Ms. Barba
Each year, the Legacy of Faith Society hosts its annual Mass and Luncheon in the Lady Chapel of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and each year, Rose Marie Barba comes to the microphone to serve as lector. Her passion and admiration for the readings is evident in her voice, and when asked about the gusto with which she reads, Ms. Barba simply replies, "The Word of God? How can you not love it? That I can proclaim the Word of God to others, it sustains me."
One of the longest serving members of the Legacy of Faith Society, Ms. Barba joined in 1982 after making a planned giving commitment through an annuity. The Catholic Church and its teachings were always a part of her life growing up in New York, but they came to her attention especially as an adult, when she truly encountered Christ. "What I learned growing up, I was not prepared for life in the flesh. And so, at my wit's end, I reached out to God." With time, Ms. Barba grew even more deeply committed to her faith: "By my life experience and the wisdom God has allowed, I realized how exceedingly necessary it is to be a real, authentic person with authentic faith in Christ."
Her commitment to the Gospel led Ms. Barba to establish numerous charitable gift annuities to benefit the many Catholic organizations and missions of the Archdiocese of New York. In recent weeks, she has decided to revise her will to include a greater emphasis on evangelization, mentioning, "My most important focus is the quality of life inside a person, and it is only of quality if it is in a relationship with Jesus Christ."
When asked why she decided to include the Archdiocese of New York in her will, she said, "The archdiocese represents everything my faith has inspired me to do and I wanted to be sure that my legacy of faith will continue long after I'm gone. I hope others will join me in making their legacies meaningful, too."
By including a gift to your parish or the Archdiocese of New York in your will or estate plan, you create your own legacy of faith that will impact the spiritual lives of others for generations to come. To learn more, please contact the Planned Giving Office at 646-794-3317 or Planned.Giving@archny.org.