A Life of Gratitude
March 2020
What is a Good Steward?
This article originally appeared in   Impacts: A Blog of the Office of Mission Advancement .
By Erin Dwyer

We are human, and in our humanness we are gifted with reason and the ability to discern good from bad, right from wrong. As baptized Christians, we are given a new dimension of humanity, the knowledge that all people are created in the image and likeness of God and as followers of Christ, a desire to seek a life of holiness, a life lived as Jesus lived. But how do we do that in the modern day?

So often in our society, we find ourselves comparing our own lives with the lives of others. In a sense, we create a division between who we are and others, or at least, who others appear to be. Take a quick look on social media and you will find families with picture perfect lives, marriages full of love and romance, political parties with all the right answers, and a freedom to express oneself as openly as one chooses, with little to no repercussions. Is that the way to holiness? Would Jesus have been the poster child of social media? Not likely.

Jesus is our model of Stewardship as he came not to call us to compare ourselves to others, or to hold oneself to an unattainable standard, but rather he came to show us a new way of life. He came to show us what love is truly about, what generosity means, and how to find joy from within. Jesus teaches us that despite the worldly affairs, turmoil, divisions, illness, and sin that divide us; love binds us. Being a good steward means committing oneself to a life of gratitude for the here and now, for all that we have and even all that we don’t. It is sometimes hard to accept that we are right where God wants us, but there are lessons to learn in every season of our lives.

When we think of the word “Stewardship” we likely think money. But the true Stewardship Way of Life is a life of gratitude. A life of gratitude is one without comparisons. A life of gratitude is a life of holiness. This Lent, as we listen to the Gospel of Matthew, may we be moved by the Beatitudes to find joy in each day, to step away from the sources that divide us, and embrace the one true source that unites us. 

My name is Erin Dwyer. I am the new Coordinator of Annual Giving and Stewardship in the Office of Mission Advancement. I’m a proud Mom of two children, Luke (12) and Lydia (8), who will be attending Holy Angels Academy next year. It is my pleasure to serve the faithful of the Archdiocese of Louisville and support parishes in their stewardship efforts, as well as the Catholic Services Appeal.
The Archdiocesan Youth and Young Adult Plan
On Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz , Archbishop Kurtz and Chancellor Dr. Brian Reynolds discuss the apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis entitled Christ is Alive! and recent archdiocesan pastoral planning involving youth and young adults.
To view other segments from March's Conversations go here .
Lent as a Time for Embraces
By Sister Constance Veit, LSP  

Over time, certain passages of scripture reach beyond the realm of the sacred to find a place in our culture’s lexicon of colloquial expressions. “To every thing there is a season” is an example of such a passage.

These words, from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, were so popular a few decades ago that they inspired the lyrics of both a hit folk song and a popular Broadway show tune.

The passage continues, “a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot the plant … a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them; a time to embrace and a time to be far from embraces.”

I believe that at its heart, Lent is a season for embraces. It is a privileged time to reflect on God’s loving embrace of each of his children, from the dutiful son who never leaves his father’s side to the prodigal returning home after squandering his inheritance.

I have noticed how often Pope Francis uses action words like embrace to describe God’s attitude toward us, and the efforts he wishes us to make in the world today as Christ’s disciples. The pope often speaks of going out to the peripheries, of reaching out to those on the margins of society and of stooping down to embrace those who have fallen by the wayside of our fast-paced world.

He also speaks of God’s redeeming embrace of us, despite our sins and failings. “Whenever we take a step towards Jesus,” he wrote, “we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus: ‘Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace.’ ”

The pope concludes with this passage: “How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! ... God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.”

Elsewhere he writes, “Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew.”

That’s really what Lent is all about: returning to... Read More
Archbishop's Tweets
Follow  @ArchbishopKurtz on Twitter for more of his tweets.

March 6
@ArchbishopKurtz:
How uplifting to confirm these fine young people of Saint Gabriel Parish last evening. May the Holy Spirit enter their hearts and enliven their lives.

March 4
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Please join me in praying for the people of Nashville in light of the terrible loss of life and destruction due to yesterday's tornado. See my blog for Bishop Mark Spalding's "Prayer in the Aftermath of the Tornado."

February 16
@ArchbishopKurtz:
May these young people of St. Martin of Tours in Flaherty be enlivened by the power of the Holy Spirit to live virtuous, generous & humble lives in Christ.
Upcoming Events
Resources & Recommendations
This month, we're highlighting some helpful and timely resources for Catholics throughout the Archdiocese. We encourage you to check out the resources below and get involved.

Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz
In March’s episode of Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz, Chancellor Dr. Brian Reynolds and Archbishop Kurtz discuss recent developments in the Archdiocese and the youth and young adult planning process that builds upon the themes of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Christ is Alive ! Archbishop also welcomes guests Jackie Mudd, parish council chair of Holy Family Parish, Louisville, and Fred Schuhmann, parish council chair of Our Lady Perpetual Help Parish in Campbellsville, Ky., to talk about the Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese (PCAL).  

Conversations airs on the Faith Channel (Spectrum channels 19 and digital channel 279) on Tues. at 7 p.m., Wed. at 10 a.m., Fri. at 7 p.m., and Sat. at 4 p.m. It is on radio stations WLCR 1040 AM, Breadbox Media, and WLHN 95.3 FM in Meade County. In addition, Conversations can be downloaded for no charge through iTunes. Conversations also is available on Bardstown Cable Channel 19 (BRTV) at 7 p.m. on the first two Monday nights of the month and on Bardstown’s PLG TV on Tuesday afternoons at 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Conversations is online here .

Coronavirus
Archbishop Kurtz and Leisa Schulz, Superintendent of Schools, have sent information to parishes and schools in light of the Covid-19 virus, especially as it has affected the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Liturgical updates include the following:

We continue to urge hand washing, sanitizing of vessels, and offering the signs of peace in various ways that does not involve physical contact. These precautions involve continued prudence and common sense:

  • Priests, deacons, ministers of Holy Communion, and altar servers must always wash their hands before Mass begins, and they should use an alcohol-based anti-bacterial solution of at least 60% alcohol before and after distributing Holy Communion.
  • Ensure that all vessels used at Mass, once purified, are thoroughly washed with soap and hot water after each use.
  • Parishes should determine and communicate ways to share the sign of peace that does not involve physical contact.

Due to Covid-19 now being in our area, parishes should suspend distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful through the chalice. (Please consider options for parishioners with celiac disease or sensitivity.)

All parishioners should be aware that communicable illness is a valid reason not to attend Mass ( Catechism of the Catholic Church #2181). For those parishioners who are ill and must miss Mass, Mass of the Air is available:

  • 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the Faith Channel, Inc. (Spectrum channel 19), Louisville, KY. The Faith Channel streams Mass of the Air live here.
  • 10:30 a.m. on WHAS-TV (channel 11), Louisville, KY.
  • 9 a.m. on WBKI-TV (channel 28), Campbellsville, KY. (Insight channel 7).
  • 10 a.m. on WNKY-TV (channel 40), Bowling Green, KY.

The state website for the latest information is www.kycovid19.ky.gov . The Centers for Disease Control is also a good source of information.
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