"Evangelization is the mission of the Church; stewardship 
is the way to accomplish the mission. It is the fuel for the fire."

    Bishop Baker has declared the year 2002 as a Year of Evangelization. We
were recently privileged to have as our guest in the diocese Most Rev.
Michael W. Warfel, Bishop of the Diocese of Juno in Alaska. Bishop Warfel,
who serves as the Chairman of the Committee on Evangelization of the U.S.
Catholic Conference of Bishops, delivered the keynote address at our Diocesan
Stewardship and Evangelization Day.

    In his address and in the video conversation which we taped with him,
Bishop Warfel focused on four areas of evangelization. First, he stressed the
importance of evangelization within the active members of our Catholic
Church. Though we often think of evangelization as focused outside the
Church, it is important that as practicing Catholics we create and nurture
the community and support systems to assist one another to live the faith.
Second, Bishop Warfel spoke of inactive Catholics. We must seek to find ways
to invite our alienated brothers and sisters back into the Church. A third
focus of evangelization is the large number of people who are not affiliated
with any church. This group comprises more than 50 percent of all Americans.
We must strive to share with them the gospel message of Jesus of salvation
and eternal life. Finally, the Bishop stressed the importance of ecumenism.
We must work with our brothers and sisters of other faiths to bring about a
communion of Christian believers.

    If evangelization is the essential mission of the Church, what is the
role of Stewardship? As the quotation of Bishop Warfel above suggests,
stewardship provides  the way to accomplish the mission of evangelization.
The work of evangelization occurs through the time, energy and resources of
those who are members of the Church. Without these efforts, the central
mission of evangelization would not be possible. The two go hand in hand as a
part of the whole gospel message.  It is we, as member of the Body of Christ,
who must use our time, talent and treasure to spread the gospel message.

    As we attempt to be good Christian stewards, we must remember the basic
principles of good stewardship. Our stewardship must be intentional. It
cannot be accidental or haphazard. It must be the result of prayerful,
purposeful action. Good stewardship must also be planned. In order for
stewardship to become regular and consistent, planning is essential. Third,
stewardship must be proportional. We should give of our efforts, talents and
resources in proportion to what God has blessed us with. We should never
forget that all we are and all we have comes to us as a gift from God, and
that Jesus gave all -- his very life on the cross -- that we might be saved.
Finally, our gifts should be a sacrifice. We should give of the substance of
our gifts, not merely leftovers. Each of these four principles of stewardship
should remind us to share the first fruits of our labors and treasure; that
we must share from our substance rather than from our surplus.

    The theme of our diocesan Stewardship and Evangelization Day was "Formed
as disciples, Sent as apostles." A disciple is one who follows; an apostle is
one who is sent. As Christians and members of an apostolic Church, we are all
called to proclaim the gospel message of Christ. Each of us is in some way
personally  responsible for this mission of the Church. It is through our
good stewardship that the time, talent, energy and necessary financial
resources are available to make this possible. If we fail in our obligation
to provide these essential elements of time, energy and resources, who will
do so?

    The U.S. bishops plan for evangelization was titled "Go and Make
Disciples." They described evangelization as "bringing the Good News of Jesus
into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by
the divine power of the Gospel itself." We are all invited to respond to this
call and to join in the great mission of evangelization. And we can do this
most effectively by responding prayerfully to the obligation to be good
Christian stewards. As Bishop Warfel tells us, "The spirituality of
stewardship is important because it provides the means for the Church to
evangelize and a way to be an effective presence in the world." Let us not
fail to hear and respond to this call to conversion and discipleship in our
personal lives.