Fr. Edward Sanchez addresses participants during the third annual Stewardship Workshop at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center on July 22. (Photo by Michael Smith)
Stewardship is not just about money, it’s how we live our lives differently because of our faith. Cindy Lukowitz, Director of Stewardship at the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, has spent the past several years helping parishes embrace that broader understanding through workshops and practical resources.
On July 22, the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center hosted its third annual Stewardship Workshop, bringing together nearly 200 parish staff members and volunteers, along with representatives from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Office of Lay Initiative and other archdiocesan offices.
Throughout the day, participants explored how stewardship extends beyond fundraising through presentations, group discussion and practical strategies focused on building vibrant parish communities rooted in prayer, evangelization and intentional discipleship.
Cindy’s opening message meant to “inspire and feed your soul,” encouraged participants to continue growing in their own faith while inviting others to do the same. The workshop featured four main speakers who explored stewardship through the lenses of worship, catechesis, evangelization and communications, offering practical ways to cultivate vibrant parish life.
Keynote speaker Fr. Edward Sanchez, Rector and Pastor of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee, posed a question that often gets skimmed over when driving through life on autopilot: What is holiness?
“Holiness,” he explained,” is a deep relationship with God, a level of trust beyond any other.” Fr. Sanchez added, “a deep sensitivity and attentiveness to the presence of Christ is the first step in growing stronger in a mission-driven life. As a relationship with Christ deepens, so does a person’s understanding of who God created them to be. A life rooted in holiness naturally leads to evangelization.”
Quoting Christ’s command to “Go and tell them what you have seen,” Meg Aspinwall, Associate Director of Lay Initiative, encouraged participants to recognize that every Christian has a story of God’s work in their lives worth sharing. The deeper one’s relationship with Christ becomes, the more there is to share with others.
Aspinwall spoke to how everyone is a witness to their own lives. “The first step,” she noted, “is taking a moment and seeing where God has taken root in your lives, noticing where he is day-to-day or at a particular moment and then asking God how best to share that.”
As Aspinwall shared her own witness of God, she emphasized that recognizing God’s work in one’s own life creates not only a deeper personal faith but also authentic stories that encourage others. Even small moments can become tangible witnesses to God’s love and encourage someone who is struggling.
From a more practical perspective, Kelsey DeMarais, Director of Parish Communications, jumped into parish digital communication and online strategy. She stated that the most important part when facing the ever-changing field of the digital world, is to put “holiness before strategy.”
DeMarais encouraged parish communicators to ask themselves whether every post reflects the mission of the Church before pressing “publish.” “Take a moment,” she said, “maybe say a prayer before you decide, ask the Lord for guidance. A picture might say a thousand words, but improper wording on a sensitive subject can create greater problems and misunderstanding.”
DeMarais described three essential elements of parish communications and social strategy: practical information, emotional connection and social identity. To have only one is to have none at all. Every part of the strategy needs to be acknowledged to truly engage parishioners. Oftentimes, parishes get stuck at the practical level, focused on meeting immediate needs instead of thinking strategically about the parish’s broader mission.
One way to think about this is through the example of a parish’s website. The website is the digital front door of a parish. If you were someone coming back to church for the first time in a while, going through the loss of a family member, or wanting to learn more about Catholicism, what would they experience upon opening your website? Learning how to address these situations from the viewpoint of new technology and new ways of communication can reduce the barrier to entry. It doesn’t have to feel as intimidating to go to a new parish or event if you know what to expect.
To extend the workshop beyond those in attendance, the day’s featured speakers recorded brief video summaries of their presentations in the pastoral center’s studio. Lukowitz said the videos will soon be available as a resource for parishes throughout the archdiocese.
As the workshop concluded, one message had emerged across every presentation: Stewardship is not simply another parish program or a call to financial giving; it begins with a relationship with Christ and shapes how Catholics pray, communicate and serve others. In that way, stewardship becomes not just a ministry but a way of life.
