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December, 2008 | Download Advent – A Season of Hope Advent is a time of waiting and expectation; a season of quiet anticipation and preparation. We are waiting for our Lord to come into the world as the baby Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. We are also preparing for His return, His second coming as the shepherd-king, to restore harmony and right relationship to all creation. Advent is a season yearning for God to come and set the world right with perfect justice, truth and peace. It is a season of hope. Advent is a time to emphasize preparation through prayer. While Lent emphasizes a spirit of repentance through prayer and fasting, Advent’s prayers are prayers of humble devotion and commitment, prayers for deliverance, prayers of gladness and joyful expectation, prayers that await the light of Christ coming into the world. We do not shrink from those Advent scripture readings that reveal a strong prophetic tone of accountability and judgment. Christ’s disciples expect the Lord to hold them accountable for what has been entrusted to them just as a spouse, parent, teacher or supervisor holds us accountable. And just as the steward was found faithful in small matters by the master, we too are confident that we will be found faithful and will enter the joy of the master. We have absolute trust in the Lord’s countenance. Assuredly, during Advent we anticipate the Lord’s coming with hope. It is that hope, however faint at times, that keeps us from despair and the darkness of sin and its destructiveness. It is a hope that urges us to be kind, loving and compassionate toward one another. It is a hope that encourages our faith in a merciful God who continues to pour His grace upon us. We don’t know when Christ will come again to bring human history to its completion. But we celebrate with gladness the great promise of Advent and we rekindle that positive, joyful spirit within us because we know, as Zechariah prophesied , that the light of Christ will shine on all who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and He will guide our feet into the way of peace.
November, 2008 | Download
The month of November is a time when autumn colors can still be seen as leaves fall to the ground in much of the United States. It is a time that anticipates that unique American holiday, one that is celebrated in October by our Canadian sisters and brothers, Thanksgiving Day. It is a time when we celebrate our blessings in a land filled with promise and hope; and a time for Christian stewards to be reminded to give thanks to God, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, always and for everything (Eph 5:20). God is indeed a gracious and generous God, and the peoples of Canada and United States have experienced this loving generosity in a most unique way. For its part, the United States has been called the great “melting pot” of races, creeds and ethnicities; allowing people the freedom to practice their religion, speak their minds, and pursue economic opportunities. And like the universal communion of our Catholic faith, this melting pot is a mosaic of many colors and cultures, blended in one beautiful expression of unity with diversity. Look on the back of any United States coin and you see the Latin phrase e pluribus unum. This phrase is on the face of the Great Seal of the United States and it means “out of many, one.” It expresses the same prophetic call to communion we find numerous times in the New Testament. And in part, because of this unity in diversity, even with its faults, America is still perceived around the world as a land of freedom for all and a beacon of hope in a world that is hungry for justice and peace. Many marching bands will be playing the song “God bless America!” in Thanksgiving Day parades across the United States. Let us pray with a deep sense of gratitude that God continues to bless us abundantly and that we hear His urgent call to be even more fervent stewards of His blessings in North America and throughout the world.
October, 2008 | Download
October is Respect Life Month for Catholics nationwide. Dioceses and parishes around the country will begin the celebration with Respect Life Sunday, which has been traditionally designated as the first Sunday of October each year. This monthly celebration calls our attention to the Church’s reaffirmation and recommitment to protect human life from conception to natural death. To be good stewards of the gift of life obliges us to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed when it comes to preserving the sanctity of life. We have complex issues facing us today such as the absence of health care, assisted suicide, care for the aging, the destruction of human embryos or harvesting stem cells, the death penalty, abortion and post-abortion concerns and reconciliation. To address these complexities, the message should be compassionate, yet compelling. In his pastoral letter, Ecclesia in America (The Church in America), our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, wrote: “Nowadays, in America as elsewhere in the world, a model of society appears to be emerging in which the powerful predominate, setting aside and even eliminating the powerless: I am thinking here of unborn children, helpless victims of abortion; the elderly and incurably ill, subjected at times to euthanasia; and the many other people relegated to the margins of society by consumerism and materialism …This model of society bears the stamp of the culture of death, and is therefore in opposition to the Gospel message. Faced with this distressing reality, the Church community intends to commit itself all the more to the defense of the culture of life.” The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issues information packets each year to parishes to help them in their promotion and their commitment to be faithful to the Gospel of Life. The bishops encourage each parish to get involved in at least one activity during Respect Life Month so that parishioners can understand their role in being better stewards of the gift of human life. What is most important for good stewards is to remain faithful to prayer and to renew this month a firm resolve to proclaim a culture of life and an end to the killing and degradation of human beings, especially those who are vulnerable due to their age, health or dependency, and to work to rid our culture of the notion that humans are simply part of a disposable society. If our relationship with God is based solely on our asking and God giving, we are like the neighborhood children coming to our door for candy. There is no relationship. God is always at the door waiting for us to knock. He wants to give us love, joy, faith, and blessings. God is like the neighbor who does not give just one candy bar per child but who dumps a whole handful of candy into each bag. However, unlike candy on Halloween, God’s gifts come with a purpose and responsibility. God does not give us His gifts just to keep to ourselves. He gives them to us to be shared, and shared abundantly, with others. With love and generosity the gifts are given so with love and generosity they are to be shared. Our time, our talents, and our treasure, everything that we are and do, are gifts from God to be shared. As recipients of God’s gifts, we are not to use them solely for our own benefit, but use them for the benefit of others, as Jesus instructed us. As we stand at the doorstep of God to receive His gifts, we must receive them graciously, cultivate them responsibly, share them with others in love and justice, and return a fitting portion back to God in gratitude. If we do this, we are no longer just neighborhood children knocking on God’s door, but truly His sons and daughters.
September, 2008 | Download
With the presidential election upon us, it is more important than ever for mature Catholics to be mindful of their responsibilities to exercise good stewardship over their neighborhoods, communities and society by participation in the public life of our country. Jesus said that we, his disciples, are the light of the world. We must not hide that light under a bushel basket (see Matthew 5:16) or in the privacy of our homes or in a church building. We must let it shine so that all men and women can see it. Stewards understand that living out their faith in public life is part of their responsibility to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15); and that their relationship with Jesus Christ and their desire to please him should inform all of their moral decisions, including how they participate in public life and how they vote. How should stewards exercise their responsibilities as citizens? One way of course, is to inform themselves of the political issues of the day and to vote. Voting is literally the least one can do to promote Gospel values in our communities, state and nation. Stewards are not found wanting in this vital area of their stewardship. The teachings of the church help us understand our responsibility to make informed choices about issues that concern our society and world, especially as it relates to peace and justice and the most vulnerable of our sisters and brothers. The bishops of the United States have again provided important guidance through their statement: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States. Developed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, this document continues a more than thirtyyear tradition by the bishops of encouraging Catholics to use the values of their faith to shape their participation in political life. It focuses on helping Catholics form their consciences so they can make sound moral judgments about public choices (See www.faithfulcitizenship.org). Stewards commit to prayer, reflection and discussion among others in their community of faith about how to bring the Gospel to public life. They believe in continued conscience formation and conversion, take the teachings of the Church seriously, and keep themselves informed on the political issues of the day. Stewards also strive to make prudent choices, vote and encourage others to vote. These are just a few of the ways stewards can help bring the Good News to all creation.
By Suzanne Erpenbach
August, 2008 | Download
The Sunday newspapers are filled with back-to-school sales ads. School principals and teachers are preparing their schedules, curricula and classrooms. Practice for fall sports has already begun and new students are going through requisite orientations. As the anticipation for the new school year begins, it seems fitting to reflect on the discipline of Christian stewardship as it relates to education. Education is a life long activity, which begins at birth and continues until a person passes on to the Lord. It is so important to the development of an individual and society that it is cherished and fostered in every age and culture. Education can be formal or informal; for the very young and for society’s matriarchs and patriarchs; and for all whose minds continuously react to personal needs, societal expectations, material circumstances, and ever changing political and economic realities. For the Christian steward, the acquisition of knowledge and problem-solving skills, however, is not an end in itself. The good steward recognizes that we have been given stewardship of the earth and have a responsibility to make the world a better place. Knowledge and skills must be put to work to create practical solutions for human challenges. In one’s own prayerful discernment, some stewardship questions at this time of year might include: For students: Do I take my studies seriously? Am I living up to my potential? Do I live and actively give witness to my Catholic faith at school? For parents and others entrusted with the care of students: As the primary educators, are we inspiring a life-long passion for learning? Are we cultivating a sense of hard work and good study habits? Are we helping our charges not only to achieve in the classroom, but to grow in their faith? For Catholics who are educators: Are we doing the best we can to help our students reach their God-given potential? Are we helping them to become responsible, productive citizens? Do we give witness to our own Christ-centered values in the learning process so that these values will be a part of their own journey of faith? During his visit to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI had much to say about the relationship between education and our responsibility to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed. Education concerns itself with the continued renewal of our minds. Our Holy Father urges us to use this ongoing renewal to grow in faith. For good stewards, education is a profound way by which we learn to do good, seek justice, relieve the oppressed and draw people of all ages into communion with God and each other (cf. Isaiah 1:17).
July, 2008 | Download
Saint Benedict, the father of Western monasticism is considered a model of Christian stewardship. He authored the famous Rule of St. Benedict, a handbook of daily Christian living that emphasizes exercising stewardship over prayer, work, and community. Born in central Italy in the town of Nursia around 480, Benedict studied in Rome as a young man. He was so distressed by the chaos and incivility he found there that he left the city and traveled to Subiaco, Italy to become a hermit. He soon attracted followers who wanted to join him in his simple way of living; imitating his style of prayer and work while respecting the rhythms of the day. Benedict stayed there for 25 years before taking a small group of his monks to Monte Cassino, near Naples, where he wrote the final version of his Rule. The Rule of St. Benedict started a simple, spiritual tradition that exists to this day. It was meant to “…establish a school for the Lord’s service.” It is a set of Christian principles around which the members of the community were to organize their daily lives, focusing on the most important Christian values that would direct their daily actions and help them cultivate habits that would ensure good stewardship of their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. A hallmark of Christian stewardship is hospitality, making room for others. St. Benedict found this aspect of the Christian life especially important for his communities. In his Rule, St. Benedict writes: “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for he is going to say: ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Mt. 25:35).’ ‘And to all let due honor be shown, especially to those who share our faith’ (Gal. 6:10) and to pilgrims…In welcoming the poor and pilgrims the greatest care and solicitude should be shown, because it is especially in them that Christ is received” (Rule of St. Benedict 53:1-2, 15). The Rule of St. Benedict was meant to stand on the shoulders of the Gospels and many spiritual writers throughout the ages attest to its transforming power to change lives. It teaches the principles of stewardship, shows one how to live in a way that is uniquely countercultural and invites its adherents to enter into a deeper and more joyful relationship with the Lord. St. Benedict died in approximately 550. He is the patron saint of monks and farm workers. In 1964 Pope Paul VI declared him to be the patron saint of Europe. His feast day is July 11.
June, 2008 | Download Saints Peter and Paul
St. Peter held a preeminent status among Jesus’ disciples. He was very close to Jesus and is the apostle Jesus designated as the “rock” upon which his Church would be built. Even St. Paul acknowledged St. Peter as the pillar of the Church in Jerusalem and leader of the mission to the Gentiles. The Gospel of St. Luke describes Jesus commissioning St. Peter as the head of the disciples. In the first of his letters contained in the New Testament, St. Peter penned the stewardship reflection placed so prominently in the United States Bishops’ pastoral letter on Christian stewardship: “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Pt. 4:10). Thinkers throughout the ages acknowledge St. Paul as a genius and his success as a missionary was unmatched. He was a highly educated Jew and interpreted his conversion experience on the road to Damascus as Christ’s personal call to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. He established Christian communities around the eastern Mediterranean, is noted for three great missionary journeys and wrote letters to various communities. St. Paul believed that stewardship over the gift of the Risen Christ was fundamental to eternal life. How Saints Peter and Paul actually exercised stewardship over the Church in Rome is lost to history, but our faith tradition affirms that they jointly founded the Church of Rome, exercised a special authority over it and established its apostolic succession; a succession of bishops and popes that continues to this day.
Mary: The First Christian Steward
So often in parish life, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the recipient of a wonderful devotion. We come to her in prayer, lighting candles, asking for her assistance for our many worries and troubles. And so it should be! As our Mother, Mary is the one who can attend to our many personal needs. Yet, how many of us enlist her aid in our stewardship efforts? As we call forth the gifts and talents of the faithful, how many of us ask for her intercession in making our initiatives more fruitful? I would like to propose that in parish and community life, Mary is the best person to assist with our teaching and practice of stewardship. Why? Because she was the first steward of Jesus Christ. Consider the Gospel account of the Wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1- 11). Mary shows us the path of true stewardship through four natural steps: 1.) participating in a close personal relationship with Jesus; 2.) paying attention to the needs of the people around her; 3.) asking Jesus to fulfill those needs; and finally, 4.) allowing herself to be an instrument in the Lord’s providence and abundance.
Mary’s stewardship is a way of both dependence and action. Her relationship with Christ naturally makes her more attentive to other people. When she recognizes that a lack of wine will be an embarrassment to the wedding hosts, she does not try to fix the situation herself. She goes to Jesus. This is key! As the first steward of the mystery of the Incarnation, Mary appreciates the fact that she cannot provide what is needed on her own. Once she asks for his assistance, she is so confident in his ability to provide that she tells the stewards: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5). The outcome of abundance is well known to most of us, but it bears repeating from a stewardship perspective. A dependence on the living Jesus results in an act of providence that is far greater than anyone could have imagined. With the Lord present in the tabernacles of our parish churches, why would we expect anything less today? During May, as we gather our Marian altar flowers and have our May processions, let us ask the Blessed Mother, the first steward of the mystery of Jesus in our midst, to help us pay attention with her eyes, with her sensibility, with her open heart. There are tremendous needs in our homes, parishes, dioceses, communities and world. Indeed, “the Lord calls each one of us to act as a steward of his providence for our neighbor,” teaches Pope Benedict XVI (Lenten Message 2008). Our gifts of time, talent and treasure are meant to be shared. But before this “disciple’s response”, we must ask for the grace to approach our stewardship with Mary: to deepen our relationship with her Son; to ask for a heart that sees the needs around us; to go to Christ first as we learn to depend on him alone; and finally to allow ourselves to be the instruments of his Father’s providence, through the work of the Spirit of Love. --Mary Beth Newkumet
April 2008 | Download Stewardship of the Environment
The following “eco-stewardship” tips and quotes were adapted by the Diocese of Calgary in Canada from treehugger.com. They come courtesy of Simone Brosig, Ph.D., Stewardship Coordinator of the diocese. The quotations are compiled by Marta Edgar of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Calgary.
1. KEEP IT REAL The winter is past . . . the flowers
appear on the earth, the time of
singing has come.
You know what they say about Mother
knowing best? Well, Mother Nature
never needed to steal sips from a
chemical cocktail of pesticides, weed
killers, and chemical fertilizers to
keep her act together. Nix the poisons
and layer on some all-natural
compost, instead. Call in beneficial
insect reinforcements to wrestle pesky
garden pests to the ground.
—Song of Solomon, 2.11-12
2. MAKE COMPOST FROM
KITCHEN SCRAPS Each part of nature is something precious
to God. It follows readily that
to honor God, one must honor the
creation which God loves.
Compost like a champ by throwing
in your vegetable waste, instead of
allowing it to be trucked off to the
landfill. Known as “gardener’s gold,”
compost enriches soil fertility by giving
it a shot of high-powered, plantloving
nutrients. Aside from stimulating
healthy root development, the
addition of rich and earthy compost
also improves soil texture, aeration,
and water retention. Why waste your
hard-earned cash on commercial
products when the real deal is free for
the taking? Speed up the process with
the help of earthworms or go wrigglefree
(if you’re the squeamish sort).
— Susan Armstrong and Richard
Botzler, Environmental Ethics
3. BUY RECYCLED It was in the forest that I found “the
peace that passeth all understanding.”
If your delicate aesthetic sensibilities
balk at the idea of reusing yogurt
or takeout containers to house your
hydrangeas, check out the myriad
environmentally friendly planters
and raised-garden kits now available.
It takes less energy to recycle something
than to mine virgin materials,
so whether you choose recycled copper,
plastic, or even rubber to anchor
your tender shoots, it’s all copasetic.
Admire your handiwork and ecosmarts
while lounging on recycled
lawn furniture.
— Jane Goodall, Reason for Hope.
4. GROW YOUR OWN FOOD OR
JOIN A COMMUNITY GARDEN The blowing wind, the mild, moist
air, the exquisite greening of trees and
grasses—in their beginning, in their
ending, they give God their praise.
Instead of painstakingly manicuring
that lawn for the umpteenth time, how
about growing your own food instead?
It’s time to return to the use of gardens
as food sources—you won’t find fresher
(or cheaper) eating anywhere else. Urban
dwellers bereft of a yard shouldn’t
fret: You can still get in on the hoeing
and growing action by signing up for a
plot at your local community garden.
Community gardens typically have a
communal composting area, as well, so
if you don’t have room for one of those
triple-duty rotating barrel composters in
your home, here’s your hook-up.
—Hildegard of Bingen
March 2008 | Download Individual Acts of Stewardship
Our relationships can be a lot of work, but they are crucial for our survival. We must give our relationships proper time and attention – just like the gardener giving proper time and attention to his garden. Some ideas for tending the garden of our relationships:
February 2008 | Download
Pope Benedict XVI includes an invitation to
Our Holy Father also said that in predominantly Christian countries, the invitation to practice stewardship is even greater: “In those countries whose population is majority Christian, the call to share is even more urgent, since their responsibility toward the many who suffer poverty and abandonment is even greater. To come to their aid is a duty of justice even prior to being an act of charity.” Pope Benedict XVI invites us to embrace almsgiving as a Lenten discipline, a way to spiritual renewal and as a part of our obligation to be Christian stewards.
January 2008 | Download
“Making All Things New”: Stewardship is a commitment of mind and heart to the Lord; a way of life that needs constant renewal and transformation. This time of year has always been one of looking forward to a new year, reflecting on the changes we need to make in our lives and resolving to follow through on those changes. Perhaps those who seek to make resolutions to be better stewards might find inspiration in the following samples:
Stewardship of Family: Resolve to set aside more time to stay connected with your family. Eat dinner together, schedule regular dates with your spouse, plan family outings, and go to Mass together. Stewardship of Health: Resolve to get those medical and dental checkups. Adopt healthier eating habits. Add exercise and other physical activity to your daily routine. Stewardship of Possessions: Resolve to possess a little more “lightly” this year. Consider ways you can reduce the amount of all that stuff you own. Distinguish between those items that are necessary and those that are considered luxurious and unnecessary. Stewardship of the Parish Family: Resolve to serve your faith community in some way this year such as at liturgy, in the parish’s outreach or education and formation efforts. Stewardship of Money: Resolve to render sacred your annual budget. Reprioritize your financial goals to ensure that the Lord comes first in your spending. Take positive steps to improve your financial health. Stewardship of Work: Resolve to be faithful to your daily, work- related tasks and offer them up to the Lord. Cultivate your skills. Deepen your knowledge. Be mindful of how you are building the Kingdom of God. Stewardship of Mind: Resolve to keep your mind active. Commit to being more informed on the issues of the day. Read your bible. In this year of presidential elections in the United States, familiarize yourself with the Church’s social teachings. Stewardship of Neighbor: Resolve to be a person of hospitality; to make time and space for others who enter your life. Be more aware of those times when a neighbor, co-worker, fellow parishioner or stranger, needs a moment of kindness, a little attention or an affirming gesture on your part. Stewardship of the Poor: Resolve to live with more compassion and in solidarity with those less fortunate. Remember the poor in prayer, and commit to helping relieve in some way the plight of those who are impoverished or marginalized.
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This month we highlight two of the great stewards of the faith, Saints Peter and Paul, commemorated on June 29.
The two apostles are celebrated together as the founders of the early Church of Rome.
During May, the Church asks the faithful to turn their attention
to Mary, the Mother of God. “For this is the month during
which Christians, both in Church and in the privacy of the
home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent
and loving homage of prayer and veneration,” Pope Paul VI once
said. “In this month, too, the gifts of God’s mercy come down to
us from her throne in greater abundance.” (Mense Maio)
As environmental organizations
around the globe prepare for World
Earth Day on April 22, it is appropriate
to reflect on how we can be better
stewards of our earth. Ecological
stewardship is a concern expressed
by the United States Bishops in their
pastoral letter: Stewardship: A Disciple’s
Response and is a continuing
concern for Christian stewards.
Bishop Morneau of Green Bay has spoken about the 12 Gardens of Stewardship. This broad concept of stewardship shows that it
extends to the soul, the arts, the mind, history, technology, politics, emotions, the planet, decisions, money, relationships,
the body, and perhaps others. If stewardship consists of many gardens, then obviously it is something that needs to be planted
(recognizing God as the source of all we have through prayer and thanking God for all those gifts), tended (cultivated and
nurtured), and harvested (sharing with others and giving back to God). The following Individual Acts of Stewardship suggest
many different ways that we can be stewards.
The Garden of Relationships
In his 
Stewardship of Prayer: Resolve to strengthen your relationship with the Lord. Notice
how often you pray and what hinders you from praying. Commit to short, daily prayer times.