Bishop Greteman Legacy Society encourages planned giving

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
November 6, 2003

The Bishop Greteman Legacy Society was started in honor of Bishop Frank H. Greteman the fourth ordinary of the Diocese of Sioux City.

"What we are trying to do is increase awareness of planned giving for the diocese," said Jim Wharton, director of stewardship and planned giving for the Diocese of Sioux City. "That is what the Bishop Greteman Legacy Society does."

The legacy society does two things. It acknowledges the people who have already made arrangements for a planned gift. It also encourages others to consider being someone who will give a planned gift.

"Bishop Greteman was a great example of what we describe as Christian stewardship," said Wharton. "He was very interested in having people understand, appreciate and adopt the stewardship principles. When we talked about a way to increase awareness of planned giving, we thought is was something that was appropriate to attach his name to."

Bishop Greteman was a native of the diocese being from Willey and attending St. Mary's. He was the first Iowa priest to serve as bishop of the diocese in which he was born.

A person interested in becoming part of the Bishop Greteman Legacy Society can start by making a planned gift to any entity of the Diocese of Sioux City such as a parish, a Catholic school, a Catholic School Foundation or Catholic Charities. Planned gifts include bequest through a will, a charitable gift annuity, a life insurance policy, a life estate agreement or a charitable remainder trust.

"What makes this so unique is that it is not only planned gifts for the Diocese of Sioux City but it can be for any entity of the diocese," said Wharton. "It can be your Catholic school in your community, your parish, even in some instances your parish cemetery, just so it is part of the diocese."

Once someone sends in acknowledgement of their planned gift, they become part of the legacy society. Each person who is a member of the society receives a medallion with the Cathedral of the Epiphany engraved on it. The medallions were made in Italy.

"We have received very positive feedback from all parts of the diocese," said Wharton. "We are really encouraged with the response we have received about planned gifts. What we want to do is thank those people who have already enrolled. We also want to make sure the people who have already made arrangements in their wills to let us know that they have done that, so they can be enrolled as members of the Bishop Greteman Legacy Society and also receive the medallion."

Thus far there are around 40 people who have already enrolled in the society.

"We know that number is just a fraction of the true number of people who have made some type of planned gift to their church, school or the diocese," added Wharton. "We really want to know who they are so we can acknowledge them as we should."

All parishes should have copies of the Bishop Greteman Legacy Society brochure in their church. If not, a copy could be sent from the Central Catholic Offices.

For more information call (712) 255-7933 or e-mail gls@scdiocese.org. Send information regarding a planned gift to Bishop Greteman Legacy Society, PO Box 3379, 1821 Jackson St., Sioux City, Iowa 51102-3379.