Catholic Stewardship Consultants, Inc.

Developing Stewardship as a Way of Life

Deacon Don McArdle: We Are All Fishers of Men

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Imagine for just a moment that you are one of the first disciples. This is not an easy task. After all, we cannot truly fathom what it was like to live in Galilee 2,000 years ago as Jesus walked the earth. But let’s take a moment and put ourselves in the place of Simon, Andrew, James and John – the first four disciples Jesus called.

Employers in the fishing industry, a major business of the time, these four men were engaged in a hard day’s work when Jesus approached them.

“As He passed by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and His brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, ‘Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.’ Then they left their nets and followed Him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then He called them, so they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed Him” (Mk. 1:16-20). [Read more…]

Stewardship Reflections on Lectionary Readings – July 4, 2010

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July 4, 2010 – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 66:10-14c; Psalm 66; Galatians 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12,17-20 or Luke 10:1-9

The teaching Jesus gives in Luke 10 can provide a serious challenge to even the most vocal advocate of Christian stewardship.  Jesus tells not just to believe that God loves us and provides what we need.  No, mere belief is not enough; we have to show we believe it by the way we live.

We all know that the foundation of stewardship is gratitude for all the gifts that God has given us.  Our faith is that God does love us, and he gives us many gifts to provide for our needs.  That doesn’t negate human effort, for a loaf of bread shows much labor in growing the grain, harvesting it, grinding it into meal or flour, and baking it.  But even there, the life in the seed, all that goes into the growing – sunlight and rain and air and soil – the strength to work, are gifts from God.

But for those who truly trust him, God urges them to show that trust by walking without a money bag or a suitcase.  In today’s economy, maybe Jesus would tell us not to bother with a credit card.  Our way of life should exhibit our faith that “The kingdom of God is at hand for you.” [Read more…]

Fr. Dave Zimmer: Tithing Made a Difference in my Spiritual Life

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Father Dave Zimmer is pastor of St. John the Apostle in Minot, N.D.Tithing hasn’t always been a part of my own practice of contributing to the Church or other charities. I donated when and what I could for a number of years, but I have to admit, how much I was willing to give was sporadic and inconsistent. To make the decision to commit 10 percent of my income wasn’t given much consideration. I justified my hesitancy by thinking, “I am certain I give enough, no matter what the amount.” After all, I have given my whole life to serving the Church; what more should I give? Ten percent of my personal income seemed excessive when my salary was so limited. It was an attitude I am not proud of, or willing to share openly.

That was before I made the decision to adopt the stewardship way of life, personally and spiritually. I understood the need and desire I had to give my time and talent, the first two essentials of stewardship. But committing to the “treasure” part took some contemplation. It was in prayer that it became clear to me that being a true disciple calls me to use all that God has given me for the good of the Church at large. I had never prayed about what to give monetarily. Now, it is how I understand how to be truly grateful for all God has given to me. In gratitude, I honestly desire returning a portion of what I have to be His disciple and a good steward. I have never been as content and peaceful, even joyful, in my spirituality.

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Fr. Michael Troha: “Re-Charging” Our Stewardship Commitments

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“There’s no vacation from vocation.” That was the pithy saying, uttered by the spiritual director, that we took home with us for summer vacation from the high school seminary. Our diocese closed the high school seminary in the early 1970s as times changed and the numbers of high school seminarians decreased. The thought remains the same. There is no vacation from our vocation to follow Christ in a life committed to stewardship of God’s abundant gifts to us.

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Stewardship Reflections on Lectionary Readings – June 27, 2010

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June 27, 2010 – Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Kings 19:16b,19-21; Psalm 16; Galatians 5:1,13-18; Luke 9:51-62

Jesus’ preaching kindled a reaction from those who heard him.  He summoned his hearers to follow him into the kingdom of God, and his call demanded an immediate and total response.  Jesus’ strong and attractive personality caused many to have an immediate rush of enthusiasm and make rash statements without thinking things through.

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Msgr. Thomas McGread: Ten Mistakes to Avoid During Your Stewardship Renewal

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Msgr. Thomas McGread is Stewardship Director Emeritus for the Diocese of WichitaWhen your parish conducts your annual stewardship renewal, it is important to do so in a proper manner. The renewal is a big part of your year, as it offers your entire parish a great opportunity to re-evaluate our lives and re-commit yourselves as Christ’s disciples. However, it is important to carefully conduct the renewal so as to truly encourage your fellow parishioners to make a commitment to Christ. Therefore, you need to be cautious of some common mistakes that will, inevitably, hinder the success of your renewal.

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Msgr. P. James Costigan: Hospitality — The Cornerstone of Stewardship

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Editor’s Note: This is the second in a five-part series by Msgr. Jim Costigan on The Pillars of Parish Stewardship.

Msgr. P. James Costigan is the pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Savannah, Ga.The dictionary defines “hospitality” as: “the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.”

From the standpoint of a Christian worldview, hospitality can be referred to as Christian kindness.

In terms of stewardship, hospitality is an immensely important concept. Remember the “three Ts” of stewardship: time, talent and treasure? Well, there are also “four Ps,” the four pillars of stewardship – hospitality, prayer, formation and service. Interestingly enough, hospitality is mentioned first. Why? Because without hospitality, none of the other pillars will ever take hold.

Hospitality is the cornerstone of stewardship, because it opens the door to a person’s heart and allows them to receive joy, grace and love.

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Fr. Allan McDonald: Keep it Sacred, Keep it Holy

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Does the image to the right offend you?

It should!

Catholics are noted for their good sense of humor as it concerns some of the cultural experiences we have in the Church, especially in our Catholic schools and elsewhere. A sense of humor will go a long way in helping us to live ulcer-free lives.

However, sometimes, when fun is poked at our most sacred symbols, we should take pause before we smile or laugh. Several years ago, a so-called artist placed a crucifix in a jar of urine and did so in an artsy way. Many said this was art and above reproach and that Catholics and other Christians who were offended should get a life.

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Deacon Don McArdle: Financial Transparency – One Hallmark of a Stewardship Parish

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One of the hallmarks of a Stewardship Parish is having the parishioners take ownership of the parish and feel a sense of responsibility for all its activities, including its finances. In this regard it is important to promote openness in all financial dealings so that parishioners have a real sense of what is going on in the parish, what its financial needs and responsibilities are.

Based on the parish surveys we at Catholic Stewardship Consultants, Inc. (CSC) have conducted in Catholic parishes over the past 12-plus years, most parishioners do not have a good understanding of where their parish is financially. Quite often parishioners think their parish is far better off financially than it actually is. In fact, in many cases we have seen situations where a particular parish is in deep financial trouble, and most parishioners’ responses indicate that they think their parish is doing just fine financially or even generating a surplus. On the other hand, we’ve found cases when a parish has an adequate income, but many parishioners think the doors are about to be closed.

How does this disconnect happen so that parishioners think the parish is well off financially when in fact the opposite is true? Or that they think the parish is worse off than it actually is? Well, oftentimes, they have not been given enough accurate information in an understandable format by the parish leadership to know the parish’s financial situation. Granted, in other cases, the parishioners are at fault – they have been given enough information, but they have not taken the time to understand what is going on. [Read more…]

Fr. Dave Zimmer: Planting the Seeds That Become the Roots of Stewardship

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Father Dave Zimmer is pastor of St. John the Apostle in Minot, N.D.St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg, Va., was the destination of a retreat I facilitated in January 2010. The parish has 4,100 families and is located in one of the most historical areas of our country. The local residents take great delight in naming those who once lived there, and talking about what events happened that played a pivotal role in shaping much of our nation. As I listened, I couldn’t help but think about my home state of North Dakota and its beginnings as a “territory,” then as “state,” and the humble beginnings of our “Catholic heritage.”

The thoughts are appropriate, since here in the Diocese of Bismarck, we are about to kick off the celebration of our centennial as a diocese and recalling and appreciating the “characters” who shaped us, planting the “seeds” of citizenship” and, more importantly, our faith. The event will take place in Bismarck on June 11, 12, and 13. It offers us here in North Dakota, including here at my parish, St. John the Apostle in Minot, the opportunity to celebrate our history, while “beginning a new chapter” for ourselves and those that follow us.

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Msgr. Thomas McGread: Stewardship and Keeping the Faith

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Msgr. Thomas McGread is Stewardship Director Emeritus for the Diocese of WichitaA few years ago, the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life conducted its U.S. Religious Landscape Survey based on interviews with 35,000 Americans age 18 and older. The survey was designed to detail the religious affiliation of the American public.

For Catholics, the Pew Forum survey findings are cause for concern.

The results reveal that one-third of Americans who were raised in the Church no longer identify themselves as Catholic, which means that 10 percent of all Americans are former Catholics.

The overall percentage of Catholic Americans has dropped from 31 percent to 24 percent. According to the Pew Forum, this decline would be greater if Catholic immigrants were excluded from the findings.

Even more alarming is that more than one-quarter of American adults (28 percent) have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion — or no religion at all.

The Catholic Steward finds the survey results to be of great concern.

As parish leaders, how can we address this apparent loss of faith sweeping our nation?

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Msgr. P. James Costigan: The Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship

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Msgr. P. James Costigan is the pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Savannah, Ga.

You’ve heard about the three Ts of stewardship – Time, Talent and Treasure. But what about the four Ps?

The three Ts describe the personal gifts we offer to the Church. The four Ps are the “four pillars” of parish stewardship described by the man often referred to as the Father of Catholic Stewardship, Msgr. Thomas McGread. Msgr. McGread is the stewardship director emeritus for the Diocese of Wichita. In 2004, the diocesan stewardship office published an important document called, The Pillars of Parish Stewardship. These pillars are the hallmark of a stewardship parish:  hospitality, prayer, formation, and service. This is something that is near and dear to my own heart and is the theme for this year at my parish, St. Peter the Apostle in Savannah, Ga. [Read more…]

Fr. Allan J. McDonald: Give 100 percent of yourself to Stewardship

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In my nearly 30 years as a priest, I’ve seen fads and fashions come and go in Church life. The charismatic movement, the encounter movements, the Legion of Mary movement and various youth movements ebb and flow depending upon the circumstances of time and the needs of the Church. Some movements flourish while others seem to decline or die altogether.

One movement appears to remain with us. It is what I would call the “stewardship movement.” I have seen firsthand how this movement brings new vitality to parishes and strengthens the Catholic faith of so many individuals; something as simple as focusing on “time, talent and treasure” has touched our Catholic people in very basic but profound ways. [Read more…]

Deacon Don McArdle: Good communication is at the heart of a healthy Catholic parish

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Deacon Don is the CEO of Catholic Stewardship Consultants and a Deacon at St. Mary on the Hill in Augusta, Ga.

According to one wise man, “You can’t love what you don’t know,” and that holds true even in parish life.  Communicating what’s going on in the parish keeps the people informed, and knowing the parish helps people to love it. 

Parishes with good communications find that parishioners tend to be eager to participate and glad to contribute their time, talent, and treasure because they feel like they’re “in the loop.”  But parishes that don’t effectively share the news — either deliberately or accidentally — find that the people can feel left out.  Such a parish can become fertile ground for rumors and complaints. [Read more…]

Msgr. McGread: Making Christ the Center

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Msgr. Thomas McGread, the former Pastor at St. Francis of Assisi in Wichita, Kan., and the Director Emeritus of Stewardship for the Diocese of Wichita, is often referred to as the “Father of Catholic Stewardship.” In this recent Question and Answer session we conducted with the renowned stewardship pioneer, Monsignor offers his insights on how parish leaders charged with the great task of forming disciples can accomplish their goals by making Christ the center of all they do.

 

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