Andy and Micheal Sonderman

• Favorite Quote:  First Corinthians 13:13:  So faith, hope, love abide, these three. But the greatest of these is love. (Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition)
• Who has had the greatest influence on your life and why?  Micheal:  My Mother.  She grew up in rural West Virginia and struggled against the prejudice of the time to get her high school education despite her father’s wishes.  She inspired me to be the first of her family to obtain a college degree, and worked to pay for it.
  Andy:  My Mother as well.  When I was a boy she inspired my dreams and whetted my appetite through reading, classical music, and long wonderful weekend conversations.
• What’s your favorite hobby?  Micheal:  I’ve had several hobbies through the years. My passions are Bible study and journaling.  Andy:  without a doubt, vocal music.  I am a cantor at St. Matthew the Apostle; our music director is introducing more polyphony and simple chant into our liturgy.  And I sing with three great friends in Lyrix, a barbershop quartet that sings a cappella  —  but only occasionally “barbershop” music!
• Tell us about your family: Micheal: we have two lovely, intelligent, and caring daughters, Emily and Melanie. Both married wonderful Catholic men.  We are blessed with two EXCEPTIONAL grandchildren, George Patrick (age 10) and Evangeline Anne (age 5).  It is true that grandchildren are God’s reward for having raised children!
• Why Give?  Because we can, and because we must. Stewardship is a meaningful concept for us.  If not us, then who?
• Advice for a young philanthropist:  Start early! Remember the story of the poor widow’s penny and Christ’s admonition that her gift was more meaningful than those larger gifts given from surplus because her gift was given from need.  We found that scheduled monthly giving was an effective means of initiating our financial support for both Catholic and secular charities.
• Why CSS?  Catholic Social Services allows us to live the corporal works of mercy through its focus on the critical and growing needs of seniors, and  the deepening needs of families in the Columbus Diocese.  We are drawn to the laser focus on the dignity of every human being exhibited by the Staff  and volunteers who make CSS so compassionate and effective.