CSW Mass: Learning to share

By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger

DAVENPORT — Hundreds of students in grades 3-12 packed the Assumption High School gymnasium to celebrate Catholic Schools Week Jan. 29 with a Mass. For a moment, Bishop Dennis Walsh asked the young people to think back to their earliest days in school.

During the homily, he asked them, “what was the most important thing you learned in kindergarten?” As he walked around the gym, students shouted out the alphabet, numbers, learning about God. The bishop responded that yes, those are important, but learning to share is at the top.

“In today’s Gospel, it is about being generous while sharing all that you have with someone else,” the bishop said.

Bishop Walsh presided at the liturgy and Fathers Rich Adam, Patrick Hilgendorf, Bruce DeRammelaere and Manu John concelebrated. Deacon Ryan Burchett assisted.

Busing problems led to a late start, but students from Assumption High were joined by All Saints, John F. Kennedy and St. Paul the Apostle Catholic schools in Davenport and St. Joan of Arc in Bettendorf.

While preaching, Bishop Walsh shared an experience he had while serving as a pastor in Ohio where he had three parishes and was head of a school.  He said two of the parishes were called St. John — one for St. John the Baptist and one for St. John the Evangelist.

A check for $50,000 from a man named Bob arrived at St. John the Baptist. The secretary was confused as he was not a member of their parish. Then-Father Walsh called Bob to verify which parish should deposit the check. Yes, it was supposed to go to St. John the Evangelist. “But don’t give it back,” Bob told the priest. “I’ll just write another check.” Both parishes received checks for $50,000 each.

Shortly before Bob died, then-Father Walsh asked Bob about his generosity. Bob said he was a business person and he only cared for his business. His now late wife Gracie told him he needed to be generous. Bob was not convinced.

But then Bob said God was good to him. At a time that Bob’s business was not doing well, he learned that when he shared with others, his business improved. Although he was still losing money, and likely didn’t know the extent of the loss when he died, Bishop Walsh said, Bob had paid his employees salaries and benefits out of his own pocket as they were “part of the family.”

“He took care of them,” said the bishop. “He loved them. He opened his heart.”

The Gospel, Bishop Walsh explained, calls us all to open our hearts to everyone. That giving is not just money, but talent, gifts and sharing the faith. “Open yourselves to the Lord.”

Bishop Walsh mentioned the SEEK Conference in Ohio last month, which he and several youths from Assumption attended. He encouraged the youths to “not hold back.”

“Share your encounter with others. Share and show your gifts. Tell us. Share your wealth. Everything share with the Lord; share with your neighbor. Whoever you encounter, share it. Because God is always generous with us,” Bishop Walsh said.

He then told another story of Ruthie and Bruce. Back in the 1960s, the couple were having difficulty getting pregnant, so they contacted Catholic Charities to explore adoption. After a phone call, the couple drove two hours away to pick up a child to adopt. Not long after, the couple received another call from Catholic Charities that they had a child for them. “No, we just got one,” the couple had stated. Representatives from the organization said they could not find a home for this child. As a result, the couple adopted the second child. A year or two later, Bishop Walsh said, the couple conceived twins.

“God works in wonderful ways if we open our hearts to him,” bishop said. “Just share, be generous and open your hearts to him.”