The promotion and practice of stewardship is important for the mission of the Church and for the spiritual well-being of each individual Christian. Everyone benefits from the sacrificial gift one makes of his time, talent, and treasure."
Make a gift to a parish, to Diocesan Catholic schools, to specific ministries, to the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Florida, or to support the Catholic Compass.
Gifts to CSA support the Bishop and pastor in their three-fold mission of teaching, serving, and worshipping - giving you the opportunity to fulfill your baptismal call to discipleship. CSA provides funds at the diocesan level for ministries and operations that extend beyond the parish.
Your gift supports the mission of Catholic Charities: to answer Christ's call to help those in need through social services. Catholic Charities provides emergency assistance, adoption services, immigration services, pregnancy support and more.
As our Advent preparations end and Christmas fast approaches, it is fitting that today’s readings demonstrate the intensity of the Father’s perfect and passionate love for each of us, culminating in the gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, on Christmas Day. In response to such an overwhelming gift, what can we do except offer our lives as gift in return, embracing a stewardship way of life with all the love and strength we have to give?
In our Gospel passage from Matthew, we find an unparalleled example of one who embraced this way of life in St. Joseph, as he obeys God’s call to him through the message of an angel.
We never hear St. Joseph speak, but the Scriptures tell us he was always listening, attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit for his family. It was Joseph who found the stable where the baby Jesus would be born. No doubt it was Joseph who cleaned it up and prepared it for Mary and Jesus since we know that Mary was about to give birth. Joseph protected the family, guarded them, and tended to their safety, their comfort, and their well-being at the expense of his own plans and preferences. Though we do not hear any words from St. Joseph his actions clearly show that he offered himself, his whole life, as a gift to his family through his strong guidance, protection, and service.
Let us imitate St. Joseph, then, as good stewards, giving our very lives to those around us in love and gratitude to God, who has given us everything we have, especially His own Son, Jesus Christ.
Lumen Christi means the "Light of Christ," which is the light in all things, which gives light to all things. Through their gifts, members of the Lumen Christi Legacy Society share in this light, helping others encounter Christ and bearing witness to the Gospel throughout Northwest Florida. The Lumen Christi Legacy Society honors those who have named their parish, school, or the Foundation with a legacy gift.
JOin us!
Legacy isn't about being remembered. It's about remembering what matters and making sure it continues. Will you consider including the Church in your will or estate plan?
John is a certified financial planner with 35 years' experience in development and finance. He has organized successful development projects all over the United States and has been the director of development in our diocese since 2000. John became a CFP in April of 1994.
Andrea brings 25 years of local philanthropy work, capital campaign experience, and nonprofit leadership to the Diocese. She leads the new Lumen Christi Legacy Society, provides development support on the parish level, and supports overall Foundation efforts.
Celeste has served the Diocese for nearly 10 years, bringing extensive experience in stewardship, gift processing and data management to the team. She prepares donor acknowledgements, oversees stock and IRA charitable contributions, ensures accuracy across diocesan records, and provides support to parishes.