Stewardship Saint for May Jeanne de Lestonnac
Jeanne de LestonnacStewarding the sick and poor during plague years Jeanne de Lestonnac was born in 1556 into an influential family in Bordeaux, France. Her father was a member of the French Parliament, and a prominent Catholic. Her mother, who was the sister of the renowned humanist philosopher Michel de Montaigne, had embraced the teachings …
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Stewardship Saint for April Blessed James Oldo
Blessed James Oldo (Giacomo Oldo):Good Steward of his neighbors during a Pandemic Giacomo Oldo was born in 1364 to a prosperous family in Lodi, Italy near Milan. His father died while he was young, leaving him a legacy that made him a wealthy man. Giacomo was married at a young age to Caterina Bocconi, and …
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The Beatitudes and Stewardship
Many of us work for companies or dioceses or parishes that have a mission statement or a vision statement; sometimes these can be ‘holy hopes’ written by a committee and then forgotten, but sometimes they are the very core of an organisation and are ‘owned’ by all stakeholders. The Beatitudes are Jesus’ mission statement, they …
Stewardship Saint for March Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick, the “apostle to Ireland,” is one of the world’s most famous and celebrated saints. His missionary zeal arguably matched that of Saint Paul, whose missionary activities, though oftentimes a severe struggle, remained in the territories governed by Roman law. Saint Patrick, however, was the first recorded Christian missionary to evangelize beyond the bounds …
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Stewardship Saint for February Saint Josephine Bakhita
Born in western Sudan in 1869, our February stewardship saint recalled having a loving family and happy childhood. At age seven, however, she was abducted by Arab slave traders; the trauma and sheer anguish of which caused her to forget her own name. A slaver sarcastically named her Bakhita, Arabic for lucky. For the next …
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Stewardship Saint for January Saint John the Almsgiver
Saint John the Almsgiver earned the title “almsgiver” because of his passion for social justice and his stewardship of the poor and oppressed. Born at Amathus, Cyprus, around 560, the son of the governor of Cyprus, he was wealthy and of noble lineage. His wife and children died before John reached the age of 50. …
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A Christmas Season Reflection
Be a Good Steward of the Christmas Season December is such a busy time of year, and a month that tempts us to lose sight of the profound spiritual importance of the Advent and Christmas seasons. The best way to stay focused on keeping Christ in Christmas is to be good stewards of …
Stewardship Saint for December Saint John of Kanty
John of Kanty, also known as John Cantius, was born to a wealthy family in Kanti, near Auschwitz, Poland, in 1390. He was educated at the University of Krakow and was ordained a priest soon after completing his studies. John was appointed a lecturer at the university and was known to be an effective teacher …
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A Stewardship Reflection for November
The eleventh month is now upon us, drawing us closer to the end of the calendar year. It is a transition month, a month between autumn and winter, when the leaves get raked, and the crops have been harvested. We “fall back” from Daylight Savings Time and revert to Standard Time. Most of us prepare …