Stewardship Day reinforces the diocesan way of life

Intermountain Catholic

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Bishop John C. Wester chats with Mark Neisen, a Saint Therese of the Child Jesus parishioner, during lunch at the Diocesan Stewardship Day. IC photo/Marie Mischel

SALT LAKE CITY —More than 100 people gathered at Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church for the Diocesan Stewardship Day to learn more about the stewardship message and rejuvenate their desire to live a stewardship way of life.

"We’re deepening our appreciation for God’s gifts and how we share them with each other," said the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, who led the Morning Prayer and spoke briefly afterward.

It’s necessary to return time and again to the stewardship themes of time, talent and treasure "because which of us has fully understood or fully appreciated or fully integrated into our lives ... any one of God’s gifts?" Bishop Wester asked, adding that people must constantly renew their commitment to using their God-given gifts for each other, for the Church and for humanity.

In his comments, Bishop Wester focused particularly on the gift of time, and the need to use it prudently. "God gives us this gift to live fully until the day comes when we transcend time and that we’re in Heaven with the Lord in the eternal now and the now moment is forever," he said.

Each of the speakers for the English portion of the day focused on a different aspect of stewardship.

Deacon Mike Bulson concentrated on the stewardship message in the Gospel of Luke, which has a theme of "faithful discipleship means a readiness to use material possessions on behalf of the poor," he said.

"What a steward owns does not belong to him but, in fact, his master," according to Luke’s Gospel, and "prudence is an indispensable element required of a good steward," Deacon Bulson said.

Christine Sharer, a longtime St. Vincent de Paul parishioner who is the founder and former CEO of Make-A-Wish Foundation in Utah and who is now with Pathways Associates, a nonprofit consulting firm, gave a four-step approach to stewardship: First, claim the talents God has given, develop them responsibly, use them with love and justice, and lastly, return them to God.

Father Martin Diaz, pastor of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale, focused on the need to make a parish a place where people feel welcome and comfortable so they will want to become stewards there.

The afternoon ended with two couples, Tony and Diana Hanebrink and Mike and Treva Fendrick, giving lay witness talks about why they’re involved with their numerous ministries at Saint Joseph Parish and in the diocese.

For Priscilla Mecham, a Saint Francis of Assisi parishioner, this was the most powerful part of the day. Hearing stories from others who are in similar situations "helps others think through their lives a little bit to see where they can give more to the Church," said Mecham, who is involved with her parish council, baptism classes, the funeral ministry, and also visits sick parishioners.