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February 5, 2025The theme of Jubilee Year 2025 – “Pilgrims of Hope” – summons each of us and the whole Church to renew our commitment to Jesus Christ and to one another. We are pilgrims together.
We can approach this special time of grace in many ways, including embracing the call to live out our Catholic faith in concrete acts of stewardship and charity. Pope Francis urges us to be witnesses of hope, living as disciples who bring light to a world darkened by sin and needing signs of hope.
It is in this spirit that I introduce this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal with its theme: “Faith in Action!”
The Annual Catholic Appeal is more than a fundraising effort. It gives expression to our shared mission as the Body of Christ. Participation enables the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City to develop and carry out ministries that influence and inspire the lives of parishioners in every parish across western and central Oklahoma.
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be faithful stewards of the gifts God has entrusted to each of us. Everything we have, every breath we draw, ultimately comes from God. Christian stewardship acknowledges this. It is at the heart of discipleship.
A Christian steward is someone who receives all of God’s gifts gratefully, who cultivates them responsibly, shares them generously and ultimately returns them with increase to God.
For the Christian disciple, stewardship is a way of life. It is a rich spirituality. The spirituality of stewardship reminds us that our giving is an act of worship, an exercise of our shared priesthood rooted in Baptism.
One of my most important responsibilities and greatest joys each year is traveling across the archdiocese to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation with our young people. (I call it my “Chrism Trail” reminiscent of the historic Chisholm Trail that passed through Oklahoma.)
Witnessing their public declarations of faith as they renew their baptismal commitment and complete their initiation into the Church is profoundly inspiring, especially in a world where so many do not know God or choose to turn away from God.
I treasure the opportunity to interact with these young people, and with their parents, catechists and sponsors to hear stories of spiritual growth and witness conversion within each parish community I visit.
These sacred moments are a testament to the many hours of religious education and catechetical formation undertaken by our dedicated catechists and families – work made possible, in part, through the generous support of the Annual Catholic Appeal.
Giving of our time, talent and treasure to God is an act of faith, hope and love that brings joy to our hearts, and I see this joy reflected in the lives of young people and their families. It is a reminder of how your generosity fuels the mission of the Church and enables us to nurture and strengthen the faith of future generations.
I encourage each of you to carefully pray and discern how your family may engage in supporting the mission and ministries of our archdiocese through acts of stewardship in 2025.
Together, we can ensure that the light of Christ shines brightly in our parishes, schools, homes and communities!
