Name Update: Your Submissions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.