Midwestern Catholics Attend 2005 Regional Stewardship Conference
Thirty-One People Attend from the Diocese of Lincoln

April 28, 2005

Region IX of the International Catholic Stewardship Council held its second regional stewardship conference in Omaha on April 21-22. Over 250 people attended, including bishops, priests, religious and Catholic lay leaders from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. The conference provided inspirational speakers as well as practical direction and guidance for lay leaders and pastors to take back to their parishes.

Four pastors from parishes in the Diocese of Sioux City attended the sessions in Omaha. They included Father Paul Eisele of St. Cecelia in Algona, Father Tim Johnson of St. Mary in Remsen, Father Clem Currans of Sacred Heart in Boone and Father Roger Linnan of Sacred Heart in Spencer. Also representing the Diocese of Sioux City were Jim Wharton, the director of stewardship and planned giving, and a number of development directors and lay leaders from various parishes.

The conference began on Thursday, April 21 with a lunch followed by a keynote talk from Bishop Bernard Harrington of the Diocese of Winona, Minn. Thursday concluded with a concelebrated liturgy at St. Cecilia Cathedral followed by a dinner. Friday, April 22 featured a keynote speech by Teresa Monaghen, a retreat director with the Archdiocese of Omaha with 25 years of experience.

Her talk was titled, "Prayer: the center of Stewardship". Both days featured four breakout sessions on the following topics; The Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship; Stewardship Renewal, Keeping the Process Fresh; Encouraging Stewardship in the Hispanic Community; and The Role of the Stewardship Committee.

The conference was the second annual stewardship conference focused on encouraging stewardship in parishes across the four midwestern states. In 2003 over 400 Catholics from 82 parishes and 14 dioceses gathered in Kansas City, Kansas for the first regional stewardship conference.

As an adjunct of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, ICSC offers both an overall vision of a life of Christian stewardship rooted in the discipleship of Jesus Christ, and the practical expertise on how to bring this vision to parishes, dioceses, congregations, foundations and related organizations all over the world.