Our Lady of the Visitation > Outreach > St. Leo the Great Parish Covenant Partnership

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Saint Leo the Great parish is only a few miles away, but has a diverse congregation that includes German Catholics, Guatemalans from Central America and Burundians from Africa.

On January 8^th of 2012, the Covenant contract was signed by Father Mark Burger and Father Jim Schutte at a feast of the Epiphany prayer service at St. Leo’s. An international pot luck dinner followed to celebrate.

We have developed this relationship over time through our involvement in St. Leo’s toy drive, as well as a benefit concert in September of 2011 when Our Lady of the Visitation’s Bill Tonnis performed along with the Burundian choir and Guatemalan band. The 125^th anniversary mass was held on November 6^ththat year.

The partnership continues today as we support St. Leo by providing needed items published in our bulletin, helping to supply their food pantry, and sharing 25% of each Outreach second collection. We also give 100% of one collection each year.

This relationship is a true relationship, sort of like a marriage, where there is mutual respect, and mutual goals, guided by the Holy Spirit. It is not just charitable giving, but a true relationship where there is mutual dialogue and mutual listening.

We are called by the greatest commandment to “love our neighbor as ourselves”. This is a way to do it, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Catholic social teaching in achieving solidarity, participation, honoring human dignity, and being good stewards of our time, talent and treasure in the service of another. In doing so…we promote the common good.

Our partnership will take on many forms as it evolves. Your participation can be as much or as little as you choose. It may involve praying for the program. It could involve tutoring the adults or young people of Saint Leo’s, or helping with physical labor in the many projects that are to come about.

We welcome all parishioners to become involved: the more the merrier and the better success we will have.