Stewardship initiatives are in place at number of parishes in the Diocese of Toledo and beyond, but last year Oregon Cardinal Stritch became the first Catholic high school to lead such an effort.

The school partnered with the parishes and schools of east Toledo, Bono, Oregon and Walbridge to develop the “Live It” initiative in an effort to revitalize the Catholic community of the Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Deanery.

“It’s not a program,” notes Father John Blaser, the dean and also the pastor of Toledo St. Thomas Aquinas and Good Shepherd parishes. “We’re really evangelizing people about their response as stewardship disciples.”

Stewardship is the Christian understanding that people are stewards, rather than owners, of the gifts they have received from God, and therefore accountable to God for how they use their gifts. Members of total stewardship parishes commit to living stewardship as a way of life by freely sharing their time, talent and treasure in gratitude for the gifts God has given them.

In recent years parishes in several areas of the diocese have embarked on organized stewardship initiatives, according to diocesan director of development Eileen Kerner. “I think there’s a desperation in our 131 parishes to connect to the people. To get that next generation,” she says. “There’s a lot of parishes doing the discipleship track and working towards being a better parish, a more wholesome parish.”

Live It efforts this year have centered on prayer and hospitality, vital areas for rejuvenating the deanery parishes.

Fr. Blaser says change will take time, pointing out that Mass attendance has been declining for 30 years. But Live It gives parishes a focus to say, “Yeah, we are doing something. We are challenging people to live their faith,” he adds.

Since Cardinal Stritch hosted a stewardship conference attended by more than 250 people last September, parishes have held prayer commitment weekends and organized stewardship councils and ministry fairs. Live It bulletin inserts, a newsletter and regular deanery stewardship council meetings foster communication and cooperation.

Between 50 and 90 people now attend an evening Mass every week that was added at Toledo St. John the Baptist after more than 130 parishioners requested it last fall.

Father David Reinhart, president of Cardinal Stritch, and Michael Gocsik, vice president of institutional advancement at Cardinal Stritch, created a parish mission called “Everything you need to know about stewardship is in the Mass,” which they recently presented at Bono Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.

New ministries have arisen, including prayer groups and hospitality teams. Smiling greeters are now fixtures in church doorways.

Sandra Nolan and her daughter Brittney joined the new greeter ministry at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

“I think it’s important to feel welcome in any situation,” says Mrs. Nolan, who chatted with parishioners and passed out music sheets on a recent Sunday. “When people come to visit your home, you should greet them. This is God’s house.”

“It’s nice to have someone smile and say good morning,” adds Gary Melssen as he and his wife, Pat, shake hands with parishioners entering Our Lady of Mount Carmel. “It raises your spirit.”

Efforts have also been made to invite inactive Catholics back to Mass, ranging from a postcard campaign to paper placemats at fish fries sharing Mass times and facts about parish ministries.

“The big thing is, invite, invite, invite,” says Mr. Gocsik. “If we don’t invite, how can we expect to have results?”

Fr. Reinhart is amazed at the number of people who engage him now in conversations about stewardship. “It’s become a part of people’s language,” he says. “The idea of stewardship is no longer something we have to explain every time.”

Not long ago, one woman told Fr. Reinhart a story about how she decided to “try this stewardship thing:” she and her mother spent a Sunday afternoon making fruit baskets and delivering them to homebound members of their parish.

“Things like that are really beautiful, and ways that it’s happening without us saying that it needs to happen,” he says. “You don’t have to form a committee.”

Life is also changing at Cardinal Stritch High School, according to Fr. Reinhart. The school now offers weekly Mass for students, along with its monthly all-school Mass. Students led a confirmation retreat for eight graders in the deanery this year, and a new community service program called “Stewards of Stritch” has been implemented.

“The Live It initiative is a ministry of Cardinal Stritch High School,” adds Mr. Gocsik. “We know that our success as a school is linked directly to the strength of our parishes.”

For more information, visit www.liveit.org.