Our diocese can be grateful

	Bishop Robert J. Banks

Today, Saturday, as I took my usual early-morning walk, it dawned on me that Thanksgiving is the perfect Stewardship holiday. Thanksgiving is all about appreciation for God's gifts, and that appreciation is at the heart of Stewardship.

Of course, the first Thanksgiving had a special and important slant on appreciation. The Pilgrims were thankful because they had experienced the possibility of starvation and death. We do not have that stimulus for our appreciation; our thankfulness at Thanksgiving comes more from an almost overabundance of good things.

Or if we have ever been in any of the developing nations of the world, where so many people live in utter poverty, we have perhaps an even deeper sense of appreciation. It is not that we are happy because we are better off than the poor in other nations; we simply realize what life can be like on this planet of ours.

For me, our Mass reminds me every year at this time what real thanksgiving is all about. At the consecration, the priest repeats what Jesus said the night before he died. With those words, repeated in every Mass, Jesus gave thanks as he took the bread and said, "This is my body which will be given up for you." And again he gave thanks as he held up the cup of wine and said, "This is the cup of my blood ... It will be shed for you."

Jesus, knowing full well what lay before him, still gave thanks to the Father. That kind of thanksgiving has to come from a tremendous confidence in the Father and the Father's will or plans. It is not simply thanks for all the good things happening in one's life. That kind of thanks can embrace the hard things as well, because of a person's trust in the goodness and love of God.

Every Thanksgiving, many families have a difficult time giving thanks because of some deep sorrow in their lives. It is faith that enables them to trust in the Lord's goodness and know that, in some way, "all will be well."

My prayers at this Thanksgiving time are for all those who are having a difficult Thanksgiving because of some pain or problem in their lives.

This past Sunday (Nov. 17), I had occasion to give thanks as I reported on last year's Bishop's Appeal. Thanks to our people's generosity, we raised the largest amount ever -- approximately $4,400,000. And the average individual gift was about 13% higher than the previous year.

That is a good deal of money, but it is only half of what we spend each year in order to carry out the Church's mission. It is obviously important that we take great care in using well the money given to us so generously by our people. Fortunately, we have a number of lay people who are willing to help with that.

The plans and budgets that are prepared each year by the heads of our diocesan departments are carefully reviewed in detail by a Budget Review Committee. It is composed of three pastors -- Frs. Larry Canavera, William O'Brien, and Michael O'Rourke -- together with three businesspersons: William Calawerts, Jeffrey Stilp and Ms. Robin Makar.

After they have gone over the proposed budgets with a fine-toothed comb, the overall budget is submitted to the Diocesan Finance Council for approval. This council is the group responsible for determining whether we can afford the budget. It also oversees management of investments and approves the annual audit of our diocesan operations. Its membership includes -- besides Bp. Morneau, Msgr. John Dewane and myself -- Fr. Robert Finnegan, O.Praem., of the Norbertines, Michael Ariens, John Bergstrom, Robert Gallagher, Paul Gehl, Mary Staudenmeier, Thomas Vorpahl and the diocesan finance officer, Thomas Kurkowski.

As you can see, our Diocese is fortunate to have a number of very experienced laypersons assisting in the management of our finances, and in overseeing the money that is so generously given to support the mission of the Church.

Laypersons are also very much involved in directing the mission of our Church of Green Bay. Karen Johnson is the director of Catholic Charities; Tony Kuick, director of Communications; Cindi Brawner, director of Development; Lee Nagel, director of Total Catholic Education; Thomas Kurkowski, director of Finance and Accounting, and Mark Mogilka, director of Pastoral Services.

Fifty years ago, if we had had all those departments, they most likely would have been headed by priests or religious. Some might say that the shortage of priests is the only reason these departments are headed by laypersons. In my judgement, we could have a flood of vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the next 50 years, and we would still have laypersons in these important positions. Our Church is being very well served by the laypersons heading our diocesan departments. Another reason for my giving thanks this year.

And now that I think of it, I am sure that Jesus is giving thanks for all the good people who carry on his mission so faithfully, whether in our offices or in your homes.