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Spring arrives with a certain energy: full calendars, celebrations and sacraments. The Easter season fills our churches with joy, while graduations, First Communions, weddings and the close of the school year fill our calendars with events. It is a beautiful time, but also a busy one. In the midst of it all, how do we continue to live out God’s call to Christian stewardship?

Stewardship in the Easter Season is a joyful response to the countless blessings God pours into our lives. As we celebrate the Resurrection, we are reminded that everything we have-our faith, our families, our time and our resources-are gifts flowing from Christ’s triumph over sin and death.

When we hear the word stewardship, it is easy to think it applies only to those with financial abundance or special talents. Stewardship is not reserved for a select few, it is a way of life, and we are all called to be good stewards.

February is a month filled with celebrations and meaning. Mardi Gras is upon us and we rejoice in community, tradition and joy before entering the sacred season of Lent. At the same time, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, a beautiful reminder of love, sacrifice and devotion. These moments invite us to reflect on what it truly means to love and how stewardship is one of the most tangible expressions of that love.

Stewardship is love made visible. It is faith expressed not only in what we believe, but in how we live, serve and give. At its core, stewardship is a response to God’s generous love for us, a love that calls us to action. This year’s Catholic Charities Appeal theme, “Give with Love,” inspired by St. Paul’s words, “Your every act should be done with love” (1 Cor 16:14), beautifully captures the heart of Christian stewardship.

Every year, as soon as Thanksgiving ends, the pace of life seems to accelerate overnight. Calendars fill with parties, programs, shopping lists, travel plans and year-end deadlines. The world tells us to rush toward Christmas as fast as possible. Yet, quietly and faithfully, the Church invites us to slow down. Week by week, as we light the Advent candles, we are reminded that this season is not about rushing, but about preparing.

Is November the month to give thanks? From the Feast of All Saints to the Feast of Christ the King and Thanksgiving Day, followed by #GivingTuesday, it would seem so. While November invites us to pause, reflect and give thanks to God for His many blessings, let’s remember that our faith is rooted in thanksgiving every day.

Many hands make light work! Nobody can accomplish everything alone and that is especially true in our lives of faith as good Christian stewards. Every time we gather for Mass, we see this truth in action. Look around the church this Sunday and take note of the greeters, ushers, lectors, altar servers, musicians and Eucharistic ministers. Everybody offers their time and talent to ensure a prayerful and beautiful Mass. For every person you see, there are many more serving quietly behind the scenes at other Masses or in other ministries that serve the needs of our neighbors.

Catholic stewardship is more than the sharing of our time, talent and treasure today. It is a way of life that acknowledges that everything we have is a gift from God, entrusted to us to be used wisely for His glory and for the service of others. One of the most enduring ways Catholics can live this call is through planned giving, which allows our generosity to extend beyond our lifetime and bless our beloved parish, school or ministry for generations to come.

When Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi was appointed to lead the Archdiocese of Mobile in 2008, he brought a clear vision for faithful stewardship rooted in prayer, service and sacrificial giving. Over the course of his 17 years as our archbishop, Archbishop Rodi shaped a culture of stewardship that became central to the identity and mission of the archdiocese.

In today’s fast-paced world, where family schedules are packed with work, school, meetings and all the extracurricular activities, it can be easy to lose sight of our call to live as faithful stewards of God’s gifts. However, Catholic stewardship isn’t about adding more to our to-do list—it’s about approaching daily life with an awareness that all we have is a gift from God, and we are called to use those gifts to glorify Him and serve others.

In a world that often celebrates independence and materialism, Catholic stewardship invites us to live counterculturally—by seeing everything we have as a gift entrusted to us by God.

Summer is a season of adventure, rest and exploration. As we plan to hit the road for vacations or pilgrimages, the concept of Christian stewardship offers a meaningful lens through which to approach travel.

Easter, the glorious celebration of Christ's resurrection, is a time of profound joy and renewal. Beyond the church filled with blooming lilies, family gatherings, Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies, Easter calls us to reflect on the meaning of stewardship in light of Christ's ultimate sacrifice and victory over death.

How is giving up sweets, fast food or alcohol for 40 days supposed to draw us closer to Christ? I truly believe there are no coincidences. Our Lord is intentional in all that He does. Therefore, 40 days of Lent is the ideal amount of time to make a sacrifice that will help us grow closer to Him.

"I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 14:34). Love is the foundation of all acts of stewardship. Jesus showed us how to be good stewards by His actions. He fed the poor, visited the imprisoned, healed the sick and so much more. Jesus taught us how to love by living the seven Corporal Works of Mercy. We are called to imitate these charitable actions in our lives.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution? Are your resolutions addressing true needs in your life? Sure, diet and exercise can help us be a better steward. Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Good health enables us to use our gifts and talents to serve the Lord. That takes care of stewardship of talent, but what about time and treasure?

Merry Christmas! Advent is over, but the Christmas Season has just begun! The weeks leading up to Christmas are extremely busy. We can get so distracted with lists and parties that it is easy to lose sight of the true meaning of the Advent and Christmas seasons. In all the hustle and bustle, as good Christian stewards, we are called to keep Christ in Christmas.

Give thanks to God, bless His name” (Psalm 100:4). Thanksgiving is the one holiday where everyone across our nation, regardless of our differences, gives thanks for our many blessings. How amazing would it be if everyone lived every day of their life like it was Thanksgiving? That is precisely what a faithful Christian steward is called to do.

How can we measure success in our stewardship efforts? In today’s culture success is often assumed by our worldly possessions. However, the success of anything can only be measured if there is an end goal.