Stewardship: Living Christianity Radically

1. A newsletter for priests and pastoral staff prepared by the Department of Stewardship and Development
Volume 1, Issue 11
December 2004
Wichita’s Story: Part Two
Bob Voboril, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Wichita, spoke on No-
vember 5th at the Pastoral Center to a group interested in learning more about
the “Nuts N’ Bolts” of Stewardship. Many of you may have heard Bob speak on
Wichita’s stewardship story; below are some highlights from Part Two of this
presentation. Please contact Anne Marie Tirpak at 312/655-7713 if you would
like copies of the handouts Bob shared.
1. Implement Stewardship as a way of life for all Catholics and all ministries.
Stewardship is not tax planning; it is mission driven and is about how we live out
our call to be disciples. The cornerstones of stewardship are hospitality, spiritual-
ity, formation and service.
Living Christianity [Radically]
2. Leadership must be converted, committed and willing to take a leap of faith.
Stewardship is a conversion of the heart and starts with the notion that every-
thing is gift.
3. Create a stewardship committee. This committee is responsible for educating
about stewardship, managing its implementation, completing a wide-scale needs
assessment and celebrating successes.
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4. Implement stewardship systematically. It should be a part of every agenda, of
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every group—forever! Move slowly. Look at the vocabulary you use. Get rid of
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the “purchase” mentality. Ask yourself, “Is the way we are doing business consis-
tent with stewardship?”
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5. Stewardship must be ongoing and must be perpetuated in the parish despite
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pastor and staff transitions, etc.
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6. If it is true stewardship, must care for the
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ParishPay representatives cordially poor. “Once you decide to take care of the
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poor, God takes care of you.” If every parish
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invite you to an educational
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luncheon regarding ParishPay, the truly practiced stewardship, every parish
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could sustain itself.
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company's services, and Chicago
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"success stories."
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Hear from Chicago priests and 7. Schools must be parish-centered and must
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business managers how they have be open to all. The notion of parish life must
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increased parishioner giving get stronger. If move toward stewardship,
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through ParishPay.
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eventually need to eliminate fundraising.
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Enrollment in school should not be con-
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Additionally, author and Villanova trolled by money, but by faith.
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professor, Charles Zech, Ph.D., will
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speak regarding his book,
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Homily Help….
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Why Catholics Don't Give And With a Stewardship Twist
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What Can Be Done About It.
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In an effort to share the stewardship mes-
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sage more intentionally from the pulpit,
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Wednesday, January 12, 2005
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volunteers from the Archdiocesan Steward-
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11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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ship Steering Committee have prepared
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Our Lady of Hope Advent stewardship reflections. These re-
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9711 W. Devon Ave. flections are offered as a guide and can be
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Rosemont, IL 60018 found on the Stewardship and Develop-
ment web page at http://www.archchicago.
RSVP by December 31, 2004 to org/departments/stewardship_dev/
Janis Lutkus stewardship.shtm . You can also receive
at 312/655-7614 or copies by dialing
jlutkus@archchicago.org 312/655-7713.

2. “T H I S IS WH A T T H E L O RD A S K S O F Y OU :
TO LIVE JUSTLY, TO LOVE TENDERLY, TO
Upcoming Stewardship Education and Prayer
W A L K H U M B L Y W I T H Y OU R G O D . ” M I C A H 6 : 8
January 8, 2005 An Introduction to the Bishop's Pastoral
"How Am I a Stew-
D EP A RT M E N T O F S T E W A R D S H IP A N D
ard?"
D E V EL O P M E N T Discussion Part I- Stewardship of Creation
7 2 1 N O R T H L A S AL L E Host location: Catholic Charities’ Vincent Hall
C H I C AG O, I L 6 0 6 1 0
January 12, 2005 ParishPay Luncheon at Our Lady of Hope, Rosemont
The parish stewardship office of the 11 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. RSVP to jlutkus@archchicago.org
Archdiocese of Chicago’s Stewardship
February 12, 2005 Bishop's Pastoral Discussion II- Stewardship of Vocation
and Development Department exists to
Host location: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
support and educate our priests and Facilitators: Lea Dacanay– The Catholic New World,
people to enable them to realize the joy Anne Marie Tirpak– Stewardship and Development
that is theirs by boldly reclaiming their
role as baptized disciples of Jesus March 5, 2005 Stewardship and the
Christ, recognizing and embracing God Church
as the Source of all, and Pastoral--"Communities of Salt and
gratefully responding to God’s Light"
abundance by sharing our gifts. Host location: St. James’- Arlington Heights
Facilitator: Sr. Kathy Brazda, CSJ, Pastoral Associate
April 16, 2005 Catholic Social Teaching and Stewardship
We’re on-line at Host location: St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr
http://www.archchicago.org/ Facilitator: Bill Purcell, Office for Peace and Justice
departments/stewardship_dev/
stewardship.shtm.
May 21, 2005 Stewardship in the Parish and School
Stewardship Stan-
dards
Host location: St. Gregory the Great
Mary Foley, Office of Catholic Schools and Foley Consulting
Sunday Stewardship Reflections and Prayers of the Faithful
Communicating the importance of stewardship in all areas of liturgy and parish life underscores the gospel call to this way of living.
The reflections and petitions are offered to support your parish’s stewardship efforts.
December 12, 2004: 3rd Sunday of Advent you take time to be thankful you realize that you have been abundantly
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, blessed. When you take time to be thankful you are more open to en-
the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are joying and sharing the many blessings in your life. As the old year ends
raised…” Matthew 11:4-5 and a new year begins resolve to be thankful. This is the first step to
When Jesus cured the sick we called it a miracle. Yet God has blessed living as a good and faithful steward of all God’s blessings.
us with many good things – our eyesight, our hearing, our talents, our
Petition:
health and so much more – and we often take it all for granted. The
That we may begin the new year with a heart overflowing with grati-
good steward recognizes every blessing in life as a miracle from God
tude for the gifts of family, health and happiness that God has be-
and strives to use those gifts for God’s honor and glory.
stowed upon us.
Petition: January 1, 2005 New Year's Day
That we may recognize God’s many little miracles in our lives and be Today's second reading reminds us that through Christ we have been
grateful. delivered from the old law and have become sons and daughters of
God. New Year's Day provides a perfect opportunity to ask ourselves
December 19, 2004: 4th Sunday of Advent
the question: Does my life reflect my gratitude for all that God has
“The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who
given me?
dwell in it. For he founded it upon the sea and established it upon the
rivers.” Psalm 24:1-2 Petition:
How can we take credit for the good things in our lives when Psalm 24 That we take the time to reflect upon God’s grace in our lives this past
reminds us that God created absolutely everything and everyone on year, acknowledging and surrendering to Emmanuel, our God who is
the earth? We all have an obligation to return a portion of our good always with us.
fortune to God, for without God nothing would be possible.
January 2, 2005 Epiphany of the Lord
Petition: Today we remember the three wise men from the East who came to
That we may joyfully return a portion of our blessings to God, recog- pay homage to the infant Jesus, bringing Him rich gifts of gold, frank-
nizing that everything belongs to God and it is only ours to use for a incense, and myrrh. The gifts we bring -- our time, service and some
short time. share of what we earn for the work we do -- are equally precious in His
sight.
December 26, 2004: Feast of the Holy Family
Petition:
“And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
That we present our gifts to God by recognizing the multiple ways in
This short phrase can be the key to a life of great peace and joy. When
which we have been blessed and sharing of these gifts with our
neighbors in need.