It is truly a stewardship attitude that has brought us to this moment and I am excited about how this message of conversion, this message of the lifelong stewardship journey, will play out in the hearts and minds of all of us. The priests of the diocese, past and present, have labored with almost tireless energy to provide for our sacramental and spiritual needs and it was they who said this new process would work. It was their belief in you, the people of this diocese, together with their own understanding of Christian discipleship, that have brought us to this time. I believe they are right on target in recommending this new approach and hope that all of us will bring open minds and willing hearts to this effort.

Change is involved in this process, and change is often met with resistance. However, change is occurring in our midst every minute, every day, and every week throughout our lives. This change is not a change in our beliefs about stewardship, but rather in the mechanics of how the stewardship of our treasure flows through the various organizations within the Catholic Church.

Much of the emphasis at this time of year has focused on the stewardship of our treasure, but one thing remains the same. The mechanics have changed, but the ultimate funding source for our ministry is still the same -- you, the parishioners who gather together weekly in the communities of faith throughout Southwest Kansas. I first want to thank each of you who in sharing your gifts. All of them, have and continue to make ministry possible in the diocese.

As the director of Finance and Stewardship for the diocese, it is also vital that I communicate in a transparent manner how the diocese stewards those financial resources entrusted to our care. It is important that the diocese shares the vision of ministry and how this vision is impacted in a financial manner. That communication is ongoing, but one of the important pieces of information is the annual budget printed in today’s paper. The budget was recently approved by the Diocesan Finance Council and by Bishop Gilmore. The diocese will also present the audited financial statements in the SKR when they have been reviewed by the finance council. Both the budget and the financial statements are intended to provide meaningful information about how the diocese continues to fund ministry.

Often times, people have conveyed feelings of disbelief or even anger because their views differ on how monies at the school, parish, or diocese level are being spent. It is a foregone conclusion that there will not be total agreement on what to spend monies on. I would invite anyone who has questions or suggestions about the budget (at the diocese level or at the parish and school level) to inquire and to delve into the rationale for decision making and to participate in a positive manner with church leaders.

This milestone is, for many of us, an opportunity to renew our commitment to this journey of conversion that is necessary for each of us to grow closer spiritually with Christ. This period of time is one in which we can come to recognize that God has blessed each of us with many kinds of gifts, and that each of them is important not only to each of us, but to everyone we meet along this journey. This change is an opportunity to begin to understand more fully the delicate balance of our treasure and our talents and our time and how, collectively, we can share all of these with others and never be depleted. I pray that each of us will embrace this change and the ongoing changes in our lives as we continue along on this conversion journey.