Steve Tarnowski is photographed by drone narrating the 2021-2022 Catholic Services Appeal video in front of the historic St. Joseph’s Church on Madeline Island. The video can be viewed at catholicdos.org; it is linked at the top of the right-hand column under “Online CSA Donations.” (Submitted photo)

Jenny Snarski
Catholic Herald Staff

The 2021-2022 Catholic Services Appeal video is narrated by the Diocese of Superior’s Director of Development, Steve Tarnowski.

With a “look to our historic past,” Tarnowski invites participation in the annual fund to “celebrate a vibrant future.”

Exploring the historic roots of the mission diocese, the video documents Tarnowski visiting historic parishes with a direct connection to the Ven. Bishop Frederic Baraga. He speaks with Dcn. Roger Cadotte and Fr. Joseph Kumar Makakuntla, parish administrator and sacramental minister, respectively, of the La Pointe and Bayfield churches.

Seminarian Dan Tracy shares about how the CSA has helped him course his seminary studies and discusses benefits he received as a student of Cathedral School in Superior.

Highlighting youth work and the role of diocesan offices in planning annual events, Chris Hurtubise talks about the importance of these experiences, assisted by a testimony from youth leader Lydia Sittlow.

Hurtubise speaks briefly as well about the new office of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship he has been tasked with leading and how it points to the diocese’s efforts to adapt to changing needs and models of ministry.

Bishop James P. Powers also addresses the obligations of the diocese for individual parishes, which are “not stand-alone churches.” The services diocesan offices provide to the parishes offer a sense of community and family in line with the mission and identity of the universal Catholic Church.

“We are to be the loving presence of Christ in this world,” the bishop affirms.

The theme of the newly launched campaign is “Christ has no body but yours.” The fundraising goal is $2.25 million, and this is the fourth year without an increase in the amount needed to cover the more than 30 programs, services and ministries the Diocese of Superior carries out through the annual campaign.

After the summer visitor parish kickoff in mid-August, Tarnowski received a testimony from a viewer who saw the video presented in Bayfield.

Elizabeth Johnson mentioned she could appreciate from her own work experience the challenge of coming up with a new video every year and complimented Tarnowski’s script and the video’s presentation and production.

“Being relatively new to the area in retirement, I really enjoyed the history of St. Joseph’s in Bayfield (Madeline Island) and the first missionary. Also, how they are organizing the parishes in that area and the work done by lay people,” Johnson commented and said she looks forward to more history lessons in future videos.