Cardinal Tobin: Stewardship, Synodality, and Transformational Giving

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

Next week, I will have the privilege of speaking to participants at the annual International Catholic Stewardship Conference, held in New Orleans, September 20–23. My topic is “Stewardship, Synodality, and Transformational Giving,” and I am aware that these three terms are not household words. In fact, they are frequently misunderstood.

In my talk next week, I will discuss these three concepts individually and comment on each one’s importance for carrying out the Church’s mission successfully in ways consistent with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then I will offer some reflections on how stewardship, synodality, and transformational giving are essentially interconnected.

Stewardship

As defined in the U.S. Bishops’ 1992 pastoral letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response (see below), the four characteristics of Christian stewardship are: Gratitude, Accountability, Generosity, and the Willingness to give back to the Lord with increase.

Gratitude comes first. We cannot be good stewards if we are bitter, resentful, or constantly complaining about wrongs done to us or about all the things we don’t have. Saying “thank you” changes our perspective and improves our attitude. It invites us to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty. When we are feeling sad, depressed, or unhappy, we should consider all the people and things we are grateful for. This change in attitude or perspective frees us from slavery to our grievances and creates the opportunity for us to experience true joy.

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