Names: María and Mauricio Avalos
Parish: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Tempe
Roles with the campaign: Parish cabinet members
How did you get involved in the campaign?
María: We moved to Arizona in 2003 so as soon as we got here, we started searching for a parish. When we went to St. Margaret’s it just felt like a church in Mexico. It felt like home. Martha [Gamez, parish campaign manager] explained that by helping the campaign, we were also going to help the church. It really motivated us.
We know the CDA is already helping other programs and we were like, “These projects are huge.” That’s why we went ahead and started making plans to help the campaign.
What does this campaign mean?
María: For us, meeting every weekend there at the hall to have breakfast as family members, it just helps us in a way to grow spiritually. More than anything, it will help us to grow in our faith.
As parishioners, how does this campaign speak to evangelization and discipleship?
Mauricio: What Fr. [Alfredo Quezada] said regarding the campaign is that some of it will go to the bishop, but some will go to the parish of St. Margaret. That really motivated people, the possibility of improving the structure of the parish, the hall and the kitchen, to improve it so everything would be up to code.
María: The hall is something that benefits all of us because we have retreats, we have catechism classes for young people and children and RCIA for adults. The hall is busy every single night. It gets a lot of use.
