I would like to share with you an article that ran earlier this week in the Wichita (Kan.) Eagle newspaper about how four priests from the Diocese of Wichita have gone on to become bishops over the past 13 years. This is an unusually high number for such a small diocese.
Click here for a link to the article.
As many of you already know, the Diocese of Wichita is the home diocese of two of our blog contributors — Msgr. Thomas McGread, who is the former pastor of St. Francis in Wichita, and former diocesan CFO and Stewardship Director Dan Loughman. Both of these men played pivotal roles in helping the Diocese of Wichita become a Total Stewardship Diocese.
The article in the Wichita paper reinforces that the emphasis of developing the spirituality of stewardship has helped them to develop in ways not typically experienced in Catholic parishes and dioceses across the country. Although stewardship itself is not the main thrust of the article, it does address that topic towards the end of the piece. It is clear that there is a definite connection between stewardship and the spiritual health of the diocese, as any of these Bishops would attest.
This was a great article to read as I’m preparing for our semi-annual Msgr. McGread Stewardship Conference that will be held next week at the Diocese of Wichita’s Spiritual Life Center. If you’re fortunate enough to be attending this event, I look forward to spending time with you very soon.
