic Financial Life
Catholic Financial Partners
Catholic Fraternal Life & Financial
Catholic Family Financial
Catholic United Financial
Catholic Family Life
Kingdom Life for Catholics
All Saints Catholic Life Insurance

Once again, we’re asking for you to talk to us. Visit www.catholicaid.org/links/nameupdate to register your feedback, let us know your favorite new option, and keep tabs on our progress. Thank you for your submissions!

Who Reigns? Christ Reigns at NCYC 2009

2010-02-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

There’s a palpable energy when a sports team fills its arena to capacity, but when it’s God who’s drawing the crowds, Catholic Aid members who attended the National Catholic Youth Conference will tell you it’s a whole new ballgame.

The experience of singing and celebrating the Lord among 21,000 other proud, young Catholics was a singular opportunity that youth members of the Catholic Aid Association took part in Nov. 19 – 21 at the 9th Biennial National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Kansas City, Mo.

The theme of this year’s conference was the ways in which Christ reigns this world: in, among, and through us. Each session explored aspects of this theme while workshops helped participants explore the concept further between sessions.

“NCYC changes lives,” wrote David Bursack of Canby, Minn. “No different with me. On this trip I came closer to God just knowing I can pray and be religious around these people freely…The effect on my life is that I will be willing to show my faith around my friends and if they look at me differently, I now know that at least 25,000 other people have my own same beliefs!”

Catholic Aid’s Fraternal Youth Liaison Heather Vargo and Fraternal Director Kathleen Moriarty worked through 2009 to make these scholarships a fraternal benefit available to eligible members.

“Like World Youth Day, we felt this was a unique opportunity for our young members to get out and meet others like them,” Moriarty says. “You can’t practice your faith in a vacuum, so we wanted to provide chances for our young Catholics to see they’re not alone out there.”

The National Catholic Youth Conference is orchestrated by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) and according to that body, the conference is the single largest gathering of Catholic young people in the United States.

With special emphasis on the general sessions that addressed the entire multitude, the conference ran for three days. Between the general sessions, the participants broke out into group leader briefings, daily liturgies, concurrent sessions and workshops. Between sessions and workshops, youth could attend Eucharistic Adoration, the thematic park, confession or just hang out with other young Catholics from around the country.

Shawn Polman of Cottonwood, Minn., says, “I realized that when I go home, I know there is that girl way over in California that is praying to the same God…After NCYC, I will know that the Catholic Church isn’t just here in Minnesota, but all over the U.S. and the world too…When I face an obstacle, it will give me the strength that I am not alone. God is with me.”

In addition to the sessions and breakouts, hundreds of displays, interactive and experiential exhibits populated the “Reign Forest” thematic park in the Kansas City Conference Center. Youth were able to talk with Catholic colleges and universities, learn about service projects, play games, check out the technology lounge and learn about vocations. The Reign Forest was open prior to and throughout the conference, but even with three days to work with, pilgrims had difficulty making it to all the booths in the 200,000-square-foot space.

The general sessions were held in the cavernous and state-of-the-art Sprint Center and filled every seat with more than 21,000 exuberant youth spilling into overflow seating. Following the general sessions, a mass exodus of youth poured out of the Sprint Center, engulfing entire streets in downtown Kansas City.

The number of participants and their enthusiasm left a lasting impression on the 17 scholarship winners from Catholic Aid.

Andrea Mayer of Stacyville, Iowa, wrote, “They helped me understand better what it means to be Catholic. They all knew we were there to strengthen our faith and that made it so much fun, that they all wanted to be there and explore their faith.”

The Catholic Aid participants are already looking forward to NCYC 2011 in Indianapolis and until then, they’ll try to hold on to that feeling of community and kinship they described, and the pride they felt among the multitude.

“The most memorable moment was when everyone left the general session and walked together while praising God,” Rachel Kollar of Canby, Minn., says.

“It had a huge impact on me, personally, to be among so many youth open to praising Him for everyone to see. It opened my eyes to see that it’s okay to let your faith show in all aspects of life, not just while at church.”

Copyright 2010 Catholic Aid Association. Content and photos in this story may not be republished in any medium without the express, written consent of Catholic Aid Association.

The Catholic Aid Association Foundation and Haiti Relief

2010-01-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

The Salesian Catholic Missions in Haiti is an organization that The Catholic Aid Association has supported financially for over 20 years. The missions operate orphanages, shelters, hospitals, clinics, nurseries, youth centers, parishes, and schools.

If you are interested in making a financial contribution to the Salesian Missions, please donate by cash, check or credit card directly to the Catholic Aid Association Foundation, Attn: Haiti Relief. The check from the Foundation will be sent to Fr. Mark Hyde and the deadline for donations is February 5, 2010.

The Catholic Aid Association will match up to $1,000 in donations to the campaign.

For more information, please contact Paul Naumann, Executive Director of the Catholic Aid Association Foundation at 651.765.6548 or 877.275.7145 or pnaumann@catholicaid.org.

Catholic Aid Youth and Young Adults Update

2010-01-12T13:11:00.000-08:00

World Youth Day Scholarships:
Catholic Aid is offering scholarships for World Youth Day 2011! Attached is a flyer. Catholic Aid is offering 60 scholarships in the amount of $500 each. More information and applications are available online at www.catholicaid.org/links/wyd2011. Also, you can join the Catholic Aid group on Facebook by searching “WYD 2011: Catholic Aid Association.”

Post High School Tuition Scholarships:
Scholarship applications are due February 15, 2010. For more information on our Post High School Tuition Scholarships, check out www.catholicaid.org/links/scholarships.

Salute to Youth:
If you know a high school senior (including a student in your family) who has a balanced life, pays back the community, and keeps at least 2.75 grade point average, the student can be nominated for Salute to Youth, a national recognition program to honor high school seniors who give of their time, energy and talents to serve others and to improve themselves. This award is not monetary; students and their guests attend a dinner in Saint Paul on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 and receive a plaque and recognition at the banquet.

While Degree of Honor is the official host of Salute to Youth, Catholic Aid partners with them on this effort. Both Catholic Aid and Degree of Honor are fraternal benefit societies, societies that conduct fraternal programs, are not for profit, have a representative form of government, have a system of local lodges (Catholic Aid’s are called councils) and provide insurance, along with other member benefits.

Nomination forms should be submitted to Catholic Aid Association by March 12, 2010 at 3499 Lexington Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55126. Heather Vargo, the Youth Fraternal Liaison is available for questions or comments regarding this program. You can reach Heather by phone at 800.568.6670 ext 187 or by email, hvargo@catholicaid.org. The Nomination Form is attached to this email.

Youth Financial Workshop:
The financial literacy of high school students has fallen to its lowest level ever. About 75 percent of young American adults are likely to lack the skills needed to make beneficial financial decisions.**

Catholic Aid offers a financial workshop for teens. The workshop covers the basics of spending, saving and budgeting. Heather is happy to work with youth ministers to do a one-time workshop in your parish. Contact Heather for more information.

Theology On Tap:
Catholic Aid is sponsoring two series of Theology On Tap. Theology on Tap is a great opportunity for young Catholic adults to meet in a comfortable setting to explore faith and how it affects their lives. Upcoming dates for Theology on Tap:

Saint Paul Theology on Tap is on the corner of Lexington and Energy Parkway at Gabe’s Roadhouse. 991 North Lexington Parkway, Saint Paul, MN. The evenings begin at 7:00pm, with a speaker from 7:30-8:45pm and the rest of the evening for further discussion and fellowship.

January 13th - Prof. Faith Pawl
Will & Grace: Human Willpower and God’s Grace

January 20th - Fr. Thomas Wilson
Men in Black

January 27th - Fr. Joseph Johnson
Grill the Priest

February 3rd - John Crudele
Young Adult: From Young to Adult

February 10th - Bishop Lee Piche
Is God txt u? His mssg to u via SS- the Sacred Scripture

Robbinsdale Theology on Tap is at the Eagle’s Nest Lounge at 4106 Lakeland Ave., Robbinsdale. The evenings begin at 6:30pm with a speaker starting at 7:00pm.

January 18th - Jeremy Stanbary, Actor
Using the Media to Engage the Culture

January 25th - Dr. Arthur Hippler, Theology Chair Providence Academy
Engaging Atheism

February 1st - Drs. Catherine and David Deavel, University of St. Thomas
What is marriage? How to defend marriage with natural law!

February 8th - Dr. William Stevenson, Director of Theology Providence Academy
The Church , the Modern World, and the Whole of Reality.

February 16th - Grill the Priests– Q & A with Priests of Local parishes!
Have a question about the faith? Come get an answer?

Catholic Mavs Day at MSU Mankato:
Catholic organizations and religious orders will be at Minnesota State University (Mankato) on February 1 in the Student Union. Catholic Aid will be there and students will have an opportunity to get their picture with the Pope from 10:00am to 2:00pm!

**National Jump$tart Coalition Survey of High School and College Students

For more information contact Heather Vargo, Youth Fraternal Liaison, Catholic Aid Association at hvargo@catholicaid.org or 651.765.6540.

Updates From Your Youth Liaison @ Catholic Aid

2010-01-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

Youth Financial Workshop:
About 75 percent of young American adults are lacking the skills needed to make good financial decisions. One fifth of the students with credit cards are carrying more than $10,000 in debt. Some students are “refinancing” their credit card debt with student loans, leading to an average of $20,000 in college loan debt.* Catholic Aid has a solution for your youth and young adults! Our financial workshop will help teens learn ways to start managing their finances with practical ideas about checking accounts, debt, credit cards, and savings.

Here are some suggestions for a successful workshop:
• Contact me at (651) 765-6540, or email hvargo@catholicaid.org to schedule a workable date and time.
• The workshop is designed for students in grades 9-12, but the content can be tailored to young adults, ages 18-30, as well. Parents are also invited to attend.
• The workshop is about 1½ to 2 hours in length. Providing refreshments is appreciated.

Young Adult Advisory Team:
The first meeting of the Young Adult Advisory Team was Nov. 14, 2009 and the group was ambitious and engaged. The team consists of Reba Bisciglia, Vinnie Floeder, Abby Huebsch, Paula Minell, Jorden Taveirne, Gabriel Walz, and Cari White. The meeting was facilitated by Heather Vargo, Youth Liaison. The group covered a lot of material, including Catholic Aid’s name update, youth programs, and youth financial workshop and scholarship programs. The team’s primary purpose is to explore how Catholic Aid can increase visibility, promote volunteerism and spirituality, and to look at how young people can assist Catholic Aid councils in strengthening relationships with youth.

World Youth Day Scholarships:
In 2008, Catholic Aid helped young adults attend World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, by providing nearly $34,000 in grants to 70 young members. While the next World Youth Day is less than two years away, groups are making plans and gathering funds to attend World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, on Aug. 15-21, 2011. Catholic Aid will again offer young adults $500 scholarships to aid in their travel expenses. Potential pilgrims can apply for one of 60 grants that will be given out in 2011. More information is available at www.catholicaid.org/links/wyd2011.

*Source: National Jump$tart Coalition

CAA to Help Youth and Young Adults Attend WYD 2011

2009-12-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

by Susan F. Detlefsen, Staff Writer and Heather Vargo, Youth Fraternal Liaison

The phrase “the opportunity of a lifetime” might be a cliché, but it’s a cliché that applies when a young person takes part in World Youth Day. This international gathering attracts hundreds of thousands of young people every three years as they come together to express and experience their Catholic faith.

In 2008, Catholic Aid helped young adults attend World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, by providing nearly $34,000 in grants to 70 young members. The pilgrims returned from the experience with an energized zeal for their spirituality.

Alisha Hafner of Mahtomedi, Minn., said of the pilgrimage, “Words cannot describe how I felt from the enthusiasm of all the pilgrims around me. It was such a moving experience to see so many young people gathered together for the same reason.”

Matt Kuettel of St. Paul, Minn., said seeing the Pope at World Youth Day was “an experience that will not be forgotten.” Kuettel said his favorite moment of World Youth Day “was praying in front of Christ in the Eucharist at our Catechesis site. There was a real peace and beauty in the church and prayer was easy.”

The most valuable lesson of the trip for Andrew Vandal of Sykeston, N.D., was “no matter what race you are from, or the color of your skin, all the pilgrims in Sydney believed in the same risen Christ. I could see it in every pilgrim’s face that they were ready to meet St. Peter’s successor and proclaim their faith with him.”

All three of these young members received grants from Catholic Aid. “I am very grateful to Catholic Aid for all they did to help me go to Australia. Their financial support helped me acquire the funds necessary to make the lengthy trip and I am a better person because of it; thank you Catholic Aid,” Kuettel said.

While the event is a little less than two years away, groups are making plans and gathering funds to attend World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, on August, 15-21, 2011. Catholic Aid will again offer young adults $500 scholarships to aid in their travel expenses.

“The interest from our members for World Youth Day 2008 grants was extremely enthusiastic,” said Heather Vargo, Youth Fraternal Liaison. More personal reflection from WYD 2008 pilgrims can be found on Heather’s blog: catholicaidyouth.blogspot.com. “We’re excited to offer these grants to our young members again and assist them in attending such a faith-building and eye-opening experience.”

Potential pilgrims can apply for one of 60 grants that will be given out in 2011. Vargo expects to receive more applications than grants, so the recipients will be determined by lottery.

Click here for more information about the World Youth Day 2011 Scholarships.

This article is republished from the November-December 2009 issue of Catholic Aid Journey Magazine. Content and photos are not to be reproduced in print or online without the written permission of Catholic Aid Association.

Fraternal Advisory Meeting Highlights

2009-11-25T07:17:00.000-08:00

The Fraternal Advisory Committee met on Oct. 15, 2009 for its last meeting of 2009. These topics were discussed:

**Deborah Gephart, Assistant Sr. Vice-President, reviewed the 2009 Convention and asked committee members for feedback. She gave an overview of the 2010 Convention schedule.

**Steve Wendorf, Marketing Director, gave an update on the Membership Drive and the School Raffle. The group also watched a video on the proposed name update for Catholic Aid and provided feedback.

**The committee discussed the area membership meetings for members and non-members to be held in 2010. The committee made suggestions about locations, timing, content and publicity for the meetings.

**Heather Vargo, Youth Fraternal Liaison, updated the group on current youth initiatives, such as the “Youth Financial Workshop,” the start of a Young Adult Advisory Team and the results from the NCYC (National Catholic Youth Conference) Member Benefit for high school-aged members.

CAA Management and the Fraternal Department thanked committee members Geraldine Poppler from Waconia, Leonard Seidl from Sleepy Eye and Boni Westberg from Mahtomedi as they completed a three-year term on the committee.

The Director’s View - Kathleen Moriarty’s Column

2009-11-25T07:06:00.001-08:00

From the November/December Issue of the Fraternal Dispatch. Written by Kathleen Moriarty.

Delegates to the CAA Convention last August had the opportunity to view CAA’s newest video, “What’s in a Name?” The video includes interviews with a variety of people close to CAA and is now available on DVD to councils through the Fraternal Department or your Field Representative.

It is encouraged for members to discuss the updating of the CAA name with your councils. Catholic Aid's goal is to present a proposed name for approval by two-thirds majority of delegates at Annual Convention in August 2010.

Here are some key points and a time line for the process ahead as our Board of Directors, management and members move forward with name selection in 2010.

**An updated name places us in a position of strength against stiff competition from commercial and mutual companies.

**We need to eliminate the name confusion with similar organizations. In a recent survey of non-member Catholics, exactly 70 percent thought CAA was a charitable organization or a disaster relief group.

**Our name must describe who we are and what we do. It must have “Catholic” in the name, and must reflect that we are a financial services organization.

What are our next steps? Catholic Aid is gathering name suggestions from members and non-members through Jan. 1, 2010. Send your ideas to President Mike McGovern or to Kathleen Moriarty. Name options will be discussed at the Board and Constitution Committee meetings during the first quarter of 2010. We will continue to publish updates on this process via video, CAA Journey magazine, Fraternal Dispatch newsletter and at council events.

Kathleen welcomes your thoughts on this important issue. Feel free to call or send an email. Our member's support is essential to this process.

Catholic Aid Member Drive Needs Your Help!

2009-11-25T06:51:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Membership drive started at the Annual Convention in August and there’s still more time before the deadline. Here’s an update to remind you of details that will help you and your council. So far, 30 CAA members like you have referred 111 people to become new members.

Your participation in this effort is vital! Plus, your council could add $1,000 to spend on helping others in your community if your council refers the most people that become members! Second place and third place councils receive $750 and $500! Every council that meets the 10 new-member goal gets $200 from CAA.

Members who refer the most people who become new members can win individual prizes. 1st place is $500; 2nd place is $250; 3rd place wins $100. Just referring one new member earns a member a $20 CAA merchandise credit to our Catholic Aid online store. It’s not too late to get a Member Drive Kit if you need more promotional supplies. Contact the Fraternal Staff.

There are several ways you can help your council reach the “10 by 2010” goal. Contact Catholic Aid to learn more.

Become a fan of Catholic Aid!

2009-11-18T11:54:00.001-08:00

Heather Vargo is a fan of

Catholic Aid Association

Create your Fan Badge

Creating Wealth Beyond Money

2009-11-11T12:52:00.001-08:00

Catholic Aid sponsors a radio show on Saturday mornings on the Relevant Radio Network called “Creating Wealth Beyond Money.” Hosted by John Tetzloff, Advanced Case Specialist at Catholic Aid, this is a call-in radio program that discusses financial matters from the Catholic Aid perspective. Tune in at 9 a.m. on Saturdays to listen live.

Also, podcasts of the program will be posted on the CAA website: www.catholicaid.org/links/podcast. The Oct. 31st program is available to listen to right now, and more of the programs will be posted this week. The files are in MP3 format and can be played in Windows Media Player, iTunes or on MP3 players.

Please pass on this link to people you know. John gives solid advice of use to people from every walk of life.

Scholarships for World Youth Day 2011!

2009-11-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

Catholic Aid will be offering scholarships for World Youth Day 2011!

Catholic Aid Association encourages young people in their Catholic spirituality and volunteerism. World Youth Day encourages these same values. Since groups are already forming for World Youth Day 2011, Catholic Aid wanted to announce that there will be 60 scholarships in the amount of $500.00 each for pilgrims. The scholarship recipients will be chosen randomly in a lottery style drawing. All Catholic Aid young people are encouraged to apply for this scholarship between now and November 2010. Please email Heather Vargo at hvargo@catholicaid.org if you would like a copy of the application and guidelines for this scholarship.

Catholic Aid is pleased to offer this benefit to our members. Please feel free to contact Heather Vargo if you have any questions about this scholarship opportunity. You can reach Heather by email at hvargo@catholicaid.org or by phone at 1.800.568.6670 ext 187.

Catholic schools and supporters win big through Catholic Aid Association’s 2009 Raffle

2009-11-09T11:27:00.000-08:00

Photo by Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Congratulations are in order for our Catholic schools! Students and educators at 18 Catholic schools in Minnesota and South Dakota pounded the pavement and rang doorbells for over a month to sell raffle tickets. Together with raffle sponsor Catholic Aid Association (CAA), these hard workers raised more than $128,575. Every penny of the money raised goes directly into school accounts thanks to CAA providing the promotion, printing and prizes involved in the raffle.

“From the beginning, we wanted every penny raised by this raffle to pay for the needs of our Catholic schools,” said Michael McGovern, president and board chairman of Catholic Aid, a fraternal life insurance and benefits company. “It is our hope that we can repeat this program every year. It fits into our mission of supporting the Catholic faith through our local schools.”

Students, parents and educators sold more than 25,000 tickets from Sept. 14 to Oct. 28. The official drawing ceremony for the CAA School Raffle was held on Oct. 30, 2009 at 11 a.m. Official winners of the raffle drawing will be announced as soon as they are verified and the winners are contacted. A complete list of all raffle winners will be available on CAA’s website, www.catholicaid.org/links/raffle.

However, CAA is happy to announce that the winning didn’t end on Oct. 30.

“The real rock stars of this program were the students, the parents and the teachers who tackled the work involved in this raffle. They did an excellent job,” said Steve Wendorf, Marketing Director for Catholic Aid. “We’re hoping for even more energy and participation from them next year because we’re going to add more schools, and there will be more competition.”

Catholic Aid’s Field Representative will be presenting prizes to the top student ticket sellers and pizza parties for top-performing classrooms at each participating school in the coming weeks.

Catholic Aid Association has been a proud supporter of Catholic schools and religious education for over 50 years.

Photo Information. Photos of the Oct. 30 Raffle Drawing Ceremony are available by calling Susan Detlefsen, 651-490-0170 ext. 169 or email ads@catholicaid.org.

About The Catholic Aid Association. The Catholic Aid Association helps every generation of the Catholic community thrive and grow. By striving to be the provider of choice for life insurance and retirement preparation for its 73,000 members and by giving back to the local communities through its 160 local councils, Catholic Aid has built a relationship with its members stretching back 131 years. Programs that provide matching grants to schools and churches, assistance to members in need, and education scholarships for young members have given millions of dollars to communities throughout Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and North Dakota. Based in St. Paul, Minn., Catholic Aid is a professional friend, helping its members to plan for the future, for every step of every journey, for life.For more information about The Catholic Aid Association or its Foundation or Credit Union, call 651-490-0170, 1-800-568-6670 or visit online at www.catholicaid.org.

Marketing Contact: Rebecca Redlin
Oct. 30, 2009
651-765-4137 or 1-800-568-6670
Catholic Aid Association
rredlin@catholicaid.org

Catholic Aid School Raffle Drawing is Friday, October 30 at 11 a.m.

2009-10-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

ST. PAUL, MINN. – The public is invited to a live ceremony where one Catholic school supporter will walk away with the grand prize of a new 2010 Ford Edge SUV or $20,000!

Sponsored by the Catholic Aid Association, the 2009 Catholic Schools Raffle involves 26 Catholic schools in Minnesota and South Dakota. Students, parents and educators have been selling $5 tickets since Sept. 14, every penny of which goes back to the participating school. Catholic Aid is covering the costs of organizing, printing, and prizes for the raffle program to maximize each school’s final earnings. The raffle officially ends on Oct. 29 at midnight.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Along with the grand prize, Catholic Aid will be drawing winners for vacations at Breezy Point Resort in Breezy Point, Minn., iPod Shuffles, and 32-inch Samsung LCD TVs. CAA President Michael McGovern will be present at the ceremony along with Catholic school students, educators, CAA Spiritual Director Monsignor James Habiger and other special guests. Refreshments will be provided. A complete list of all raffle winners will be posted to CAA’s website, www.catholicaid.org/links/raffle.

About The Catholic Aid Association. The Catholic Aid Association helps every generation of the Catholic community thrive and grow. By striving to be the provider of choice for life insurance and retirement preparation for its 73,000 members and by giving back to the local communities through its 160 local councils, Catholic Aid has built a relationship with its members stretching back 131 years. Programs that provide matching grants to schools and churches, assistance to members in need, and education scholarships for young members have given millions of dollars to communities throughout Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and North Dakota. Based in St. Paul, Minn., Catholic Aid is a professional friend, helping its members to plan for the future, for every step of every journey, for life.

For more information about The Catholic Aid Association or its Foundation or Credit Union, call 651-490-0170, 1-800-568-6670 or visit online at www.catholicaid.org.

Catholic Aid & the National Catholic Youth Conference

2009-10-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Catholic Aid offered scholarships for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). NCYC is the single largest event organized by the Catholic Church in the US. Sponsored by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), this bi-annual conference will bring together over 20,000 Catholic teenagers from throughout the United States to a wonderful venue in Kansas City November 19-21, 2009.

Catholic Aid is pleased to announce that the following young people have received scholarships to NCYC 2009 (listed according to council):

Holy Family Catholic Aid Council #017, Mankato
Taylor Clements, Blake Matuska, Brooke Matuska, Rachel Wendlandt

St. Leo Catholic Aid Council #099, St. Leo
Ben Bossuyt, David Bursack, Rachel Kollar, Shawn Polman

St. Theresa Catholic Aid Council #146, Johnsburg
Jordyn Bissen

St. Willibrord Catholic Aid Council #275, Gibbon
Brady Forst, Heather Horning, Ryan Horning

St. Philip Catholic Aid Council #312, Litchfield
Kate Carlson, Jon Carlson

Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Aid Council #337, Spicer
Leah Salisbury, Shannon Salisbury

Visitation Catholic Aid Council #371, Stacyville
Andrea Mayer, Tyler Thome

What's In a Name? :: Catholic Aid Association

2009-10-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

What’s in a name? For many established members, the Catholic Aid Association stands for tradition and strong Catholic values.

This is the story of our company taking the next step forward to update its image and name to remain relevant for the next 100 years. But in order to move forward with strength and conviction, we must look to our fraternal history to guide our decisions for the next generation.

As Catholic Aid Association embarks on taking the next step forward, we first talked with F.L. “Flip” Spanier, retired past president and CEO of Catholic Aid, to give us an historical perspective on how the organization started and how it evolved.

“When you go back to the 1850s to 1914, that span of time saw the largest influx of European immigrants ever, and they were recently arrived foreigners in this country. They tried to then buy insurance from the commercial companies in this country and they were not able to because they couldn’t speak the language. And so they got the notion that, gee, let’s start our own organization. Then what they did is they formed in 1878…the German Catholic Aid Association of Minnesota...that then evolved into what later on became our organization ever since.”

Is it time to take the next step forward and update our name? It’s clear we have been down this road before and each time we’ve responded. We asked people from presidents and CEOs, to average Catholics on the street, what they thought of Catholic Aid’s name and the possibility of a name update. The message is clear. Together we have an opportunity to ensure the growth and vitality of our organization for the next generation of members.

Joe Schirmers, past Board Member, St. Augusta Council, St. Cloud, Minn.
“Young people are now online with doing different things so it’s hard to get the young people to get involved…There’s a gap there. You’ve always got to change to invite the young people to come in. You’re not going to be there forever. They’ll have to take over.”

Michael McGovern, President and Chairman of CAA
“We aren’t necessarily looking at a total name change. We’re looking at an update, really. The issue becomes that we need to be more descriptive not for our members but for people who would want to join Catholic Aid...Many of the fraternals today are shrinking in membership size. We’re not growing, but we’re not shrinking either. We’re staying about the same size all the time.”

Joseph Annotti, President and CEO, National Fraternal Congress of America
“That’s really up to the individual fraternals whether they are going to be relevant or not. I think there might be 90 total fraternal benefits societies in the United States. The other 25 that are not members of NFCA are extremely small, on their last legs as far as I can tell... The fraternal system could stick around for another 50 years on its own. If it’s going to stick around for another 100 years, we’ve got to figure out ways to grow... We’ve got to be out there in those arenas or we’re going to miss attracting the next generation of members. And if you don’t get the next generation in, you can write the end of the closing chapters of that book.”

Dr. Diane Hinds, professional researcher, Employers Association, Inc. speaks on a study of 2,400 non-member Catholics in Minnesota who were asked what they thought of CAA’s name.
“They told us some interesting things. They mentioned that Catholic Aid Association was a word or phrase that they had heard, but only about 10 percent of the entire group were able to accurately describe what it was. More than 50 percent thought that is was a charitable organization.

“What this says is that a large percentage of people that you would be marketing to when they first hear the term Catholic Aid are going to assume that you are a charitable organization and are not going to understand that you have insurance products....you’re going to have to educate them. You’re going to have to take an additional step to educate them as to what the organization is all about.”

Peter Ryan, FIC, Catholic Aid Field Representative for seven years
“If [our purpose] is part of our name, it’s a lot less to explain, a lot less to go over. From my perspective people would see it in our name and go, ‘Wow, I didn’t know Catholic Aid did that.’ My opinion would be that we need to have something added or changed in our name to make it crystal clear.”

Kathleen Moriarty, Director of Fraternal, CAA
“I think Catholic Aid like any business organization has to change and adapt to reflect the different audiences and the lifestyles of our members...We’re very conscious that young people today have access to many, many different activities beyond Catholic Aid. In order for Catholic Aid to be something that makes it onto their list, it has to be something that will include their friends, and fit well into their schedule and be meaningful to them.”

How about you? What do you think of a name update? This is your time, your company and your future. Please let us know your opinion on the name update process. Call 651-765-6555 or email news@catholicaid.org.

Scholarship Program Open!

2009-10-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

Post-High School Tuition Scholarship

Catholic Aid Association is now accepting applications for our scholarship program. Since 1955, Catholic Aid has given more than $2 million to our members in scholarships for higher education and job training. The scholarship program is open to any member (minimum two years membership) who is starting a degree or certification program from an accredited college, university, vocational or training institution.

Eligibility

* Applicant must be a member of Catholic Aid for at least 2 years (prior to application deadline and at the time the award is given).

* Applicant must be entering first or second year of post-high school education, as part of a degree or certificate program.

* If you have received our scholarship in the past, please do not apply again. In order to extend this fraternal benefit to as many CAA members as possible, we do not consider previous Catholic Aid scholarship recipients.

* The applicant must submit a completed scholarship application form, either the online version or the paper form. Deadline Paper applications must be received by our office (or post-marked) before Feb. 15, 2010. There are no exceptions.

Application Elements

* CAA Council: If you do not know which Catholic Aid council you are assigned to, leave blank. This information is verified before processing.

* Certificate/Annuity: The applicant must have a Catholic Aid life insurance certificate or annuity, and therefore a membership, to qualify. Certificate or annuity numbers of parents, grand-parents or guardians are not accepted. This information is verified before processing.

* Post-Secondary School Info: If you have not made a final decision, put your first choice. This information will be verified after recipients are notified, and can be changed.

* GPA: Enter your GPA for the last year of school you attended in either high school, college or trade school.

Submission
Online applications will be accepted up to 11:59 p.m., Feb.15, 2010.

Please return the completed paper application by February 15, 2010 to:
Catholic Aid Association – Scholarship Program
3499 Lexington Ave.
N St. Paul, MN 55126

Questions
If you have questions, please call the Fraternal Department at (651) 490-0170, or (800) 568-6670; Ext. 133 or email fraternal@catholicaid.org.

Application
www.catholicaid.org/links/scholarship

CAA scholarship program reaches $2 million

2009-10-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

by Susan F. Detlefsen, Staff Writer

In a legacy spanning 54 years, Catholic Aid Association’s scholarship program reached a special milestone this year. The program awarded $164,500 in scholarships to members in 2009, bringing the program’s cumulative award total to more than $2 million.

“We’re proud of our membership for having the vision to start this program five decades ago, and for supporting it for so many years,” said President and Chairman Michael McGovern. “This is truly a milestone worth celebrating.”

Establishing a scholarship legacy

The front page of the June 22, 1955, issue of the Catholic Aid News announced the first appeal ever for scholarship applicants. “Boys and girls” who were members of the Association and were high school graduates were invited to apply for teaching scholarships to any Catholic college in the Midwest.

Applicants had to demonstrate financial need, an interest in the teaching profession and have an academic record that proved they could succeed at college study.

The scholarships were renewable for all fours years a student was enrolled in teacher’s college, provided that their “scholastic record was satisfactory.” Demonstrating a need of the times, the program’s purpose was “to increase the number of properly qualified Catholic lay teachers for the elementary and secondary schools of this area.”

Dr. Gordon T. Tierney, president of the Men’s Council, recommended establishing a scholarship program at the 1954 annual convention. The original motion states that the program would award 10 to 15 scholarships to students graduating from high school in June of 1955. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Tierney also served as the chairman of the first scholarship committee, advised by Archbishop R. J. Connolle, superintendent of schools of the then Archdiocese of St. Paul.
Eight scholarships were awarded in August of that year to three men and five women: Francis Brawn of Glencoe, Minn.; Pamela Douglas of Cannon Falls, Minn.; Robert W. Skillings of St. Paul, Minn.; Bernetta Lieser of St. Martin, Minn.; Patricia Schwab of Comfrey, Minn.; Loretta Sieben of Hastings, Minn.; Dennis Wagener of Glencoe, Minn.; and Dolores Wagner of New Market, Minn. Photos of the winners were published on page seven of the August 22 edition of CA News, a tradition that continues 54 years later as you’ll see on pages 11 through 19 of this magazine.

The unanimous passing of the program at the 1954 convention demonstrated its popularity among Catholic Aid members, who then took active steps to make sure the program succeeded. Just two months after the first scholarships were awarded, the Catholic Women’s Union gave a donation of $1,000 to the fund, roughly equivalent to nearly $8,000 in adjusted dollars today. In the years to come, the scholarship fund continued to receive regular donations from members.

Marie Schwantes, scholarship chairman and executive board member of the Catholic Women’s Union, wrote in the Dec. 22, 1955 issue of Catholic Aid News that “Catholics have a right to take pride in our schools and an obligation to demonstrate a desire and capacity to meet the major problems facing Catholic education. Therefore, the Scholarship Program, which we undertook at our Convention in September, is most worthy and necessary.”

Ten years later, in an appeal for donations in the April 22, 1965 issue of Catholic Aid News, President Tierney described the thriving program as “one of the most important projects to engage the attention of the members of our organization.”

Changing to fit into a changing world

Change is inevitable, and the scholarship program has changed over time to reflect the cultural, religious and education movements prevalent in Catholic and American society. The scholarship is no longer restricted to students intending to enter the teaching profession. Also, the scholarship has changed to a one-time only award, rather than a renewable scholarship.

One thing that has stayed the same for the last few decades is the scholarship amount. While the total giving amounts for the entire program have continued to go up steadily in the past 20 years [see graph below] the actual amount of awards has stayed consistent: $500 for students attending Catholic colleges and universities, $300 for those attending non-Catholic institutions. Considering the skyrocketing cost of post-secondary education these days, the amount of the awards has been revisited several times by the Fraternal department and Catholic Aid’s officers. Each time the amount has been reviewed, CAA has decided to keep the awards the same. Why?

“There are two reasons,” explained Kathleen Moriarty, director of the Fraternal Department. “First, we want to help as many members as we can through this program. We consider the scholarship program to be a member benefit, which means if you are a Catholic Aid member and you meet the basic criteria of the program, then you receive the benefit.

“Second, the program continues to grow almost every year. While the amount of the individual awards hasn’t gone up, the total amount of awards we give out has increased every year in the last 10 years. In 1999, we awarded 154 scholarships. This year we awarded 491, for a total of $164,500 awards given in 2009. That is an amazing number of lives impacted by this program.”
In the last 54 years, more than 5,700 Catholics have received a CAA scholarship to defray tuition costs.

Little-known facts about the program

There are aspects to the program that aren’t as well known. The average scholarship recipient is 18-years of age and has recently graduated from high school. While this is typical, scholarships aren’t limited to this type of student. There is no age limit in the application guidelines, which means a student of any age can apply and potentially receive a scholarship, just as long as they are enrolled for their first or second year in an accredited program with the intention of earning an undergraduate degree or certification.

Typically, most scholarship recipients are planning to attend a four-year school, such as a college or university. But again, the scholarship guidelines aren’t limited to just the big institutions. Students who choose to attend community colleges, vocational-technical institutions or job training are also eligible for a scholarship, as long as the program is accredited and the student is on track for a certification or undergraduate degree.

The future of the scholarship program

Moriarty says the scholarship program is going strong, and, like all Catholic Aid Fraternal programs, is under constant scrutiny to maintain the program’s effectiveness and continuity. In the future, Fraternal may add scholarships that will be awarded to students based on merit and Catholic service. Also, the Fraternal staff intend to keep in contact with scholarship winners and offer them guidance on several topics, including thriving in a college environment, maintaining a faith life through college and serving as a young leader to their Catholic communities.

“There is an enormous link between educational success and financial success,” Moriarty said. “We are proud to help provide some of the means to help our members get the tools that will help them be successful in their careers, which translates to a stronger Catholic community and a stronger Catholic Aid Association.”

This story may not be reproduced in part or in full without the express written consent of Catholic Aid Association.

Joe Annotti Comments on the Need for Younger Members in the Fraternal Industry

2009-10-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog from Joe Annotti about the need for Fraternals to grow younger.

Who is Joe Annotti? He's the president of the National Fraternal Congress of America.

What's a fraternal? As a fraternal life insurance company, Catholic Aid Association has a special purpose -- recognized by the federal government with tax-exempt status. We provide our members with excellent insurance and financial products and we return our profits to our Catholic communities in the forms of grants, scholarships and assistance.

According to the National Fraternal Congress of America, fraternal benefit societies like Catholic Aid Association provide billions of dollars back to the American public in the form of volunteer hours, grants and scholarships.

Youth Volunteer of the Year is Outstanding Student & Servant

2009-10-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Youth Volunteer of the Year winner Kayla Yarusso is involved in so many volunteer activities that her accomplishments filled the entire award nomination form!

An active member of St. Jude’s Council in Mahtomedi, Minn., Miss Yarusso has been a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Feed My Starving Children, JOIN HANDS DAY as well as many Catholic Aid fund-raising events at her parish. During the past year, she traveled to Guatemala to volunteer at a children’s mission, and she is a regular youth ministry and children’s ministry worker at St. Jude’s parish. An outstanding student and athlete, Kayla has been on the ‘A’ Honor Roll for the past four years.

Youth Volunteer of the Year Award is an honor presented by Catholic Aid Association to recognize a young adult member who, through example and accomplishment, provided outstanding volunteer service during the past year.

Recent News

2009-09-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kayla Yarusso, Youth Volunteer of the Year award winner. Kayla was presented with this award by CAA to recognize her outstanding volunteer service to her community and council during the past year. More information about Kayla is on the way.

Scholarships applications are in for the National Catholic Youth Conference 2009. More information is on the way!

Event: College Information Session

2009-06-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Meet other college students who are going to college for the first time! We’ll take a look at the basics of what to expect when you are going away to college. College students will be at the session to answer your questions and offer advice to first time students.

The workshop will address the following questions:

:: What Can I Expect the First Year? ::
How Will the Relationships With My Parents and Friends Change?
Lisa Schulte, Assistant Director of Housing Programs at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

:: Who Am I and What Do I Believe? ::
Building a Catholic Identity.
Fr. Tim Biren, Director of the St. Thomas More Newman Center at Minnesota State University - Mankato

:: Who will I Surround Myself With? ::
Surrounding Yourself with Good Friends and Connecting with Other Catholics.
Father Peter Williams, Pastor of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Vocation Director

:: Student Panel on the Practics ::
Important Advice from Other College Students!

$10 registration includes materials and lunch, payable to Catholic Aid Association. Online registration available June 15 at www.catholicaid.org.

Date: Saturday, August 8, 2009
Time: 8:45am - 12:00pm
Location: The University of St. Thomas
Street: 2115 Summit Avenue
City/Town: Saint Paul, MN

Parent Evening: Teaching our Children CHASTITY & VIRTUE

2009-05-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY, MAY 21 -6:30-9:30 PM Church of St. Joseph Great Room – West St. Paul, MN*

Join The Church of St. Joseph’s for this unforgettable evening that is guaranteed to assist in the formation of our children in chastity, virtue and Christian friendship. Refreshments provided. Please RSVP by Wed (5/20) ann.osendorf@churchofstjoseph.org or 651.789.8357. This event is FREE & open to the public. Sponsored by the Junior High Youth Office with the generous assistance of CAA Foundation.

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS:

Fr. Thomas Loya: “This is MY Body” ~Speaking a Lie or Telling the Truth Understanding the “language of the Body” as articulated in John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

Father Thomas Knoblach: “The WHY-NOT Culture ~Developing Character & Self-Discipline in our Media-Driven World” The confusing messages of the culture and emerging problems facing the Family and our youth...And what we can do!

Theology on a Stick Fundraising Gala

2009-05-04T05:43:00.000-07:00

Theology on a Stick is returning to the State Fair this summer with a series of presentations, music and the popular “Grill the Priest” question-and-answer forum. Events will be held Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays of the fair. Theology on a Stick is presented by the Cathedral Young Adults (CYA) together with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul-Minneapolis, hosted by St. Bernard’s Bulldog Lodge and sponsored by Catholic Aid Association.

CYA is very pleased to announce our first annual...

LATIN NIGHTS: A Theology on a Stick Fundraising Gala. Please come for an evening of food, music and dance!!!

When: Saturday, May 30, 2009
Where: Galtier Plaza, 380 Jackson Street, 10th floor, Saint Paul, MN.

- KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Archbishop Emeritus Harry J. Flynn
- Marshall, radio personality from Cities 97, will be the MC for the evening!
- Catered by Boca Chica!
- LIVE salsa dance music by SALSA del SOUL!
- Dinner & Dance: $50 includes drink. ~ 5:30pm to Midnight.
- Dance: $20 (in advance) includes refreshments/ $25 (door). ~ 8:30pm to Midnight.

Ticket purchases can now be made online for the Gala! Go to www.cathedralyoungadults.org.

Questions? tos@cathedralsaintpaul.org.

Catholic Aid Foundation Golf Tournament

2009-04-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

May 18, 2009, Registration Begins at 11:00 AM
River Oaks Golf Course, Cottage Grove, MN

All proceeds of this tournament go toward the Catholic Aid Foundation's three priority funds:
1. Technology Grants for Catholic Education
2. Chastity & Abstinence Education
3. Disaster Relief

Please contact the Catholic Aid Foundation for more information about this event at 651.765.6548.

Sponsor options include:
Dinner Only for $40
Sponsor a Priest to Golf for $110
Individual Golfer for $110
Benefactor Sponsor for $150
Corporate Sponsor for $500
Founder Sponsor for $1000
Additional Options for $1500 - $3000

More Information About the Young Adult Advisory Team

2009-04-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

The Young Adult Advisory Team will consist of young adults and youth ministers who will help Catholic Aid on their youth/young adult initiatives. Catholic Aid has realized that we need youth and young adults to be active participants in the initiatives. We need your help!

There will be a stipend for those who are on the committees (One committee will be in St. Cloud, one in St. Paul). We haven't determined the amount yet, but think that the stipend would be helpful for young adults in college.

Some of the topics we would like to discuss in the young adult advisory are:

Who is CAA and Why Have This Panel?
What does CAA Offer Youth and Young Adults Currently?
What can CAA Offer Youth and Young Adults in the Future?
Explore the Possibility of Social Networking/Volunteer Events?
Explore the Possibility of a Leadership Speaker Series.
Explore the Possibilities of our Scholarship Program
Explore the Ideas for the Annual Convention: How to Get Youth & Young Adults Involved in Convention?
Once a Year We Would Have a Fun Event and a Volunteer Event.

Heather Vargo, Youth Fraternal Liaison, is hoping that the Young Adult Advisory Team will help Catholic Aid better engage youth and young adults in the organization and in their spiritual lives. Also, she hopes that Catholic Aid can offer more volunteer opportunities for youth and young adults (perhaps offer regional service projects).

If you are interested in participating in the Young Adult Advisory Panel, please email Heather Vargo at hvargo@catholicaid.org.

Young Adult Advisory Panel

2009-02-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

Catholic Aid realizes that it is essential to include youth/young adults as active participants in any development initiative. They have to be equal partners in the process. Their involvement presents a great challenge to adults and charges them to rethink how they have engaged in planning, program development and implementation. Therefore, the Fraternal Department will pilot a Young Adult Advisory Panel of 8-10 young adults or youth ministers.

Description of the Panel:
The Young Adult Advisory Panel will be focused on how Catholic Aid can increase visibility, promote volunteerism, and foster spirituality in Catholic Aid young people. The panel will assist councils in strengthening relationships with youth.
The panel will consist of 8-10 young adults or youth ministers. Members of the panel will be compensated for their time.
Locations for panels: St. Cloud, MN & St. Paul, MN

Eligibility:
The nominee should be available to meet 2-3 times per year.
The nominee should be between the ages of 17 and 30, or a Catholic youth minister.

Deadline:
Nominations for this panel will be accepted in the Fraternal Department until May 1st, 2009.

To request a nomination form, or if you have questions or comments, please contact:
Heather Vargo, Youth Fraternal Liaison
3499 Lexington Avenue North
Saint Paul, MN 55126
hvargo@catholicaid.org

Post High School Tuition Scholarships

2009-01-26T07:27:00.001-08:00

Post High School Tuition Scholarships applications are due by February 15! Message me if you would like some more information about these. Here's some information about the program:

Program Information:
Purpose
Tuition assistance for high school seniors or first year college students (of any age).

Benefits
CAA members receive financial support to continue their education.
Positive publicity for CAA and Local Councils.

Guidelines - Eligibility Requirements
Must be a member of CAA for 2 years prior to deadline date (Feb. 15th) and when scholarship is awarded. Entering first or second year in college and seeking a degree, diploma, or certificate.

Guidelines - How much can you receive?
$500 for attending Catholic college or university.
$300 for attending an accredited non-Catholic college or university, including community and technical college.

Scholarship Applications are available from:
Catholic Aid Web site at www.catholicaid.org.
Your Catholic Aid Field Representative.
CAA Fraternal Department.

Must submit:
Completed application.

Frequently Asked Questions:
I am Catholic. Can I apply for the CAA Scholarship?
Yes, if you are also a member of the Catholic Aid Association. You must be a CAA member for at least two years prior to the application deadline date to be eligible.

I am a member of the Catholic Aid Credit Union. Am I eligible to apply?
Members of Catholic Aid Credit Union are not necessarily members of CAA. If you are a member of both organizations and have been for at least two years prior to the application deadline date, you are eligible.

My parents are Catholic Aid members. Am I eligible as their child?
You are eligible only if you, personally, are also a member of CAA. In addition, you must have been a member for two years as of the application deadline date and at the time the scholarship money is paid to your selected school.

I have a twin. Can we both apply?
Yes, siblings from the same household are eligible if they meet the membership qualifications.

Is there an age requirement?
No, non-traditional age students, as well as traditional, are eligible if they meet the membership qualifications.

I want to attend a technical school. Would this be an eligible institution?
Yes, any accredited college, university, community college or technical school is acceptable.

I received a Catholic Aid scholarship. Do I have to use it this year?
Yes, CAA scholarships are only good for the year in which you apply.

Can I apply for this scholarship each year that I am in college?
No, the CAA scholarships are a one-time only award. Once you are awarded a scholarship, you are no longer eligible for another one.

Community Service Award - Cold Spring, MN

2009-01-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

The St. Boniface Catholic Aid Council recognized Janet Aaseth with the Community Service Award. Janet has participated in neighborhood religious education programs, started the youth group at St. Boniface Parish and has spent countless hours volunteering at the St. Boniface Elementary School and visiting with Rocori High School students. She and her husband have served meals to athletes before sports events. She is a member of the community fire department and Catholic Aid is proud to award her with the Community Service Award.

NCCYM: National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry

2008-12-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

I just spent the last week and a half in Cleveland, OH. I was there for Thanksgiving with my family, I was also there for the The National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM). The conference is the largest adult conference for Catholic youth ministers in the country; this year was almost 2500 participants. The next conference is in New Orleans in 2010. Here's a couple pictures from Cleveland. See more pictures on Facebook.

St. Cloud Diocesan Youth Rally

2008-11-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

The St. Cloud Diocesan Youth Rally took place November 23, 2008 at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn. The gathering had over 400 youth and youth leaders from throughout the St. Cloud Diocese.

Catholic Aid was glad to partner with the St. Cloud Diocese on this wonderful event. While at rally, Catholic Aid lead a workshop for teens titled, "Survival Guide: Your Cash, Your Credit."

Click here to see more pictures from this event.

Winona Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference

2008-11-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

The Winona Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference (DCYC) took place November 22-23, 2008 at the Holiday Inn, Mankato, Minn. The gathering had over 370 youth and youth leaders from throughout the Winona Diocese. Catholic Aid was glad to partner with the Winona Diocese on this wonderful event.

While at DCYC, Catholic Aid lead a workshop for teens titled, "Survival Guide: Your Cash, Your Credit."

Catholic Aid supported the Kids Against Hunger Service project where 10,000 meals were bagged.

Over forty Thanksgiving Day Baskets were created and distributed to needy families in the Mankato area. The home office of Catholic Aid, along with parishes in the Winona Diocese collected canned goods for this service project.

Click here to see more pictures from this event.

Project: Volunteer (Formerly Youth Parish Program)

2008-11-11T07:26:00.000-08:00

We have doubled this benefit! This program promotes youth volunteerism in parishes among youth ages 19 and younger. A benefit of $2 per hour, up to $400 with a minimum of 25 hours required, will be paid to parishes. To receive this benefit, complete the Project: Volunteer Application and return it to the Fraternal Department by Dec. 31, 2009. Please note, parish liturgy services and volunteer work done in conjunction with other Catholic Aid youth programs like Project: Multiply do not count toward this benefit.

Purpose:
Combines youth volunteers and valuable assistance to the pastor and parish.
Encourages youth to become involved in their parish.
Promotes volunteerism.

Benefit:
$2 per hour worked by Catholic Aid youth (ages 19 and under) up to a maximum of $400.

Guidelines:
Complete the ‘Project: Volunteer Application’ and return to the Fraternal Department by December 31. (The application is a list of Catholic Aid youth, ages 19 and under, who have participated in service projects and how many hours of service were performed)
Minimum combined total of 25 hours is required to apply.

Not included in hours of service performed:
Parish Liturgy Services.
Volunteer work done in conjunction with other Catholic Aid youth programs like ‘Project: Multiply.’

Project: Multiply (Formerly Youth Grant)

2008-11-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

We’ve increased the matching portion of this program from $100 to $500. Catholic Aid provides $25 seed money to help raise funds for the youth programs and provides 20% bonus on monies raised (minus the $25 seed money). Catholic Aid will match 20% of the monies raised up to $500 maximum per council. In addition, the Fraternal department will give two $100 awards annually to groups with the ‘Most Creative Idea.’ This replaces the random drawing that was done in years past. Creativity is judged by event publicity efforts and the unique attributes of the fundraiser. New forms for this program are required both before and after the event.

Guidelines to this program have changed as well, there is a ‘Project: Multiply Seed Money Request Form’ that must be completed six weeks prior to the event to request the seed money and to inform the Fraternal Department about the event. Also, after the fundraiser is completed, there is a ‘Project: Multiply Completion Form that must be filled out and sent to us after the event.

Purpose:
Fund raiser for local youth programs.
Increase awareness of Catholic Aid.

Benefit:
Provides $25 seed money to help raise funds for the youth programs
Provides 20% Bonus on monies raised (minus the $25 seed money) up to $500
Two $100 prizes will be awarded to councils for the 'Most Creative Idea.' Creativity is determined by the creativity demonstrated in publicizing the event and the creativity in planning a unique fundraiser.

Guidelines:
Before the Event: Complete the ‘Project: Multiply Seed Money Request Form’ six weeks before the event.
After the Event: Complete the ‘Project: Multiply Completion Form.’

Examples of Project: Multiply:
Grow Vegetables and Sell Them
Bake Sale
Brat Stand
Holiday Bingo
Ask Parishioners to Fill M&M Tubes with Quarters
Silent Auction
Mother’s Day Brunch
Plastic Easter Egg Sale
Valentine Card Sale
Valentine’s Day Dinner
Soup or Chili Supper

CAA Youth Member Making a Difference...

2008-10-29T07:39:00.001-07:00

Catholic Aid member, Kelly M., is making a big difference as she is working on her Girl Scout Gold Award Project. The Gold Award Project is “the culmination of all the work of a Girl Scout. It is something that a girl can be passionate about in thought, deed, and action.” The project is intended to fulfill a need in the community and create change. The award has high standards which include getting 65 hours of community service and the individual earning the award must take a leadership role in the project showing that she can delegate tasks and motivate all who are involved. Through her Gold Award Project, Kelly is creating change in her community.

Kelly lives in Rogers, Minn. and attends Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church. She sought the direction of her parish priest, Fr. Moriarty, who suggested that Kelly create a project that helps youth get more involved and senior citizens get the help they need. She created a phone line where senior citizens can call in and ask for help with a variety of projects like moving patio furniture, weeding, raking, and cleaning windows.

Kelly brainstormed and created task lists to get it all done. She said that “the hardest thing is staying on task.” Of course with being a senior in high school and having two Advanced Placement classes, and working; staying on task can be difficult!

Kelly worked with her Catholic parish, Mary Queen of Peace, and the Lutheran church across the street from her parish, Word of Peace and the phone lines opened up in Mid August. To get the word out about the project, Kelly addressed both congregations during the weekend of October 4-5 where she spoke at every service at both churches. She wanted to address the entire congregation of each church because she wanted to recruit volunteers for the service projects and she wanted to let the seniors know that there is a phone line they can call to get the help they need.

Service projects took place October 22, 25, and 29. Over 50 volunteers were involved in the projects and seniors got the help they needed. At the end of each service project there was a pizza party for the volunteers involved. The pizza was donated by a parishioner of Mary Queen of Peace.

Financial Seminar for Teens, A Survival Guide to Finances!

2008-09-30T07:22:00.000-07:00

As part of the ongoing support of youth and young adults, Catholic Aid will be partnering with the St. Cloud, MN Diocese and the Winona, MN Diocese for their Annual Youth Rally and Youth Conference.

The St. Cloud Diocesan Youth Rally will take place at St. John's University on November 23, 2008.

The Winona Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference will take place at the Holiday Inn - Mankato November 22-23, 2008.

Catholic Aid Association Credit Union President Nicholas Jaeger will give a financial workshop at each of the events. Organizers say the St. Cloud Diocese event alone could attract more than 600 youth. The purpose of the diocesan gatherings is to encourage 9th through 12th graders to think of their Catholic teachings in their everyday lives. Jaeger will present, “Survival Guide: Your Cash, Your Credit.” Discussion will help teens learn ways to start managing finances. Teens will leave with practical ideas about debt management, credit cards, debit cards, and savings.

If you are interested in a financial seminar for teens at your parish, contact the Youth Fraternal Liaison, Heather Vargo at 1.800.568.6670 ext 187.

Bringing B16 to your Inbox on Xt3…

2008-09-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has decided to use Xt3 to send a message for youth and young adults (marking the 50 day WYD08 reunion). Just imagine, checking your inbox on Xt3 to find a message from the Pope!

Everyone that is registered with Xt3 will receive a special message from the Holy Father today, the 8th of September. Why not log on and invite your friends so they too can receive this historic message and share the journey on Xt3.

In other news, Xt3 is off to an incredible start, with tens of thousands of young people already registered! There are awesome debates going on in our newly improved discussions and over 1000 groups, the new mega ’Prayer Wall‘ is already popular, and thousands of you have been enjoying free podcasts and video from WYD and beyond. Xt3 is still growing and improving - watch this space and don‘t forget to invite your friends!

Also, if you didn't know, Xt3.com has been chosen as the first ever official social networking platform for World Youth Day. The name ‘Xt3’ comes from bringing ‘Xt’ (Christ) into the 3rd Millennium. Xt3.com is a modern, slick and easy to use social networking platform similar to Facebook and Myspace etc. You have the opportunity to network with peers who share your interests, beliefs, values and desires to make the world a better place. Each diocese will have a network, plugging you back into what’s going on in your area.

Catholic Aid Council Youth Liaisons

2008-09-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

What’s a good way to involve the youth and young adults of your parish in Council events? Recruit a Youth Liaison. This position is not required, but recommended for every council. This person maintains a connection with the parish youth group, confirmation class, school and religious education coordinator. The person in this position also has a hand recruiting project team leaders, and acts as the liaison between youth project teams and local council officers.

The Youth Liaison does NOT have to be an officer or a member of Catholic Aid. The youth liaison can be a young leader who is in high school or college. Also, the youth liaison can be an older individual, perhaps a youth minister, or confirmation class teacher. We encourage you to choose a Youth Liaison who is a younger person in touch with the younger members of the council and parish. If you need help recruiting for this position, give me a call. I’d love to help.

Here are some ways we can connect:
-Let me know about your council events that are focused on youth and young adults, because I’d really like to come and connect with your young leaders.
-If you are meeting with a priest or a school principal, I’d be happy to come along to explain our youth programs to them.
-If you are interested in adding a council youth liaison to your council, I’d be glad to talk with your council and the potential youth liaison to increase understanding of the council position.

Call to Action: Remember 9/11 at myGoodDeed.org

2008-09-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

Catholic Aid is dedicated to volunteerism, here is a great way that we can all log our good deeds and volunteer together for a great cause. Let's continue to remember the victims, families, friends, and heroes of 9/11.

9/11 is increasingly being recognized as a day of service and an act of memory. For volunteers, 9/11 remembrance offers a unique way to give back by getting involved.

Check out myGoodDeed.org, an organization that is leading an effort, to strengthen the tradition of citizen service during a time of year many of us look inward. Founded shortly after the terrorist attacks to honor the victims, family members, and survivors, myGoodDeed has been a leader in the national movement to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 with a day of giving back.

The organization asks visitors to observe the week of 9/11 as a period of voluntary service by logging voluntary "good deeds" on its Web site, and the organization is working to make 9/11 an annual event and season of service.

To log your good deeds, create a profile at www.mygooddeed.org. VolunteerMatch.org provides more than 54,000 active opportunities and is a great place to find ways to make a difference.

Source: Volunteer Newsletter - August 2008, VolunteerMatch.org

Theology on a Stick

2008-09-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

Theology on a Stick was a great success! The Most Holy Father (the life-size stand-up edition) came to the event on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (August 27, 29, 30) and was greeted warmly by volunteers, priests, and fair-goers. The life size stand-up of the Pope helped lighten the atmosphere and made Theology on a Stick more approachable to fair-goers. You can see pictures of the event here. More event photos will be uploaded on the Catholic Aid website by September 8 at www.catholicaid.org/life.

CAA on YouTube!

2008-08-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

Check out Catholic Aid's all new YouTube channel here.

Going Off to College?

2008-08-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Getting Going: What Every Freshman Needs to Know
By ANDREA COOMBES
August 24, 2008

If you're about to start your freshman year in college, you're likely fretting over the homework load and how to avoid embarrassing yourself in front of your classmates.

Meanwhile, your parents' fears as you take this major step toward adulthood are running as rampant as their imagination will allow.

But now that the first tuition bill is paid, the one thing likely neither you nor your parents is focusing on is money. You should. Here's one reason why: Almost one-fourth of undergraduates had credit-card debt in excess of $3,000, according to a study of students' credit histories in 2004 by loan provider Nellie Mae.

That's a chunk of money to owe on an entry-level salary, and worse if you're paying off student loans, too.

To start your adult life on the best financial footing possible, consider these 10 rules while you're in school.

1. Be specific. Talk with your parents about who is paying for what, and how. When David Robinson, who teaches a personal-finance class at the University of California at Berkeley, asks students who is paying, for instance, for their semester of study abroad, many college students have no idea.

Not knowing details can lead to unrealistic expectations. Parents, if you're struggling with your own finances, discuss your situation with your student. Don't worry about looking bad. She already knows you're not perfect.

2. Create a budget. Come up with categories, estimating a monthly spending amount for each. Note to parents: Help your kids with this, but don't be judgmental. "It's really helpful for them to come up with their categories," says Susan Bruno, a personal financial specialist in Rowayton, Conn.

Your budget may change once you're on campus, so revise as needed. Send a weekly email update to your parents -- it'll help you track spending.

3. Set up accounts. And pay attention. Create a checking and savings account -- even if the balances are low -- to get the hang of balancing a checkbook. Once a week, before your daily visit to Facebook, visit your accounts online. Check to ensure that transactions are yours -- sad to say, but identity theft happens, and young adults' "friends" often do the stealing.

4. Learn from mistakes. It's inevitable: You will trip up with your finances -- just ask your parents! -- and those errors may cost you money. Don't beat yourself up. Figure out where you went wrong and move on. Credit-card late fees are a common problem.

Gerad Soman, a senior at Loyola University, Chicago, solved it by setting up automatic payments from his bank account.

5. Practice with plastic. First off, realize that it's possible to live without credit cards. Many people do. That said, if you decide credit cards are a good idea -- for emergencies or to create a credit history -- then start slowly. Craig Watts, spokesman for Fair Isaac Corp., creator of the FICO credit score, says his three teenagers started with gas cards (the type that work only for gas). "They had to pay those bills. That teaches kids in a hurry," he says. Or, become an authorized user on a parent's account, with an agreed-upon maximum limit. (Note that the latest FICO model gives fewer "good credit" points to piggyback users, Mr. Watts says.) Or, get your own card with a low limit to ensure you don't overspend. Pay your full balance monthly.

6. Work part time. It's nice if the job is somehow related to your career goals, but even if it isn't, work anyway. "It gives them a little structure it teaches them some responsibility and gives them some experience handling money," says Gary Buffone, founder of a family-wealth consulting firm in Jacksonville, Fla. Some universities advise freshmen to delay employment, so check with your adviser first.

7. Educate yourself. If your school doesn't offer a personal-finance class, then take an accounting class. Mr. Soman says doing so "taught me about balancing assets and liabilities."

8. Just say no. There will be times -- when friends head out for a nice dinner, say -- when you will want something you cannot afford. Practice resisting the urge to spend anyway, says Mr. Robinson, the University of California lecturer. He has students imagine their friends going to Lake Tahoe for a weekend. "I get 250 kids to stand up and say out loud, 'I'm sorry, that sounds lovely but I just can't afford it.' "

9. Start a Roth. If you work, ask your parents whether you can borrow $4,000 to fund a new Roth IRA. Then pay them back over time, says Linda Lubitz, a financial planner in Miami. Note that you can't put more than your taxable compensation into a Roth, up to $4,000 a year.

10. Learn how to cook. Eating out is one of the fastest ways to bleed money, so learn to cook. Mr. Soman's dad taught him over the phone how to barbeque food. "Ever since then I'll buy food early in the week," he says. "I'll do one big BBQ of steak and chicken and it'll last me about a week."

Write to Andrea Coombes at andrea.coombes@dowjones.com

------

Rule #9 mentions starting a Roth IRA. Contact your Catholic Aid field representative about starting a Roth IRA!

New Member Appreciation Event

2008-08-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

Catholic Aid Association is hosting a New Member Appreciation Night with the Saint Paul Saints! The event is taking place on Monday, August 18. The pre-game events (dinner) starts at 5:00 PM and the game starts at 7:00 PM.

Whether you are a new member, or you've been with Catholic Aid your entire life, you are invited, please contact Heather Vargo if you would like to attend!

Here's Heather's contact information:
hvargo@catholicaid.org
651.490.0170 ext 187
800.568.6670 ext 187

Reflections on World Youth Day

2008-08-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

Alisha Hafner of the St. Jude of the Lake Council in Mahtomedi, Minn. said, “World Youth Day was simply AMAZING! Words cannot describe how I felt from the enthusiasm of all the pilgrims around me. It was such a moving experience to see so many young people gathered together for the same reason.”

“The most valuable lesson I learned at World Youth Day was to just take a step back from everything going on and remember the reason I was there… It was so easy to get caught up in the excitement of everyone that sometimes I forgot the reason for everyone's excitement. Being in such a beautiful place, such as Sydney, added so much to World Youth Day, while at the same time sometimes distracted pilgrims from the message of World Youth Day. Overall, World Youth Day was a spiritual growing experience for every pilgrim present.” - Alisha Hafner

Here is a photo Alisha submitted of her group. This is the Saint Helena WYD Group, Minneapolis, Minn.

Alisha Hafner and her tour guide, Simon.

Reflections on World Youth Day

2008-08-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Jacqueline Noggle of the Saint Helena group says that “Adoration at the vigil was my most favorite moment because I could feel the holy spirit more powerfully then I have ever felt Him before. I felt this overwhelming sense of joy and hope I couldn’t stop smiling.” Above is a photo of Jackie's World Youth Day group from Saint Helena's Parish in Minneapolis, Minn.

Reflections on World Youth Day

2008-08-12T08:34:00.002-07:00

Matt Kuettel of St. Anthony and Maria-Hilf Council in Saint Paul, Minn. said, "While seeing the Pope was an experience that will not be forgotten, I think that hearing his words has affected me more. The Pope is a very holy man, and while he is the vicar of Christ, he is not Christ. His words, however, are more important because he has been given the authority to speak for the Church, and under the guidance of the Spirit, his words are never wrong."

Matt says that his favorite moment of World Youth Day "was praying in front of Christ in the Eucharist at our Catechesis site. There was a real peace and beauty in the church and prayer was easy. Listening to Christopher West and other speakers were also great opportunities to continue my conversion to Christ."

"I am very grateful to Catholic Aid for all they did to help me go to Australia. Their financial support helped me acquire the funds necessary to make the lengthy trip and I am a better person because of it; thank you Catholic Aid." - Matt Kuettel

Reflections on World Youth Day

2008-08-12T08:34:00.001-07:00

Kelsey Schlichting of the St. Joseph in Miesville, Minn. said, "Upon arriving in Sydney, the excitement grew more and more with each new country flag I saw. We finally came to Olympic Park which was the location which would be our home for the next week and a half. It wasn’t just our home, but also the home of 5,000 others from around the world. The dome we stayed in housed people from all around the world -- All the way from the unfamiliar country of Togo, all the way to our neighboring state of Wisconsin. This was a defining point of the trip for me. Walking into this dome, (it resembled an air plane hanger), and see sleeping bags and air mattresses, and rows and rows and rows of people upon more rows of people. To realize that this was only a small fraction of how many people were attending this event, and I was part of it. I was part of it all. Every night when we came 'home' to the dome, there was a relief that flooded over me kind of, to see all the other people there, knowing that I wasn't alone in this. I wasn't the only other person on this pilgrimage to strengthen my faith. I wasn't alone."

Kelsey talked, too, of her faith being strengthened, "My faith was strengthened immensely on this trip. I didn't realize during the trip itself, but afterward, I realized how much closer the trip and its excursions had brought me to Jesus Christ himself. The priest we traveled with preached to us one day about getting closer to Jesus and knowing Him. He told us that Jesus knew us so well, and he loved us so much… we don't know him like he knows us. Once the priest had said this, my eyes opened a little bit wider to everything. I brainstormed ways for me to gain a closer relationship with Jesus. This is only one of the ways my faith was strengthened in this journey I took."

Reflections on World Youth Day

2008-08-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Andrew Vandal is from the SS Joseph & Elizabeth Council in Sykeston, ND. Here's what he had to say about his experience:

My favorite moment was when we started meeting the other WYD pilgrims. The most memorable was when I started making international friends with my light-up Frisbee.

My most valuable lesson I learned is that no matter what race you are from, or the color of your skin, all the pilgrims in Sydney believed in the same risen Christ. I could see it in every pilgrim’s faces that they were ready to meet St. Peter’s successor and proclaim their faith with him.

It was a thrill to see the Pope. I could feel the Holy Spirit radiating from him. You could tell from his smile that he was happy to be there. I got close to fifteen feet away from him when he came to the Randwick Racecourse.

It was fun to be around other people from other nationalities because then you could find out who was the first missionary of their country and other things about them. I also had fun trading trinkets with the different countries.

What I was reminded of again about my Catholic Faith is that no matter who you are or where you are from, somewhere in the world someone is praying for you.

Catholic Aid Association Names Youth Volunteer of the Year

2008-08-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

Two outstanding, young individuals were recognized with a first-of-its-kind award by the Catholic Aid Association Saturday, August 2, for the hours of service and fellowship they have given to their peers, community and Catholic Aid local council.

Kevin Young, of Avon, Minn., and Lori Overman of Freeport, Minn., were named the winners of the 2008 Youth Volunteer of the Year Award and received their plaques and gifts in front of the 400-delegate body of the 125^th Annual Convention of The Catholic Aid Association at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

“The award is the first of its kind in recent memory by Catholic Aid. These young adults are so generous with their time and energy. We want to recognize and encourage these traits in all of our members,” Fraternal Director Kathleen Moriarty said.

Catholic Aid asked for nominations of young members (ages 18 - 30), who have, through example and accomplishment, provided outstanding volunteer service to his or her community and/or council throughout the past year. Both winners exceeded expectation in their involvement, and Catholic Aid was proud to honor them.

Kevin Young is a recent graduate of Albany High School and a successful athlete. He was a member of the Huskie’s state runner-up football team in 2006 and 2008, and has represented his school at the state track and field meet.

“Kevin is a team motivator and team leader,” Huskie Track Coach Scott Daninger said. “He’s a great role model and contributes to the success of each person on the team by his encouragement and commitment.”

In addition to athletics, Young is also an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society, with which he assists in organizing service projects with the student body. He also balances a part-time job and a leadership role with the youth group at St. Benedict’s parish, where helps teach religion to sixth-graders and contributes to his Catholic Aid Council activities. St. Benedict Youth Group Leader Geralyn Nathe-Evans nominated Kevin and described him as “A young man of integrity and an amazing witness to others.”

Kevin plans to attend North Dakota State University in September to study civil engineering.

Overman too, is a recent high school graduate and academic luminary. Lori graduated Valedictorian of Melrose High School and held numerous leadership roles within her class. She was Captain of the Speech Team, President of the National Honor Society, Treasurer of the Band Council, a leader in the 4-H Club and was crowned a Stearns County Dairy Princess in March of 2008. She continues to be a promoter of dairy products, including as a dependable helping hand on her parents’ dairy farm.

Lori’s exceptional service is given not only to the local community, but to the global community as well. She has completed two mission trips to San Rafael, Mexico, inventoried the books of the Sacred Heart Elementary School library, walked for MS, given in Project Give a Gift, and more.

“Lori is dedicated to her family, school, community, and parish,” said Overman’s nominator, Kathy Welle. Lori will also attend North Dakota State University in the fall, to study accounting.

Thanks to the efforts of Overman and Young, it’s a high bar that has been set for future winners of the Catholic Aid Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. The Catholic Aid councils and communities that have benefited from their efforts thank them, as does the entire Association, for the example they set. Congratulations.

About The Catholic Aid Association

The Catholic Aid Association, founded in 1878, in St. Paul, Minn., is one of the largest fraternal life insurance companies in the upper Midwest. Serving more than 74,500 members and 160 active councils, Catholic Aid has a presence in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. It offers life insurance, annuities and IRAs to its members and strives to be the provider of choice for their financial well-being. Catholic Aid is also a leader in support of the whole Catholic community, offering fraternal benefits such as fundraisers, youth events, scholarships and matching grant programs for Catholic parishes, schools and religious education programs throughout its territory. Through programs like these, Catholic Aid helps every generation of the Catholic community thrive and grow.

For more information about the Catholic Aid Association, call 651-490-0170 or 1-800-568-6670, or visit the Web site at www.catholicaid.org.

Theology on a Stick? What is it?

2008-08-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

Catholic Aid became an official sponsor of 'Theology on a Stick.' This is a really great event that is presented by the Cathedral Young Adults (CYA) of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. They have brought spirituality into the pubs through their successful “Theology on Tap” series. Now they’re bringing faith to the fair for five nights.

Dubbed “Theology on a Stick,” the evening event features an exciting mix of questions about God, the meaning of life, and how to enter fulfilling relationships. Each topic is followed by a question and answer session and the CYA’s traditional “grill the priest” open Q&A. All events take place at St. Bernard’s diner, The Bulldog Lodge, located just inside the Snelling Avenue entrance to the fairgrounds, at the southwest corner of Dan Patch and Cosgrove Avenues. CYA volunteers will be handing out “Theology on a Stick” souvenirs each of the days the evening event will be held which include Friday, Saturday and Wednesday nights of the fair from 7 to 11 p.m.

Friday, August 22
Saturday, August 23
Wednesday, August 27
Friday, August 29
Saturday, August 30

Volleyball and Theology of the Body

2008-07-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

Heather Vargo went to visit a great group of young people in Cold Spring, MN. Gabriel Walz lead Theology of the Body for Teens and his family welcomes up to 80 young people to their home every week during the summer for volleyball.

The Theology of the Body for Teens presents the teachings of John Paul II to teens in a way that is relevant, easy-to-follow, and entertaining. It follows the 12 segments presented in the Theology of the Body for Teens DVD Set and Leader's Guide.

This group received an abstinence and chastity grant from the Catholic Aid Foundation to purchase the textbooks. The Catholic Aid Association Foundation was founded in December of 1977 by the Catholic Aid Association (CAA) to assist individuals with their charitable giving. In our complicated and fast-paced lives, it is often difficult to believe, we, individually, have the power to deeply affect the world around us. However, we can have a profound effect by working together.

To contact Heather about other youth events, please email her at hvargo@catholicaid.org.

Youth Grant Program

2008-07-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Catholic Aid Association offers a Youth Grant Program for local youth programs. Has your council organized one yet? If not, let's work on it together! Do you have any ideas on fund raisers? There's some examples below - What fundraisers does your parish do?

Youth Grant Program for Catholic Aid:

Purpose: Fund Raiser for local youth programs

Benefits:
1.) Catholic Aid Association provides $25.00 seed money to help raise funds for the youth programs.
2.) Catholic Aid Association provides 20% bonus on monies raised (minus the $25.00 seed money) up to $100.00 maximum per council.
3.) Four $100.00 prizes will be awarded to councils just for participating.

Guidelines:
1.) $100.00 prize in a random drawing of all the participating Local Councils.
2.) $100.00 prize in a random drawing in each of three participating councils (Small, Medium, and Large)
3.) For payment: Fill out the Fund Raiser Completion form and send it to the Fraternal Department.

Examples:
Grow and Sell Vegetables, Bake Sale, Silent Auction, Mother’s Day Brunch, Fill M & M Tubes with Quarters, Plastic Easter Egg Sale, Raffle, Valentine Card Sale, Soup or Chili Supper, Holiday Bingo, Pie Sale, Brat Stand, Sell Ice Cream at a Parade.

Basilica Block Party

2008-07-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Block On! We secured a 10’x10’ "Picture with the Pope" booth at the Basilica of St Mary in Minneapolis on July 11 and 12. An estimated 1,000 partygoers took the opportunity to take their picture with a life size cut-out of the Pope in exchange for their contact information. We sent each person an email with a link to download the photo from our website. The event was a blast, even though it was 95 degrees and stormy on Friday!

Going to the Basilica Block Party?

2008-07-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

If you are going to the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis, stop by the Catholic Aid Association booth (at the corner of West Laurel and N. 16th St, across from the Basilica) and get your picture with the Pope! Also, take some time to meet your Youth Fraternal Liaison, Heather Vargo (picture of Heather below).

What is the Catholic Aid Association?

2008-07-08T12:18:00.001-07:00

The Catholic Aid Association is a fraternal benefit organization serving more than 74,000 members in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Our financial products provide our members with the life insurance and retirement savings options they need while allowing them the opportunity to impact their Catholic parishes, schools and community.

Youth Fraternal Liaison

2008-07-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

My name is Heather Vargo. I’ve been working for Catholic Aid since October 2007.

This position is a great opportunity to use my experience as a youth leader and speaker, as well as my experience with college campus ministry and volunteerism.

I welcome your phone calls and emails. Please call me at 1.800.568.6670 ext 187 or email me at hvargo@catholicaid.org. I hope to meet some of you at the Annual Convention in August! Thanks.