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  KEEP IT REAL, TRULY REAL The chance to experience autumn in south Louisiana is but one reason visitors often become residents. The weather is mild, outdoor festivals and celebrations abound, and the sky takes on an azure clarity so appealing it seems almost unreal, especially to those more drawn to blue screens than to blue heavens. In the fascinating book Reality Squared: Television Discourse on the Real, European culture critic Arild Fetveit has contributed an insightful essay entitled “Reality TV in the Digital Era.” He suggests “the proliferation of reality TV could be understood Read Complete Article »  Prayer and Personal Remembrance When we pray, we ask for God’s provision and protection. As the Scriptures repeatedly record, he invites us to ask for his blessing, much as a trusting child makes requests of a loving parent. We also offer prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving, aware that all we are and have are reminders of his goodness. Often … Read Complete Article »  The Strength of a King A national political commentator recently noted the toll exacted by the American presidency on those who hold the office. This individual suggested that years in the Oval Office seem to visibly age a person, and the process is reflected in the most obvious and noticeable ways—facial lines and graying hair. … Read Complete Article »  Within Another’s Shadow A century ago, the world’s tallest building was a newly-completed office tower located at the intersection of Broadway and Liberty in Lower Manhattan. The Singer Building, headquarters for the Singer Manufacturing Company, was designed by the Brooklyn-born and Paris-trained Ernest Flagg, an architect … Read Complete Article » |
OCTOBER 2008 Volume 5, Issue 10 All is a Gift from God. Stewardship Today is a monthly publication for parishioners whose mission is to assist Catholics in understanding and embracing the importance of Stewardship in our daily lives. Stewardship is the acknowledgement that all we are and all we possess are gifts that God has given us for our temporary use and for our use in helping our fellow man. Embracing Stewardship as a way of life starts with the personal need within each of us to return to God a thankful portion of our time in the form of prayer, our talents in the form of ministry to others, and the treasure He has entrusted to our care as gifts to His glory. A Total Stewardship Diocese Copyright © 2008 Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge. Reproduction of this material is prohibited without advance written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.  |
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IN THIS ISSUE: TOP STORY: » Keep It Real, Truly Real PRAYER: » Prayer and Personal Remembrance MINISTRY: » The Strength of a King FINANCE: » Within Another’s Shadow MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT: » Ministry Spotlight in the Baton Rouge Diocese The Uniquely Gifted Catholic Parishioner BACK TO TOP ^  |
KEEP IT REAL, TRULY REAL The chance to experience autumn in south Louisiana is but one reason visitors often become residents. The weather is mild, outdoor festivals and celebrations abound, and the sky takes on an azure clarity so appealing it seems almost unreal, especially to those more drawn to blue screens than to blue heavens. In the fascinating book Reality Squared: Television Discourse on the Real, European culture critic Arild Fetveit has contributed an insightful essay entitled “Reality TV in the Digital Era.” He suggests “the proliferation of reality TV could be understood as a euphoric effort to reclaim what seems to be lost after digitalization. The powerful urge for a sense of contact with the real is inscribed in much of the reality TV footage.” He even notes that “the rough quality of handheld footage draws attention to the issue of contact itself.” But, as he wisely adds, “It is not reality, it is reality TV, reality show.” We seek entertainment, and yet willingly admit it isn’t real. Though the forlorn island resident seems all too marooned and forgotten on the beaches of the typical Survivor episode, just how alone can she be, when her every move is captured on tape by a fully-outfitted video and sound crew, grouped nearby? How openly 'realistic' is the competition through each season of Dancing with the Stars, when the couples have been pre-screened and pre-selected by a production staff? And how 'real,' 'genuine' and 'natural' are the relationships shared by cast members of the dozens of shows in which combinations of personalities are clearly chosen for their potential combustibility? Hey, it’s just television, right? Fortunately, 'real life' has little in common with reality TV. In fact, Fetveit offers keen insight concerning our longing for contact with others and with our environments. We want touch, we want meaning. We want to belong, and we want to take part in causes with ‘real’ value. In God’s providence, we revel in the fullness of the three-dimensional outdoor environment. The two-dimensional television screen, no matter how captivating the exchange, offers nothing in the way of true personal engagement. Unlike the routine for television crews and cast, in real life there is no rehearsal, no practice, no acting, no pretending. Some mistakenly live as if that were not true, but each moment of every day is precious, a singular, one-time event offered to us as a generous blessing from our loving and gracious God. To the musician or athlete, rehearsals and practices are as real as concerts and games, and it is similarly true for everyone else. To be satisfied with anything but the full life God intended is to settle for less than he desires for us. “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ,” St. Paul cautioned the Colossian church. So, let’s choose to invest wisely. Let’s use our time, our healthy resumes and our hearty resources to honor God and bless others. We can determine that today really matters, that it is ‘for real,’ that each investment of time and energy has the potential to offer honor and glory to God, plus joy and meaning to our lives and to others. We can decide that we will say “yes” to a rich and full spiritual life, the ultimate reality of the mysterious presence of God’s Holy Spirit. 'Keeping it truly real' means removing the unnecessary limits and constraints we place on our lives and releasing ourselves to the purposes of God. No matter the season. Send Stewardship Today to a Friend |
“Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~ |
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IN THIS ISSUE: TOP STORY: » Keep It Real, Truly Real PRAYER: » Prayer and Personal Remembrance MINISTRY: » The Strength of a King FINANCE: » Within Another’s Shadow MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT: » Ministry Spotlight in the Baton Rouge Diocese The Uniquely Gifted Catholic Parishioner BACK TO TOP ^ |
PRAYER AND PERSONAL REMEMBRANCE When we pray, we ask for God’s provision and protection. As the Scriptures repeatedly record, he invites us to ask for his blessing, much as a trusting child makes requests of a loving parent. We also offer prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving, aware that all we are and have are reminders of his goodness. Often because of circumstance and change, we find ourselves more keenly aware of those who share our lives, and we offer thanks for the blessing of family and friends. From the moment they pull away from a university dormitory, parents are increasingly more sensitive to the changes that accompany the empty nest, whispering prayers on behalf of a daughter or son beginning a new life. The load of any burdensome task is made infinitely lighter when friends pitch in to help, creating the opportunity to utter prayers of gratitude for neighbors who willingly walk with us. Well, what of those with whom we worship and serve in the Church? How are we to pray for them? In his first letter to the New Testament church in Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul offered a model. “We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.” St. Paul prayed at all times and in all circumstances—unceasingly, and his life was marked by this prayerful attitude. He may well have offered unending, intercessory content through those prayers, as well—endless praying, yet endless praying on behalf of fellow servants. Those prayers were filled with fond remembrance for his friends' “work of faith and labor of love and endurance.” The work of faith is a corporate, team effort. St. Paul recognized that and extended thanks to his co-laborers, all the while thanking God for their hard work and faithfulness. We serve unceasingly and join with others, praising God for faithful effort. As we do, we offer prayers of praise for the efforts of those who serve alongside. Send Stewardship Today to a Friend “Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those whom we cannot resemble.”
~ Samuel Johnson ~ |
 Prayers of the Saints: St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807–1870) Born in Catalonia, St, Anthony Mary Claret ministered in Spain, France, the Canary Islands, and—as part of the First Vatican Council—in Rome, yet it was as the Archbishop of Santiago in Cuba that he may have enjoyed his most notable work. Poor health derailed his initial commitment to the Jesuits, but his apprenticeships in weaving and printing proved invaluable in helping establish the respected Religious Publishing House. During a time of great and fruitful ministry, the publisher released over five million volumes. In Cuba less than a decade, it was at that time he added the name Mary and perpetually held her rosary. The saint was plagued with ill health, suffered crippling illnesses and recurring fevers, and was forever dogged by personal enemies who misunderstood his devotion to the poor and sought his life, but St. Anthony remains one of the most influential nineteenth century leaders of the western Church. This suffering saint epitomized those who embrace the Lord’s admonition to take up their cross daily and follow him. In that regard, St. Anthony prayerfully contributed the following: “On the cross I have lived and on the cross I wish to die. From the cross I hope to come down, not by my own hands, but at the hands of others after I have finished my sacrifice.” “Understanding human needs is half the job of meeting them.”
~ Adlai Stevenson ~ |
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IN THIS ISSUE: TOP STORY: » Keep It Real, Truly Real PRAYER: » Prayer and Personal Remembrance MINISTRY: » The Strength of a King FINANCE: » Within Another’s Shadow MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT: » Ministry Spotlight in the Baton Rouge Diocese The Uniquely Gifted Catholic Parishioner BACK TO TOP ^ |
THE STRENGTH OF A KING A national political commentator recently noted the toll exacted by the American presidency on those who hold the office. This individual suggested that years in the Oval Office seem to visibly age a person, and the process is reflected in the most obvious and noticeable ways—facial lines and graying hair. A person can enter the White House with darker hair, but most leave—whether in eight years or four—with either less head covering or a healthy splash of light frosting. It is a demanding job and one that requires great physical stamina. If pampered Hollywood celebrities hire personal trainers to stay fit, national leaders must surely benefit from regular exercise, proper diet and generous amounts of rest and sleep. Some of our presidents have played tennis, some have been swimmers, and a few have jogged. We desire strong leaders—strong in mind, strong in spirit, and strong in body. Workouts help, and disciplined personal habits make a difference, but real strength has but one source. The celebrated Old Testament ruler King David understood that. “Blessed be my rock. Exalted be God, my savior,” David wrote, as recorded in Psalm 18. “O God who granted me vindication, made peoples subject to me, and preserved me from my enemies. Exalted me. Rescued me. Thus I will proclaim you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name. You have given great victories to your king, and shown kindness to your anointed.” No matter our political preferences, we surely recognize the need for elected officials to show great fortitude, wisdom and stamina in trying times. And yet, whenever a leader shows true strength, our allegiance is due the one, only and ultimate King. He alone is the rock who is the source of all real strength. Send Stewardship Today to a Friend “To those who seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, He promises that all things shall be added. For since God possesses all things, those who possess God will lack nothing if they do not lack God himself.”
~ St. Cyprian of Carthage ~ |
 Sincere, Spiritual Imitation Years before comedy had its own television channel, the major networks were awash in variety shows, many hosted by popular comedic performers, others featuring weekly sketches and guest appearances by comedians and comediennes. Another staple at the time were those entertainers who made their livings by imitating the mannerisms, dress and voices of other public figures and performers. Frank Gorshin, John Byner and Rich Little are names largely unknown to a generation fond of the Comedy Channel today, but they were among the many mimics featured a generation ago. Late night sketch shows continue the practice to a degree, but the professional impressionist is an increasingly rare commodity. In a way, imitating others is not new however. Even St. Paul liked impressions and imitations. To the church in Thessalonica, he wrote these words: “You became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit, so that you became a model for all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” Some people are able to mimic accents and voices very well. They make us laugh. So, what of those who teach us how to live and model loving behavior? Choosing to imitate the apostle, perhaps some even mimicked St. Paul and his mannerisms. Apparently there was an entire church that modeled his godly behavior. In turn, they became a model for other cultures. In a timeless connection to the first century church, today we imitate them. |
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IN THIS ISSUE: TOP STORY: » Keep It Real, Truly Real PRAYER: » Prayer and Personal Remembrance MINISTRY: » The Strength of a King FINANCE: » Within Another’s Shadow MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT: » Ministry Spotlight in the Baton Rouge Diocese The Uniquely Gifted Catholic Parishioner BACK TO TOP ^ |
WITHIN ANOTHER’S SHADOW A century ago, the world’s tallest building was a newly-completed office tower located at the intersection of Broadway and Liberty in Lower Manhattan. The Singer Building, headquarters for the Singer Manufacturing Company, was designed by the Brooklyn-born and Paris-trained Ernest Flagg, an architect famed for his contributions to the Beaux-Arts movement. Interestingly enough, the Singer Building was the world’s tallest for only one year, until the Metropolitan Life Tower—completed in 1909—overshadowed its Manhattan neighbor. The majestic Singer itself outlived a developer’s sense of usefulness, and in 1968 the Singer Building was replaced by the U. S. Steel Building, a facility now known as One Liberty Plaza. At over forty stories and over six hundred feet, the Singer Building remains the tallest building ever legally demolished, removed to make way for something larger and more advantageous to those involved in the highly competitive New York real estate market. Bigger and better. The first few decades of the Twentieth Century were defined, in part, by a motto symbolized by increasingly taller urban skyscrapers, a reality made more than ironic by the arrival of the Great Depression. Several notable examples of these structures remain, but each one has been surpassed by yet another, all bigger and taller, and—in the minds of property owners—certainly better. The roller coaster ride that current financial markets have taken reminds us that nothing is ever really very new. The wise Old Testament author of Ecclesiastes wrote, “I undertook great works; I built myself houses and planted vineyards; I made gardens and parks, and set out in them fruit trees of all sorts.” He also wrote, “When I turned to all the works that my hands had wrought, and to the toil at which I had taken such pains, behold all was vanity and a chase after wind, with nothing gained under the sun.” One of the hallmarks of recent market upheaval has been the tendency to express concern over mismanaged loans, profits, losses and investments. More than a few pundits have used the ugly word greed to describe an unsavory tendency to want more even when an abundance would be more than enough. Big. Tall. Large. Plenty. But somehow never enough. Do we seek fulfillment in the overwhelming shadows of our collections of possessions and properties? Hmmm. If the shadow created by a big and tall stack of goods could somehow dwarf our longing for true meaning and connection, then we’d simply add to what we already own, and that would satisfy us. But we know better. True, spiritual fulfillment rests in the awe-inspiring power and presence of the Lord Jesus and in our appropriate identification with him as his own. Not in a desire to add to what we have, but in a willingness to let go of it, that we might take firm hold of him. Send Stewardship Today to a Friend “Someone has tabulated that we have about 35 million laws on the books to enforce the Ten Commandments. (Jesus simplified things a bit.)”
~ Bert Masterson ~ |
 Contentment, No Matter the Matter Financial counselors suggest one of the most frequently overlooked contributors to a healthy family budget is simple contentment. A fine home may be sold in favor of a more substantial one in a more upscale neighborhood, but the larger dwelling comes equipped with a more substantial mortgage as well. A proven automobile, long before exhausting its practical value, is often traded for one that meets a desire, befits a promotion, seems worthy of a raise, or is similar to one driven by a neighbor. We readily exchange wardrobes, electronic devices, furniture and appliances. At our most cynical, we even trade people, exchanging one relationship for another. Contentment is sadly missing from much of life, even for those encouraged to find their identity in Jesus Christ. From a constrictive prison cell, St. Paul wrote the following words to the Philippian church: “In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.” “In whatever situation I find myself” to be content. If like the apostle, we found contentment in any and every circumstance, we’d worry a great deal less. What would we think about, what would fill our vision, where would we invest our resources? It’s likely we’d develop an appreciation for what we already have. We might even have additional interest in the needs of others. “I have noticed that nothing I never said ever did me any harm.”
~ Calvin Coolidge ~ |
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IN THIS ISSUE: TOP STORY: » Keep It Real, Truly Real PRAYER: » Prayer and Personal Remembrance MINISTRY: » The Strength of a King FINANCE: » Within Another’s Shadow MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT: » Ministry Spotlight in the Baton Rouge Diocese The Uniquely Gifted Catholic Parishioner BACK TO TOP ^ |
MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT: THE UNIQUELY GIFTED CATHOLIC PARISHIONER Membership and participation in the greater life of the Catholic Church is a collective experience. From the sacrament of baptism to the administration of the last rites, an individual’s life is undeniably connected to dozens of influential family members and friends, thousands of fellow parishioners, and millions and millions of fellow spiritual travelers whose own experiences reach back centuries. Still, each parishioner is an individual, with gifts, interests and abilities uniquely sifted in God’s providence to provide singular fulfillment and blessing to others to his glory. This month, we celebrate the uniqueness of individual Catholic parishioners whose faith journeys are an expression of matchless gifts and the joy the Creator exercises in creating every person a splendid and incomparable creation. This month, we invite you to take a few moments and express thanks to our Heavenly Father for the blessing of being his child, an unmatched individual created in his image, and a parishioner who—as part of an equally wonderful and gifted community of fellow Catholics—serves God by ministering selflessly to others in the local Parish Church and to the many blessed through manifold acts of kindness, generosity and service across the country and around the world. In the thirteenth century, St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “Just as in one man there is one soul and one body, yet many members; even so the Catholic Church is one body, having many members. The soul that quickens the body is the Holy Spirit; and therefore in the Creed after confessing our belief in the Holy Spirit, we are bid to believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” As living members of that Church, we are invited to express our uniqueness as part of a glorious whole, to the glory of the one who created us so. BACK TO TOP ^ |
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