For many of us, when something in our lives brings us fulfillment, we make a point of sharing it with others. This is certainly the case for Dr. Emmett Full.
For many of us, when something in our lives brings us fulfillment we make a point of sharing it with others. This is certainly the case for Dr. Emmet Full. At 96-years-old, his Catholicism has played a significant role throughout his life.
Dr. Full grew on a farm in a Catholic community in northwest Iowa. He said, “There was only one person in town who was not Catholic.” After graduating from Iowa State in 1946 with a Degree in Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Full moved to Maryland and soon thereafter opened his practice in Mt. Airy. He also quickly found a Catholic Church to attend, specifically, St. Michael’s in Poplar Spring, which at that point was made up of six families. He has remained an active member of the parish for 78 years.
Dr. Full met, Audrey, his wife of 68 years on a blind date in 1948. They had two children, Gail and Doug. Audrey passed away in 2016.
Asked why he chose to focus on evangelization at St. Michael’s, Dr. Full said, “I got to realizing just how much evangelization was necessary. We’re all in dire need of going back to the church.” He found the concept of an endowment especially appealing. He said, “The idea impressed me. I could give today and every year a percentage of the return is distributed, but even after 50 years the original donation still exists. How can you beat that?”
This endowment will provide St. Michael’s pastor and leadership team with the wherewithal to create an even more robust evangelization program. Donna Binney, Business Manager at St. Michael’s, added, “It sets an example for generosity and for planning for the future … for why it matters to be a Catholic, why it matters to stay active as a disciple.”
Edward Herrera, Executive Director of the Institute for Evangelization at the Archdiocese, said, “This sort of gift augments the work of the Institute and magnifies a parish’s evangelizing work in a way that weekly contributions aren’t able to do. Ultimately, what we’ll see is a healthier, more vibrant parish because it’s going to be enriched by the local community being drawn into the life of the parish.
Dr. Full concluded, “I want to do as much good as I can while I’m here.”
