The following story first appeared in the Autumn 2006 Home Mission News

Holy Spirit Helps Guide Wisconsin Parish
In Adoption of Two Missions in Alabama

A good idea deserves to be passed along, and it has in the Diocese of Green Bay. Only one month after a presentation about Glenmary’s Adopt-a-Mission program at the diocese’s Stewardship Day in March 2005, the wheels were set in motion for St. Mary Church in Appleton to adopt Glenmary missions in Fayette and Winfield, Ala.

St. Mary parishioner Tom Jansen attended the Diocesan Stewardship Day and carried the idea of adopting a Glenmary mission to the parish’s Matthew 25 committee, which then established a “twinning” committee with Deacon Gerry Schraufnagel as the chair.

The Matthew 25 committee focuses on international and local relief efforts by supporting outreach organizations in Haiti and in the city of Appleton. But, “There was a gap in our outreach to people in this country,” says Gerry.

After e-mails and conversations with Christina Fadden, the coordinator of Glenmary’s Mission Office, the committee received information about three Glenmary missions that the parish could adopt. When Gerry and other members of the twinning committee read the information about Holy Spirit in Winfield and Holy Family in Fayette, Gerry says they had a “gut feeling” they had found the right missions.

Gerry says the committee realized the Holy Spirit had been guiding the adoption process after Appleton parishioners Jack and Mary Ellen Schwaller visited Winfield and Fayette.

“They spent time at both parishes and got a very positive feeling about what we could do,” Gerry says. Soon after the Schwallers reported about their visit to the Alabama missions, the Wisconsin parish contacted Christina Fadden and told her they had decided to adopt the Alabama missions. Then the Glenmary pastor and the Matthew 25 Committee began serious discussions to discern mutual expectations for the adoption relationship and drew up a covenant agreement.

Becky Thomas and Jeannie Strickland, both of whom coincidentally moved to Winfield from Appleton, traveled back to Appleton for the covenant signing. Becky and Jeannie signed the covenant agreement at all four St. Mary Masses during the weekend and gave a short presentation about the missions. A reception followed each Mass. And on Saturday night, Gerry hosted a barbecue at his home where parishioners met Becky and Jeannie.

“I do believe that the Holy Spirit has guided us here,” Gerry says. “And I believe that the Holy Spirit will take us the rest of the way!”