News: Bishop Thanks Children for Contributing to ADA

February 26, 2021

When the priest talks about the needs of the parish and the importance of giving at Mass, even tiny ears are listening.

Ethan and Audrey Trettin, ages 14 and 11, heard Father Chris Hartshorn, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in West Des Moines, asking for people to give to the Annual Diocesan Appeal during his announcements.

Both kids decided giving to the ADA was worth it.

“I decided to do it because I know that they needed the money,” said Audrey. “And Father Chris has been talking about it a lot and asking for money and how we were so close to reaching our goal. I just really wanted to help.”

Audrey has her money split into three different categories: church, savings and spending. “And so I took all of the money that had been in my church container [and gave it to the ADA.]

"I try really hard to help the church and [it] brings me closer to God,” Audrey said. “And I thought that would be good to help.”

She gives not just her treasure, but her time and talent as well by serving as an usher and altar server (when we are not in a pandemic.)

They were pleasantly surprised when they received a letter of gratitude from Bishop William Joensen for their donations. The bishop thanked Ethan and Audrey for their gifts, said he would be praying for them and encouraged them to pray as well.

"It was really good,” Audrey said. “I knew I didn’t need a letter, but the fact that he went out of his way to write us felt really good.”

Maren Trettin said she and her husband Michael were proud of the kids for giving back.

“We try to involve them when we donate money to different places,” Maren said. “We just want to be in the habit [of giving] and for them to see how important it is. We are really blessed to be born in the situation we are in and to be able to give. It’s a blessing from God and we just want them to carry [giving] into adulthood and they can make their own decisions.”