As we prepare ourselves for the begin-ning of Lent (Ash Wednesday, February 18), we might consider a Greek word that resonates during the season: meta-noia. Just the sound of it is challenging and commands our attention. Literally, the word means “to change one’s mind.” In our Christian tradition it has come to be connected with repentance and more importantly, to conversion. But perhaps the online Merriam Webster dictionary defines it most beautifully: metanoia- a transformative change of heart. To Cath-olic stewards, that phrase perfectly de-fines our yearning during Lent. We yearn to be transformed by a change of heart.

Actually, that kind of change can be a scary proposition. It sounds risky. It’s certainly life-changing. If metanoia actually took place within us, if we allowed that kind of heart-based transformation into our lives, would our lives be different?

On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (January 11) the Gospel reading revealed to us that Jesus walked down to the Jordan River and asked John the Baptist to baptize him. There were two men, utterly transformed. John would call others to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus

Metanoia: The Challenge of Lent

International Catholic Stewardship Council

CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIPFebruary 2015 • e-Bulletin

Gracious God,

You sent us Your Spirit to help us live the Gospel according to the gifts we have been given. Show us how to be good stewards of your grace and passionate followers of Christ, Your Son. Grant us the wisdom to recognize that through His gift of the Eucharist there is one bread, and we are one body. Give us the strength to proclaim His Good News in word and deed. And teach us to live, no longer for ourselves, but in Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Amen.

A STEWARDSHIP PRAYER for February

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Perhaps our Lenten resolve shouldn’t be limited to the usual small sacrifices or token pieties, but to a deep commitment to a daily prayer that asks for the courage to be transformed by a change of heart.

would be led by the Holy Spirit into the desert before embarking on a ministry that proclaimed the Kingdom of God. John would be beheaded for his ministry; Jesus would be crucified.

Are we ready to be transformed during this Lenten sea-son? Yes, we want to be good during Lent, attend extra Masses, lay off the chocolate, make sure the family attends Holy Week liturgies. But metanoia?

Transformation alters us, opens our hearts in radical ways. We witness it in the doctor who travels to Sierra Le-one to take care of Ebola patients during his vacation time; in the couple who adopted, with very little time for dis-cernment, three kids who had been orphaned and needed to be kept together; in the family that makes a decision to tithe despite their financial worries. Transformation re-quires courage. It is not a thing casually approached.

Perhaps our Lenten resolve shouldn’t be limited to the usual small sacrifices or token pieties, but to a deep com-mitment to a daily prayer that asks for the courage to be transformed by a change of heart. Let this simple prayer suffuse our Lent: “Even if it takes time, Lord, make me smaller in the world, bigger in the kingdom.” Metanoia – let us rise to the challenge of the Christ who beckons us to follow him this Lent into the desert.

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March 16-18, 2015Franciscan Renewal Center, Scottsdale, Arizona

The Institute is perfect for those just beginning their efforts to teach stewardship, and those with experience seeking a great refresher. In a retreat-like setting, Mass is celebrated each day to complement the nine sessions which offer key spiritual and practical components of parish stewardship. There is ample time for networking with presenters and other attendees. Good for priests, deacons, parish staff, lay leaders and all interested in teaching stewardship!

For more information and to register, visit catholicstewardship.com

Perhaps the online Merriam Webster dictionary defines it most beautifully: metanoia- a transformative change of heart.

Keeping a Prayer Journal During LentThis February two events will take place within just a few days of each other. Valentine’s Day falls on the 14th, and Ash Wednesday falls on the 18th. Valentine’s Day gives us an opportunity to offer written expressions of our love and affection in cards and letters. Why not express our love for the Lord by keeping a prayer journal during Lent?

The season of Lent can be a great time of spiritual growth and keeping a prayer journal can help strengthen our prayer life. Journaling can help you listen more intently to God’s voice, track your spiritual growth, and deepen your relationship with the Lord.

There are different ways to keep a prayer journal. You can simply reflect on a passage from scripture, then write down your thoughts and feelings. You can write what you feel you hear during prayer. It’s important to commit to a specific time and place each day to pray and spend time in silence with God. Then, as part of your prayer experience, write a few lines. Whether you want to express your joys, challenges, praises or laments, share them with the Lord in writing.

Valentine’s Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on and express ourselves to those we love. Prayer journals ac-complish the same thing in our relationship with the Lord. If you’re not already in the habit of keeping a prayer journal, try it. You’ll be surprised by the spiritual awareness you cul-tivate as you journey with Christ toward Easter.

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A sage once wrote that a good marriage is like a fire around which others come to warm themselves. So, as we celebrate World Marriage Day on February 8, we real-ize that no matter our station in life – married, single or religious – we have benefited from this sacred covenant relationship whether through the example of our parents, grandparents, and other role models, or through our own stewardship of the marriage covenant.

For the Catholic steward, marriage goes far beyond the legal or societal agreement that our culture might define. For the Catholic steward, marriage is a sacrament that fos-ters a sacred covenant; establishing family and nurturing the domestic church which we understand is fundamental to our spiritual development.

Marriage brings us countless blessings, but is met with many obstacles. Busy schedules, the challenges of parenthood, the strains of finances, mortgages, issues of health and aging – all of these test the bonds of even the finest unions.

World Marriage Day, observed on the second Sunday of each February, is sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, associated with Catholic Marriage Encounter. Many Catholics have participated in a Marriage Encounter weekend, but no matter how we have endeavored to grow in and to support our marriages, or the marriages of those close to us, we know that marriage does take effort, con-tinuing commitment, deep prayer, great communication, a good sense of humor and faithful love.

Many parishes celebrate World Marriage Day by the renewal of vows, the celebration of special anniversaries, or even candlelit dinners in the parish hall. Take time this February to celebrate marriage, whether by setting aside a special time to devote to your own spouse, or by honor-ing the marriages that have warmed you and nurtured you throughout your life.

World Marriage Day – A Day to Celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage

Inviting Newcomers into Ministry is Good StewardshipRecently, I enjoyed a conversation with a college campus minister who has touched the lives of many students through service retreats and alternative break experiences. As we talked about the lifelong impact for students in such service experiences, John said, “I have come to the realization that we build relationships through serving together. As the young adults serve side-by-side, they get to know each other. They talk in the evenings, and break open their experiences, and by the time they get home, they have become friends. Through their friendship, they become more committed disciples.”

One of the most profound ways we may bring the spirituality of steward-ship to life is through ministry and service. And as John noted, gathering people in shared ministry leads them into relationship with one another, which leads them more deeply to Christ as disciples and good stewards.

However, one of the most chal-lenging aspects of stewardship min-

istry for many seems to be increasing participation in outreach and ser-vice, so that these vital experiences of Christian discipleship in action become opportunities for more than those already involved.

I believe the answer is to reconsider the ways in which we promote partici-pation and welcome newcomers.

Personal invitation is fundamental. So often parish leaders complain about lack of participation, yet when asked if they have invited new people to join them, the response is “it has been in the bulletin.” The bulletin is important, but personal invitation is key. People are more likely to respond to people!

Follow-up is essential. How many times have we heard, “I signed up once and no one called me.”? The prompt response to and warm wel-come of new participants insures that they know their contributions will be valued, and word spreads — they are more likely to bring friends when they know every person is welcome.

Reconnect old friends, and pair newcomers with returnees. It is awk-ward when it seems to newcomers that everyone else knows each other. While encouraging old friends to re-connect, be intentional about the ways new participants are integrated into the experience.

Invite testimonials. Those who have had powerful experiences of service are the best ambassadors for future participants. Testimonials at the end of Mass and in the bulletin or news-letters speak to the many ways people are touched, from the friendships they made to the ways in which serving leads them to a deeper living faith in Jesus Christ.

Saint Miguel Febres Cordero, F.S.C.Saint Miguel Febres Cordero is Ecuador’s first canonized saint. He was born in 1854 in the city of Cuenca, which is located 8,000 feet high in the Andes mountains. His grandfather had been active in Ecuador’s struggle for independence in 1822. His father taught English and French in the seminary in Cuenca, and his mother was a devout woman who was active in many of the local works of charity.

Francisco was crippled in both legs from birth and was unable to stand until he was five years old. His mother cared for him and educated him at home until he was nine. He then at-tended the De La Salle Brothers school in Cuenca where he became an outstanding student. He was chosen to give the address of welcome to President Garcia Moreno when he came to visit the school.

He joined the Christian Brothers as a teenager and during his first years as a brother developed a Spanish gram-mar textbook that was published when he was 19 years old. Brother Miguel’s grammar book eventually became the standard text for all schools in Ecuador. He continued his work on similar educational publications and became recognized internationally as an educational writer. Brother Miguel also ministered extensively in the area of reli-gious education and made a lifelong commitment of preparing young people for the sacraments. He was a humble, dedicated religious who devoted himself to the stewardship of education, both in the Spanish language arts and in religious formation for youth. Besides his accomplishments in the areas of religious education, he was known as a man of prayer, and a person with a generous heart. He died in 1910 at the age of 56 and was canonized by Saint John Paul II in 1984. Although he is not on the General Roman Calendar, his feast day is February 9.

STEWARDSHIP SAINT for February

This is the sixth in a series of stewardship reflections by Leisa Anslinger for parish stewardship leaders. Leisa is an author and co-founder of Catholic Strengths and Engagement Community (CSEC).

Called. Transformed. Sent to serve.

BECOME AN ICSC MEMBER TODAYIt will enhance your stewardship

efforts tremendously!

International Catholic Stewardship Council

Who is ICSC?The International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC) is a professional organization recognized internationally as a source of education, networking and information to advance the ministry of Christian stewardship as a way of life in the Roman Catholic Church in dioceses and parishes worldwide.

ICSC is the only organization dedicated exclusively to advancing Christian steward-ship in North America as well as overseas. Founded in 1962, ICSC has over 1,200 members representing over 800 dioceses and archdioceses, parish communities, Catholic organizations and professional firms.

ICSC Provides• Expert advice for introducing Christian stewardship to your parish community

• Techniques proven to revitalize parish life

• Practical stewardship ideas

• Support for teaching stewardship to children

• Reflections for preaching stewardship

• A network of speakers for parishes and diocesan gatherings

• Conferences that offer the wisdom and experience of those committed to stewardship as a way of life

• Retreats that offer in-depth reflection and study on Christian stewardship

• Publications that inform and enhance our understanding of stewardship

• Access to stewardship resources, models and samples online

• Opportunities to exchange ideas and information with stewardship parishes in North America and beyond

• Best practices for promoting stewardship in the parish

Membership Includes• Discounts for conferences, institutes

and publications

• Membership directory

• Access to past conference presentations

• Monthly parish e-bulletins offering weekly reflections, prayers, bulletin inserts and much more

• Web site section for members only with the latest parish stewardship resources

• Access to parish leadership planning tools

• Opportunities to exchange ideas, network, share best practices and grow in faith

“The promotion of the practice of stewardship is important for the mission of the Church and for the spiritual well-being of each individual Christian. Everyone benefits from the sacrificial gift one makes of his time, talent, and treasure.” -Pope Benedict XVI

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time • January 31- February 1, 2015

A prominent theme in the Gospel of St. Mark is the divine au-thority of Jesus of Nazareth. While Moses was a prophet who spoke from a personal experience of God, he promised a great prophet who would be Jesus himself. He is the one empowered by his Father to be the Messiah; whose teaching reached into people’s hearts and caused them to turn toward God. Even “un-clean spirits” responded to him. Stewards allow the teachings of Jesus Christ to touch them and transform their lives. Do we recognize the authority of Jesus to touch us each day? Do we give Christ the opportunity to transform us?

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time • February 7-8, 2015

In today’s Gospel we hear of a great number of suffering people seeking the healing touch of Jesus. He could not respond to them all. But the Gospel also reveals Jesus, after praying in soli-tude, sensing an urgency to proclaim the Good News of his Fa-ther’s redemptive love to those who suffer in the nearby villages and towns. Stewards are called to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, to respond to those who suffer with compassion. How are we responding to the suffering in our world? How are we using our gifts to continue the works of Christ’s redemptive healing?

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time • February 14-15, 2015

The fate of a leper is a great tragedy at any time and place. In Jesus’ time, lepers were considered condemned, part of the plagues God sent as punishment. They were cast out of society and abandoned. St. Mark’s Gospel reveals the unthinkable. Je-sus reaches out and touches a leper. He risks catching the con-tagious disease and heals the man. As the Gospel story teaches,

no one is abandoned in Christ. Are there those in our society or in our personal lives for whom we ascribe no hope, who we have abandoned, treated like lepers? Or as Christ’s stewards of our sisters and brothers, do we risk reaching out and touching those who may seem to us to be “unclean” or not worthy of our time or attention?

Ash Wednesday • February 18, 2015

The Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday concerns itself with what has become a traditional three-part Lenten exercise: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Jesus instructs his followers to turn to God, to turn from self interest and to deepen their re-lationship with the Lord in secret. He tells them in effect that a humble and quiet disposition toward prayer, self-denial and reaching out to others is transforming and leads to a favorable outcome. What is our plan to turn ever closer to God in this Lenten season? Are we prepared to treat this season as a sacred time, a time to deepen our own relationship with the one who redeemed us?

First Sunday of Lent • Weekend of February 21-22, 2015

In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges his listeners to do two things: to believe in the Good News and to repent. The steward is called to repent: to acquire an openness to begin anew, to change ex-isting attitudes and habits, and to act with faith in the Gospel. In this season of Lent, now is the time to ask ourselves whether or not we truly believe in the Gospel; and if we do, to what extent are we willing to change our prevailing habits and be more faithful to the Gospel?

We encourage you to check out the ICSC online community at www.catholicstewardship.org under ‘members’ where members can share ideas and questions. The Parish Stewardship section is reviewed every day by members of the Parish Stewardship Education and Services Committee.

International Catholic Stewardship Council

1275 K Street, NW, Suite 880Washington, DC 20005-4077(800) 352-3452

www.catholicstewardship.org • ICSC@catholicstewardship.org

A STEWARDSHIP MOMENT