One of the first requests I was given a year ago when Pope Benedict XVI appointed me to be the ninth Bishop of Rockford, was to offer some comments on the Diocesan Stewardship Appeal.

I had participated in and encouraged diocesan stewardship as a pastor in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, but during this past year, I have seen just how much the offering of stewardship really means.

What I have come to realize is how many of the elements of service to our parishes, or the outreach of our faith, take place not just at the personal or parish level, but at the diocesan level as well. And that means that participation in the appeal becomes a part of our individual spiritual life and practice of the faith.

Our Diocesan Stewardship Appeal helps me, as your bishop, to address a number of vital areas of our faith life that otherwise might remain unaddressed or under-addressed.

For example, in this time of such stress and challenge to our families and to the very definition of the marriage, some of your offerings help support our Family Life Office. Diocesan programs for engaged and marriage encounters and our efforts to spread the word about God’s plan for us in marriage are organized and carried out by that office.

One of our most successful efforts as Catholics in recent decades has been the defense of human life, especially the unborn. That is why Stewardship support for the Respect Life Office is both a practical and a continuing need. If we were to stop right there, we could already be so proud as Catholics. But the benefits of stewardship are much wider.

For example, our Catholic schools and our religious education programs are elements of passing on the faith. Many of us are beneficiaries of past years of support from other generations to Catholic education. As I go around the diocese, especially to administer the sacrament of confirmation, and have the chance to meet and chat with so many of you, I see the fruits of our educational efforts, many assisted by the work of the diocese.

And in an age when we are so proud of our seminary and priestly vocations, we need to undertake the commitment of faith to support our outreach and support for new and worthy vocations to the priesthood.

And at the other end of the spectrum, the Stewardship Appeal contributes to the Retired Priests’ Pension Plan. This gives us a chance to express our gratitude for the lifetime of sacrifices from our priests who have benefitted our faith.

And we would not want to forget the work of our deacons and the needs for their formation in preparing them for service to the Church.

In short, stewardship is a great way to help the Church and live out our faith!

At this time of year, we make the annual request for your participation and contributions. The faithful of the Rockford Diocese are truly generous. And I hope that I can ask you to consider being generous again.

If you haven’t given before, could you pray and reflect about starting this year? If you have been giving, could you add just a little bit more?

As I approach the completion of my first year of service as bishop of the diocese, I want to say thanks to the priests, the deacons, religious and especially to the faithful.

Thanks for so many prayers and words of support. But thanks also for your help with addressing the needs of faith in the Diocese of Rockford.