Fr. Dave Zimmer

The stewardship pillar of hospitality is the first pillar we embrace when attempting to understand parish stewardship.  I suppose the reason for this is because we all know when we feel welcome somewhere and we also all know when we don’t.  Hospitality is a gift when it is given and it is a gift when […]

Most people associate “stewardship” with giving.  Some think it is desperate “plea” for giving some of your time, talent and treasure to a worthy cause.  It may be a noble gesture of generosity which identifies a “faithful steward” so common at this time of year.  For some, there comes an understanding of the stewardship way […]

Tis approaching the season of goodwill and joy, as many songs, greeting cards and well wishes express to any and all who receive them. A season of joy – well, isn’t that just what we all need? Isn’t that a great way to live the “stewardship way of life”? I have known many seasons like […]

Even though the academic year is well underway, both for schools and for most parish religious education programs, the subject of Formation has still been on my mind. I think some of us have an inadequate idea of what it means, so I want to share some thoughts with you to correct three common errors. […]

“I have worked in a lot of disaster areas, but I have never seen a community so resilient.” This was the comment made to me recently by one of the visiting contractors assisting families in the cleanup from the flood of 2011 in Minot, N.D. With a sense of respect and admiration, he noted the […]

As September approaches, it is a month that always turns our attention to the beginning of school starting for our kids. It is also a reminder that learning about life and our Faith is not just for “the kids,” but for all of us. There really isn’t any specific level of learning that one graduates […]

An author and professor of Sacred Scripture named Fr. Ronald Witherup once wrote about conversion of the apostle Paul, “Paul’s conversion is as dramatic a turning point as any in history. Whatever happened on the road to Damascus, the experience was powerful enough to turn the infant Church’s most passionate opponent into its champion… Paul’s […]

An excerpt in a book on the early Church reveals the testimony of a prominent Roman citizen named Emeritus who was arrested with a priest named Saturnius and a group of Christians who came to his home. They were placed on trial for “getting caught” celebrating the Eucharist. The proconsul at the time interrogated Emeritus […]

Impatience could possibly be the greatest enemy of the stewardship way of life. Impatience causes people to give up too soon. Impatience creates doubt, fear and insecurity. Impatience provokes impulsive decisions that most likely won’t be best for a person, and the decisions that are made often result in regrets that can last a long […]

It starts with the phone call no one wants to get, but no one is exempt from receiving: your loved one is dying or has already died. Even if one thinks he or she is prepared for the physical death of a loved one, especially when the person is in poor health, one is never […]