Investing with Faith / Kimberly Pohovey

Gratitude is at the heart of why we, as Catholics, share our gifts

In times of economic uncertainty and rising expenses, it can be hard to maintain our commitments to charitable giving and even harder to consider increasing our generosity. That’s why, from time to time, it’s important to remind ourselves why we give.

All kinds of things motivate us to give. We may donate in memory of someone we loved or make a gift with the intention of contributing positively to the world around us.

Some of us support charitable endeavors because we welcome the opportunity to share what we’ve earned or received with others whose needs aren’t always met. Others may like how giving from the heart can make them feel or see it as a way to express their values and priorities. And sometimes, we choose to support a particular community, organization or effort that has touched our lives in a personal way.

All of these are worthy reasons to give, but as Catholics, we have at least one more: gratitude.

Because we know that everything we have comes from God, we also know that giving to others is more than just a nice thing to do—it’s part of how we live our faith. Giving is the primary way we express our gratitude, not only to God, but also to those in our communities of faith who work so hard to reach out with much-needed assistance.

As Marianne Price, a longtime supporter of the archdiocese’s outreach, puts it, “We’re so appreciative of the good work being doing for members of our community by the ministries of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.”

And because Price appreciates what is already being done, she wants to sustain these efforts now and assure that they will continue in the years ahead. “The Holy Family Shelter and the Notre Dame ACE Academies in particular focus on families and children, helping build better futures,” she notes.

Our giving also means the Church is more able to bring the compassion of Jesus to the world in effective ways. For Price, that means doing what she can to support the formation of priests.

“We’re impressed with the wonderful work being done at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary [in Indianapolis] to instruct and guide young men discerning a vocation to the priesthood,” she says. “It’s important because we urgently need more priests, strong and faith-filled men to help guide us on our long and winding journey to heaven.”

Heaven, after all, is where we hope to be headed. That’s why we choose to support initiatives that build the kingdom of God here. We know that whether large or small, the gifts Catholics make are transformational. And what counts the most isn’t the amount we can afford but building the habit of consistent giving into our lives.

When we make a commitment to giving, we discover that we don’t have to be rich to be generous. Giving makes us active participants in God’s blessings, and witnesses to the amazing things God can do with what we place in his hands.

Still, as the saying goes, “God will never be outdone in generosity.” In fact, he seems to operate according to a different kind of math: one that never subtracts or divides.

What we give multiplies God’s goodness, his care and his work. It also has a way of returning to us in ways we don’t expect—and sometimes can’t even imagine. As the Apostle John writes, “From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace” (Jn 1:16). And we know that there’s always more than enough grace to share.
 

(Kimberly Pohovey is the director of major and planned gifts for the archdiocese. Tax or legal information provided herein is not intended as tax or legal advice. Always consult with your legal, tax or financial advisors before implementing any gift plan. If you would like to learn more about including your parish in your estate plans, please contact us any time. We exist to exclusively serve you and your parish in planned giving. For more information on the CCF, visit www.archindy.org/CCF, e-mail ccf@ archindy.org, or call 317-236-1482.) †