Diocesan Development Drive volunteers thanked

Intermountain Catholic

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"We take none of you for granted," Bishop John C. Wester told the DDD volunteers during the Oct. 16 dinner. Behind him is the 2013 DDD poster, which was unveiled that evening.

SALT LAKE CITY — Those who volunteered their time for this year’s Diocesan Development Drive were celebrated at an Oct. 16 dinner at Saint Vincent de Paul Parish.

"Many of you have the generous attitude that DDD is a way of life," said Shannon Lee, DDD director. "You are all so dedicated to your parish, to your pastor, to our bishop and thus the Diocesan Development Drive. We are so very grateful for your service, for your dedication, for the work you have done for Bishop Wester and for the staff."

Lee singled out for recognition Patrick Gotti, who has chaired the Saint Rose of Lima Parish DDD for 21 years.

Gotti "truly made the DDD a way of life," Lee said. "Over these past 20 years, Pat has brought in $1,393,831 to the Diocesan Development Drive from Saint Rose of Lima."

Overall, as of Oct. 12, the 2012 DDD has received $2,019,393 in pledges and $1,716,926 in payments from 8,258 households in the diocese, Lee said. "We are a month ahead of our DDD pledges compared to last year at this time. All of this has taken a lot of hard work and dedication on your part and we thank you for your commitment to this year’s Diocesan Development Drive."

The DDD, which began in 1966, raises funds for the bishop’s many ministries, programs and services, including support for seminarians, religious education and the prison and detention ministry.

The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, echoed Lee’s thanks at the dinner, which was attended by representatives of 26 parishes and missions throughout the diocese.

"We take none of you for granted," Bishop Wester said. "We know that it’s a sacrifice, even after 20 years. Even one year is a sacrifice. It’s not easy to talk to people and to represent the program. It takes a certain amount of risk and going beyond your comfort zone, but you’re truly doing the work of the Lord.... Giving of our treasure is symbolically a sacrifice; it’s a giving of ourselves. It’s important, and the generosity that you engender is contagious."

The theme for the 2013 DDD was announced by Lee at the dinner: ‘Porta Fidei,’ or ‘Door of Faith,’ the name of the Apostolic Letter with which Pope Benedict XVI announced the Year of Faith, which began Oct. 11.

The Year of Faith "is a wonderful, wonderful opportunity to deepen in our love of the faith and to celebrate it," Bishop Wester said. "It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to thank God for something else that we pass on, not just that attitude of gratitude, that attitude of generosity, but our faith."