Passionate Steward - 10th Anniversary Edition

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Chapter IX
Historic Methods That Have
Undermined the Church’s Values
One of the ploys that has been promoted by secular
fundraisers, and which has frequently crept uncriticized
into Church campaigns is the “donor recognition program.” Secular
fundraisers, having noted a tendency amongst contemporary donors
to ask, “What’s in it for me?,” have been quick to rustle up a
response and provide donors anything from dinner with the principal
ballerina, to a name plaque on the hospital wall.
This, however, is not the Church’s way. In their 1993 pastoral
letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops took a “comprehensive view of
stewardship, describing it as a ‘…sharing, generous, accountable
way of life.’” 33 Nowhere in this characterization of stewardship is
there a mention of reward or recognition. Stewardship is the
generous spending of ourselves in the fulfillment of our baptismal
33 USCCB, “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response” (Washington, D.C.: USCCB
Publishing, 1993), p. 5.