Peder Piering

We all know that crucial moment when you ask for help and you really need it. This is the lived experience of many Catholic priests. They are leading their flock and also running an organization at the same time. It's a stressful place to be, and when they can't communicate effectively, their appeals fall flat, their good message doesn't make it out, and their flock suffers.

Peder Piering

A certain young woman doesn't know she dreadfully fears becoming like her mother. She tries to be a very nice and helpful person, but she avoids displaying any sort of anger or aggression at all costs. She is unable to assert herself to get the raise that she needs, she has a crippling eating disorder, and has no ability to advocate for her needs in a struggling marriage. Little does she know that she is compensating for her angry and entitled mother. Little does she know that her aggression is actually constantly aimed at herself. Little does she know that her whole self can be loved and truly seen as good. In Plato's The Apology, Socrates put forth significant wisdom when claiming that, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Knowing oneself (your strengths, weaknesses, instincts, tendencies, desires, etc.) is the foundational step towards meaningful growth. A significant amount of suffering in the world is inflicted blindly through ignorance of our own motivations. Knowing and accepting your whole self allows you to identify how to strengthen, change, and channel all parts of your personality towards greater maturity, and ultimately a better life.

Peder Piering

Imagine a priest at a rural parish meeting with a parishioner who is spiritually well formed, has all of their corporal needs met, but reveals that they cannot shake the sense that they feel like they do not belong in their own body. This parishioner doesn't have the means to travel a significant distance to see a mental health professional, and even then, they would only be open to seeing a practicing Catholic clinician, something that doesn't exist in their area. Our priest faces the difficult task of helping this parishioner without a roadmap of clinical psychological understanding. Catholic priests are charged with caring for the whole of every person in the flock that they shepard. This includes attending to the spiritual, physical, and phycological wellbeing of anyone who approaches them for help. Priests are uniquely equipped to address spiritual needs, Parishes are often able to assist in fulfilling physical needs, but church leaders are frequently met with mental and emotional pathologies that plague and weaken their parishioners.

Peder Piering

According to CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University) about 25% of all parishes in the United States run financial deficits. In order to garner the funds necessary to survive, operate effectively, and fulfill their mission to continually build God’s kingdom on earth, many Catholic organizations are in need of running capital campaigns that hinge on effective communication with an audience of donors. When film/video content that employs known donor psychology principles (appeal to warm glow, emotional arousal, endorsement, direct storytelling, concreteness, etc.) is produced during a campaign, valuable capital can be garnered to enhance campaign progress and reach goals. Successful campaigns provide a specific beneficial impact to Catholic organizations with broad positive effects on the populations they serve.

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Peder Piering