As president of the advisory board to the archdiocese’s Catholic Community Foundation (CCF), I have had the benefit of seeing firsthand the enormous generosity, service and leadership among our faithful community.

I grew up in a large family. It was Mom and Dad and 10 of us kids. When I was little, it seemed like every other year or so, my siblings and I would get new bikes for Christmas. Perhaps, in and of itself, that was not so unusual. What was unusual (and inspiring) is what I learned about how it happened after I was an adult.

Few conversations stir discomfort quite like those about money and mortality. Both topics alone can feel like emotional heavy lifting, but when they converge in the realm of estate planning, it’s no wonder so many people delay the process.

Ellen made a $5,000 annual tithe gift to her parish, $2,500 to her parish’s endowment, lowered her taxable income, avoided higher Medicare premiums and satisfied half of her required minimum distribution for the year—all in one fell swoop. And all without having to itemize.

If your life is anything like mine, you blink your eyes and another five years has gone by. Time passes quickly. I am reminded of this truth when I sit down with clients to discuss updates to estate planning documents. Though it may seem like yesterday, oftentimes several years have passed since the wills were reviewed and, in the meantime, loved ones have been born, grown up, moved away or died. Life has changed.

As a young lawyer settling into a new parish, I was struck when I first saw an ad in the bulletin that read: “Don’t Forget to Remember Your Parish in Your Wills and Trusts!” That message stays with me, even now. And that’s coming from a person who can sometimes walk into a room and forget why he’s there!

A few years ago, we received a sizable check from a man’s estate. He was not a registered parishioner, nor did we have any record of prior giving. There was no parish or ministry listed anywhere in the documentation nor instructions of “for the benefit of.” It was merely made out to the “Archdiocese of Indianapolis.”

Being a priest is complicated. At heart, the priestly vocation is a call from God to stand in the person of Christ and serve the people of a local community.

Charitable giving is a powerful tool that enables individuals to make a positive impact on the causes they care about.

As a faithful Catholic, you understand the importance of giving back to God and the Church. Have you instilled this habit in your children? The future of the Church relies on the generations to come being generous with their God-given blessings.

We all want to make a difference, but sometimes we may feel we lack the ability or resources to have the impact we want. Through the years, people have made all kinds of gifts to charity—real estate, grain, vehicles and even treasured jewelry or coin collections.

As a faithful Catholic, you understand the importance of giving back to God and the Church. Have you instilled this habit in your children? The future of the Church relies on the generations to come being generous with their God-given blessings.