Stewardship in the New Year: Making Commitments to the Lord

Stewardship is a commitment of mind and heart to the Lord; a way of life that needsconstant renewal and transformation. This time of year has always been one of lookingforward to a new year, reflecting on the changes we need to make in our lives andresolving to follow through on those changes. Perhaps those who …

January 8, 2024

Good Stewards Live the Beatitudes

At the beginning of his famous commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, Saint Augustine maintains that: “If anyone piously and earnestly ponders the Discourse which Our Lord Jesus Christ delivered on the Mount – as we read the Gospel According to Matthew – I believe that he will find therein, with regard to good …

January 5, 2024

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 …

December 18, 2023

Christmas: A Stewardship Reflection on Sharing

“Bah! Humbug!” was the attitude of Ebenezer Scrooge toward the two gentlemen who came looking for a Christmas donation to help the poor and homeless in the streets of London. “All I want to do is eat, drink and be merry!” was the attitude of the rich fool in Jesus’ parable. Neither the wealthy but …

Everything Belongs to God: A Stewardship Reflection on the Gospel reading for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

by the Most Reverend Charles C. Thompson, Archbishop of Indianapolis Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God (Mt 22:21). The Gospel reading for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time contains familiar words of Jesus in response to the Pharisees’ attempt to trap him into saying something that would …

October 13, 2023

Hospitality at Mass: A Key to Good Stewardship

For many individuals and families alike, summer means travel. And summer travel may mean new visitors to our parish for weekend liturgies. How we greet and provide hospitality for our guests says a lot about our practice of good stewardship. Providing hospitality to strangers is a hallmark of Christian stewardship. In the Gospel of Matthew …

May 12, 2023

Stewardship Reflection: Stewardship and the faithful mission of ICSC

The words continued to reverberate in the mind of the archbishop as he left the first session of the Second Vatican Council: “Every opportunity should be given the laity to share zealously in the salvific work of the Church…” For the late Joseph Cardinal Ritter, these words inspired him to explore ways by which dioceses …

October 12, 2022

Stewardship Reflection: Let’s Get Young People Involved in the Eucharistic Liturgy

Now that your teen or college age young adult has received the sacrament of Confirmation, isn’t it time to get them more deeply involved in the Mass? It is no secret that one of the best ways for a young person to nurture a greater love for the Eucharist is by a more active participation …

June 20, 2022

Stewardship Reflection: We are Easter People!

No matter what we have endured the past few weeks, let us remember that we are an Easter people. The joy of Easter is celebrated not only during the liturgical season we call Easter. It is celebrated every day of the year. The Mass is the Paschal Mystery, and every time it is celebrated, we …

May 2, 2022