Report on 2009 National Stewardship Events &

Leisa Anslinger’s Visit to Australia

August 2009

The National Stewardship Network, in association with the International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC), conducted the 2009 Stewardship Institutes and the inaugural National Conference on Stewardship at which more than 200 people attended from over 50 Catholic parishes across 15 dioceses in Australia and New Zealand. Both of the 2009 Stewardship Institutes, the first in Townsville hosted by the Diocese of Townsville on the 19th and 20th June and the second in Campbelltown on the 2nd and 3rd July hosted by the Diocese of Wollongong, offered formation sessions which provided a comprehensive introduction to the basic principles and practices of stewardship, as well

as the biblical basis and theological understanding of stewardship. While the major focus was on stewardship in the parish context, attendees from other church environments, especially Catholic educators, found the Stewardship Institute to be relevant for the development of stewardship across all social contexts. The Institute in Townsville attracted 65 people with the majority from the Cairns and Townsville dioceses while the Campbelltown Institute involved 85 participants from 14 Australian dioceses and 1 New Zealand Archdiocese.

The inaugural Australian National Conference on Stewardship was held concurrently in Campbelltown on the 2nd and 3rd July and offered advanced workshop sessions on key aspects of stewardship for 55 clergy and laity already on the stewardship journey and was conducted concurrently with the 2009 Stewardship Institute at Campbelltown. Australian presenters, clergy and laity, with experience in stewardship practices led the conference workshops.

Leisa Anslinger, from Indiana USA, brought extensive stewardship experience in parishes and schools along with her current ministry as an author, speaker and freelance consultant. Leisa is a frequent presenter at national and diocesan gatherings in Canada and USA on topics ranging from stewardship and collaborative ministry to lifelong faith formation and pastoral leadership. She is the author of Here Comes Everybody! and co-author of Desires of the Heart and Forming Generous Hearts, all published by Twenty-Third Publications. While in Australia Leisa also worked in three other dioceses. Over a five day period Leisa conducted five special stewardship events, each with a specific audience and a focused theme. The Diocese of Broken Bay hosted two events when Leisa focused on the development of a family catechesis approach and a session for diocesan staff. Leisa concluded her visit when she spoke at the Diocese of Wollongong’s “Revisiting Vatican II” seminar at Bowral.

Many of the slide presentations used in Australia by Leisa are available on her website: www.thegenerousheart.com

Click on Australia

The combined sessions included the many opportunities for Liturgies at the start of each day as well as at the closing ceremony. Bishop Peter Ingham welcomed Institute and Conference delegates to the Diocese of Wollongong when he presided at the celebration of Eucharist in the evening of the first day. Archbishop John Dew, Archdiocese of Wellington, also attended the Institute and concelebrated Mass with Bishop Peter along with more than a dozen clergy from across 14 Australian dioceses.

In the evaluations provided by the attendees at the Institutes and Conference it was clear that Leisa was an outstanding speaker who drew from her own life experiences as a wife, mother, educator, pastoral minister, author and consultant in the fields of parish pastoral ministry, catechesis, music, liturgy, leadership and stewardship. Leisa was able to connect well with everyone and to offer many very helpful insights and inspiration for all who are travelling the stewardship journey here in Oceania.

The Executive of the National Stewardship Network is pleased to report that the evaluation responses from participants at each of the two national venues (Townsville and Campbelltown) were overwhelming positive and appreciative of the high quality features of these events. The following snapshots of evaluation responses have been drawn from the actual evaluation forms returned at the conclusion of the events. The purpose of sharing these snapshots is to encourage everyone to consider the benefits of attending future Institutes and Conferences.

Fr David Ranson, lecturer at the Catholic Institute of Sydney, gave the conference key-note address on the topic: “An Australian Spirituality of Stewardship”. There were some combined sessions when Leisa Anslinger addressed attendees of both the Institute and Conference. These two sessions were: Sharing Our Stories and Leadership For and As Stewardship. During the combined session

on Sharing Our Stories members of the Ruse Catholic parish in the Diocese of Wollongong shared news of their successes with the many intentional stewardship activities. In the combined session on Leadership Fr Roger Burns, Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier Catholic parish, Goodna Qld, provided some valuable insights into the role of the Pastor for a parish striving to live the stewardship way of life. Following Leisa’s story of her own parish experience with the growth of stewardship over a 12 year period, Bishop Peter Ingham offered a variety of stories of the many parishes in his own diocese which reveal the benefits of stewardship. Other speakers at the National conference included: Chris Ehler, Chris Field, Rosanna Ganassin, Mike Humphrys, Richard McMahon, Tony Sanderson, Lindsay Stokes and Michele Vuleta.

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Report on 2009 National Stewardship Events & Leisa Anslinger’s Visit to Australia

2009 Stewardship Institute & Conference— Evaluation Snapshots

CONTENT • Very comprehensive sessions • Congratulations - these days have been permeated by joy and hope

- a true sign of the Kingdom • I have attended previous institute and the content and presentation

of this has been better. • Understanding approaches and techniques used by others was

appreciated • Wonderful practical ideas

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Evalua

tion Snaps

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A sma

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of written eval

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Report on 2009 National Stewardship Events & Leisa Anslinger’s Visit to Australia

SPEAKERS • Leisa Anslinger was an excellent speaker/presenter. • Presenters were fantastic. • Leisa is an excellent presenter, very skilled, respectful and sensitive. • Engaging & relevant speaker • The spirit and commitment of the speakers and the relevance of the

information. • Leisa and Fr Roger made some very helpful points • Especially having Leisa – her US story provides an inspiration. • St Thomas More Catholic Parish, Ruse - good and encouraging; Leisa - absolutely brilliant • St Thomas More Catholic Parish, Ruse - inspiring and what can be done;

USA - wonderful and inspiring • Nice to hear an Aussie concept and history related to stewardship

PROCESS & HANDOUTS • Very extensive and helpful handouts • Very good to have prayers/song/scripture to ground us in the "main thing"

• Good discussion opportunities • Networking; handouts excellent, sharing and ideas - assistance with next steps; joint and separate sessions good to mix with people who were attending institute

• The separation of Institute and Conference allowed each group to be involved at their level.

PRAYER & LITURGY

• Spirituality and prayer emphasis was most welcome.

• Mass especially very beautiful and meaningful

• Music/liturgy provided enriching times

Our Australian dioceses and parishes are effectively served by the

generous members of the team from Evangelisation Resources Down Under (ERDU). They provide a valuable range of stewardship resources for our use as individuals or as members of various church groups. During the

recent Season of Stewardship in Brisbane the ERDU team set up displays of resources at many of the locations where Leisa was speaking. Most

significantly the ERDU team also travelled at their own expense to the

Townsville and Campbelltown locations in order to spread the gospel of

evangelisation through stewardship. If ever you need to track down

something special about stewardship don’t hesitate to call the ERDU team

who can offer expert advice about what resources might meet your needs.

They are only a phone call away or visit the website.

Resources can be purchased from:

Evangelisation Resources Down Under

Petrie Catholic Community, 38 Armstrong Street, Petrie Qld 4053

Evangelisation Resources Down Under (ERDU)

Phone: 1 300 729 671

www.evangelisationresources.com

Campblelltown Catholic Club Convention

Centre

Leisure Inn, Townsville

Report on 2009 National Stewardship Events & Leisa Anslinger’s Visit to Australia

SIGNS OF HOPE

• On the whole: the experience has motivated me to be committed to stewardship in a deeper way.

• That stewardship is a "ray of sunshine" in prospects of building community.

• Stewardship is very community based, inclusive and so can only have positive long term effect if implemented and steered well.

• Hope for laity's co-responsibility role in stewardship with the clergy.

• Good that there is a real movement to contextualise into an Australian context

• A way to build vibrant parishes built on faith-filled communities.

• We need an institute specifically for teachers in Catholic schools - primary and secondary

• The fundamentals of stewardship, hospitality, good liturgy, community are so doable

• The joy of the presenters, planners and participants touch me and enhanced me with a love for stewardship.

• Lots of enthusiastic and sophisticated hope filled people

• It is growing. There are more people here, more people learning, talking and sharing.

• Stewardship language and approach for the Australian context is developing

• The number of priests with their parishioners. Positive spirit in the group. Hope filled attitude to way forward.

• I see stewardship for the church to revitalise itself radically

• The advancement of stewardship through Asia

• Continued and renewed enthusiasm of/for stewardship. A growing movement/conversion to stewardship

Further information is available at: www.australianstewardship.catholic.net.au

Contact: Mr Chris Ehler, Chair,

National Stewardship Network,

C/- Faith & Life Vicariate,

GPO Box 282, BRISBANE 4001

Email: ehlerc@bne.catholic.net.au

Phone: 07 3369328 Page 4

CHALLENGES TO TAKE AWAY • Stewardship at the diocesan level inclusive of Catholic Schools,

Aged Care and Welfare Services • To live this spirit in my own parish. To be supportive of the

stewardship team. • To live stewardship better; to model it faithfully; speak gently and

humbly so as not to frighten people • Patience to wait for implementation of stewardship in schools.

VENUE & CATERING • Excellent facility and superb catering • The Wollongong Diocesan team should be

very pleased with the outcome. Well done! • Outstanding. Food and service was great • Excellent - gracious staff • The Campbelltown Catholic Club is an

excellent facility; professionally run. A wise choice. Evaluation

Snapshots

The National Stewardship Network will endeavour to offer future Stewardship Institutes and Conferences based on the valuable feedback from the Evaluations from the 2009 attendees. This snapshot of responses has been offered to convey the successful features of the 09 events and to encourage greater participation in future formation opportunities at a national level.