Stewardship Today

CATHOLIC SAINTS ON STEWARDSHIP

From St. Gregory the Great:

“The weight of fear is the anchor of the heart.”

Catholic Life Television

CatholicSchools

“Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.” Aims of Catholic educators, those goals stretch the celebration of Catholic Schools Week well beyond the last week of January this year. In a recent Catholic Commentator article, Dr. Melanie Verges, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, wrote the following: “Catholic Schools Week affords us the opportunity to reflect on the gift that Catholic schools are to our families, community, nation and church in Evangelizing Hearts, Educating Minds, Encouraging Talent and Embracing the Future for young people.”

As noted in the USCCB press release, “nearly 1.8 million students are currently educated in 6,352 Catholic schools in cities, suburbs, small towns and rural communities around the country.” In the greater Diocese of Baton Rouge, over a thousand instructors teach nearly 15,000 elementary and secondary students in the dozens of schools that comprise the system. Student/teacher ratios average thirteen to one in the lower grades and an outstanding nine to one in secondary schools. One hundred percent of high school seniors graduate!

Visit the Catholic Schools of Baton Rouge website to answer your questions about Catholic education in the capital region: www.csobr.org

One of the six recipients of this year’s Works of Mercy Trust grants is the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition (BRYC), an organization founded by high school teacher Daniel Kahn in 2009 to help “high-achieving but under-resourced high school students enter, excel in, and graduate from college so they can become full participants in society.” Staff members and volunteer supporters achieve this goal through activities as diverse as educational and recreational camps and retreats, service programs, partnerships with related organizations, instructional coursework, life skill preparation, and opportunities to work with professional mentors who serve in a great variety of business and government disciplines. More than two hundred young people are involved in various programs this year alone. Visit the informative website for additional information: https://thebyrc.org

THE STEWARD'S BOOKSHELF

Recommended Resources
for Reflection and Study

Please visit “The Steward’s Bookshelf”
for additional recommendations.

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NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWS

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Universal Values

From the Stewardship Today Archives, January 2010

The ability to have anything you want, when you want it. Power and glory. Respect and influence. Timeless pursuits, these are the universal values of those who run ahead of the pack. The enemy believed he could tempt Jesus Christ with exactly these things. After the Savior fasted for forty days in the wilderness, the devil appeared to him. “The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ ” Jesus quoted applicable Scripture and remained sinless. ...read more

LOCAL DIOCESAN NEWS

Televised Mass

Catholic Life Television broadcasts the Tuesday Midday Mass, live from St. Joseph Cathedral at 12 Noon, and rebroadcasts the service at 6 PM and 10:30 PM. Visit www.catholiclifetv.org for a variety of daily Catholic programming.

Diocesan News Page

St. John Baptist de la Salle

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He may have been born into a wealthy family, but John Baptist de la Salle left a life of ease and the favor of an aristocratic education to become “the great champion of the education of the poor.” Not only did the saint establish schools, but he personally trained a great many of their teachers and secured facilities in which they could educate the poor French children that populated the entire Normandy area of France and beyond. Like St. Benedict, he created a Rule for members of his staff and required them all to become familiar—not just with their principle area of instruction, but—with the teachings of the New Testament.

At his direction, St. John and a select few took vows and formed the “Brothers of the Christian Schools,” an extensive ministry still a presence in well over eighty different countries around the world. Today, the Christian Brothers minister to nearly three quarters of a million students worldwide, a wonderful legacy of devotion to the aims of the Patron Saint of Christian Teachers. In addition to his work as an administrator and classroom instructor, St. John Baptist de la Salle authored several volumes of devotional studies.

In his Method of Mental Prayer, the educator shared his thoughts regarding the interior life: “Mental prayer is an interior activity whereby the soul applies itself to God. It is so called to distinguish it from vocal prayer which is partly an activity of the body, since it is produced by the mouth, but at the same time is an activity of the mind which should be involved in it. Mental prayer is called an interior activity because the soul busies itself therein with that which is proper to it in this life—to know God and to love him and to take all the means needed to achieve both these ends.”

STEWARDSHIP IN SCRIPTURE

Jesus said, “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built.”

(Luke 6:47-48; New American Bible, Revised Edition)

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Planned Giving

Fast Facts About Planned Giving

If you hear “planned giving” and think it’s only for people older or wealthier than you—or that it’s just too confusing—you’re not alone. However, planned giving is for people of all ages and any economic status, and it doesn’t have to be difficult.

February 2019

Stewardship: A Louisiana Legacy

Please Support the BAA

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For decades, contributors to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal have extended the love of God to our neighbors, fellow parishioners and friends. A timeless call directs us to all those who long for our care and compassion throughout the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Investing the blessings God has granted, we honor the Lord as we serve and as we give. It is Christ’s example, and we Follow the Shepherd’s Lead.

Because we desire to be good stewards of God’s blessing, we purposefully support efforts like the BAA, aware that the collective gifts of many faithful parishioners can accomplish much. Through your generous contributions, you address others’ needs, and you point them to Jesus Christ, the shepherd of us all. Please give to support the work of the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.

Follow the Shepherd’s Lead Appeal Brochure

Follow the Shepherd’s Lead Donor Mailer

The Stewardship of Prayer

Jesus Affirms His Calling

“Play something for us. Play something.” Brittany’s guests spied the piano in her family room, asked if she played, then—when she said she did—requested a demonstration of her ability. Tell people you speak another language, chances are they’ll want you to affirm your knowledge. The same is true for jugglers, those adept at card tricks, anyone with knowledge of trivia, familiarity with the Scriptures, or the ability to tell a joke. It’s certainly true when a skill seems inconsistent with what others already know about you. ....read more

A Peak at the Beginning ... read more

The Stewardship of Ministry

Message and Messenger

Our healthiest parishes enjoy significant lay ministry and support. Priests, deacons and administrative staff count on it. Teachers—in after-school and summer programs, committed to weekend instruction, through graded programs for youth and seniors, and the many who assist in catechetical instruction—are essential volunteers. They’ve long since settled the uncertainty that delays others’ participation. “I don’t feel I could serve.” “I don’t feel worthy.” “I wouldn’t know what to say.” “I don’t think I could make a difference.” Surprisingly enough, St. Paul shared those concerns. We can choose to follow his example.. . .read more

Every Part a Vital Ingredient ... read more

The Stewardship of Finance

The Nature of True Value

The Old Testament books of First and Second Samuel tell the story of the Jewish leader David and his family. Our own children revere David as the conqueror of the giant Philistine Goliath. Those who study relationships celebrate the friendship David shared with King Saul’s son Jonathan. It’s sensible to wonder about Saul’s complex relationship to David. After all, the young man slew the nation’s great enemy. He befriended the king’s son. Through his music, he brought great solace to Saul, and he even married the king’s daughter. He was Saul’s son-in-law. Why, then, did Saul seek to kill him?.. . .read more

An Extension of Trust in God ... read more

“If I want only pure water, what does it matter to me whether it be brought in a vase of gold or of glass? What is it to me whether the will of God be presented to me in tribulation or consolation, since I desire and seek only the divine will?”

St. Francis de Sales

“Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. Do you plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? First lay the foundation on humility.”

St. Augustine of Hippo

“Our sins are nothing but a grain of sand alongside the great mountain of the mercy of God.”

St. Jean Vianney

“What I only aim at is this: That we seek God, and remain with him, to whom we are speaking, without turning our backs on him. For I think that is what we do when we keep talking to God while thinking about a thousand trifles at the same time.”

St. Clement I