Grateful Disciples

Leisa’s leadership in helping parish communities to “look at one another from the perspective of gift and abundance” allows parishes to experience an invitation to enter more deeply into the life of the community. “Everyone has something to give. And not only does everyone have something to give, but everyone needs to give.” Gratitude is a virtue, requiring us to foster, develop and practice the habit of being grateful. Leisa reminds us that the perfect place to bring stewardship to life is at the Eucharist, which itself means Thanksgiving. “In the celebration of the Mass, we celebrate Christ’s sacrifice. And we are called to be sacrificial people…we’re called to give without counting the cost.”

Leisa also shares in this episode about the central role of gratitude in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s pastoral plan, Beacons of Light. The plan has six guiding principles focused on renewing parishes to be vibrant communities. One of the principles is stewardship, which speaks of parishes as communities of grateful disciples.  Leisa shares how Beacons of Light has already provided new life to parish communities across the archdiocese. 

Guest: Leisa Anslinger
Title: Author, Coach & Leader in Parish Vitality and Leadership Development

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Transcript

I'm Christopher Beaudet with the Steier Group. In the Gospel, Jesus fed 5000 with only five loaves and two fish. After the crowd was satisfied, there were twelve wicker baskets left over. It seems that whenever you and I set to work and do our part, God provides the abundance. In each episode of this podcast, I'll explore with pastoral leaders and development professionals from across the United States and Canada, all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of our parish communities, our Catholic schools, and the diocesan church. And not only meets those needs, but provides in abundance. You're listening to Twelve Wicker Baskets. 
 
 November inaugurates a season of giving. It's the month in which we celebrate Thanksgiving, as we will tomorrow. The first Tuesday after Thanksgiving is now the global event of giving Tuesday, providing us all incentive to contribute to the causes and organizations dear to us. And that's especially important on the heels of the encroaching commercialization of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. November puts us in a posture of gratitude to think about the year coming to a close and about all the experiences we've had in the gifts we've received. Last November, Bishop Michael Sis, Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo in Texas, provided a reflection on the virtue of gratitude, and in that piece he offered some helpful tips for fostering the virtue. Things like when you wake up in the morning, thank God for another day of life. Then at the end of each day, look back over the day. Thank God for the gifts you've received. Whenever you drink a simple glass of water or take a shower or wash your hands, thank God for the gift of clean, healthy water. When you're participating in any game or competition and you don't win, give thanks to God for the opportunity to grow in humility. When you're at mass or in an airplane and you hear a crying baby, be thankful that their parents accepted the precious gift of new life. Practice the courteous habit of writing actual thank you notes to others. When confronted by your own personal weakness or limits and lack of ability, pray and Thanksgiving to God with the insight expressed by Saint Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians 12 verses 5 to 10. When I am weak, Christ is strong in me. And thank God for the boulders that you must climb over in the path of your life because they make you stronger. Saint James says count it all joy. My brothers, when you meet various trials for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. These are helpful reminders to us all that gratitude is something we must choose, and it's a choice made far easier to make when we open our eyes to the gifts we receive daily, all of us at the Steier Group want to thank you, our listeners, our past, present and future partners and friends, all for the gift you are to us. We wish you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving today. 
 
 I'm delighted to have as my guest Lisa Anslinger. Lisa Anslinger is the founder of Catholic life and Faith, a Center for Stewardship. And servant leadership development, she serves as a parish vitality specialist in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and in that capacity has been one of the core team members for beacons of light and extensive process. Of pastoral planning that has stewardship as a way of life as a guiding principle, Lisa brings extensive experience in parishes and schools to her ministry as an author and speaker. She has been a frequent presenter at national and diocesan gatherings on topics ranging from parish leadership, strengths development, and especially stewardship at the International Catholic Stewardship Council's annual conference. Her publications include Grateful Disciples, your Parish Stewardship Guide, Grateful Living, a small group process for Stewardship formation published by Renew International, Abundant Living, Abundant Giving; Eight Ways to Build Parish Community, and 30 Days on Stewardship, all published by 23rd Publications. Lisa is the 2022 ICSC recipient of the Christian Stewardship recognition. Well, Lisa, thank you so much for joining me here on Twelve Wicker Baskets. It's really great to have you as a guest.

Oh, thank you so much. It's wonderful to be with you.

I always like to ask our guests Lisa, to share a little bit about your personal story, your faith life, your faith journey. You know, what you do now is in such direct service to lighting fires in people's hearts or fanning the fires of faith in people's hearts and parish communities. What have been the elements and steps in your life where your flame of faith has been fanned and encouraged and the steps that you've taken?

That's a great question. I grew up in a family that moved almost every two years. The time that I was growing up and the first thing that my mother did anytime we arrived in a new.

Oh wow.

Town was that she went to the Catholic parish.

OK.

And sometimes we were in areas where there was only one Catholic parish in the town, but it was the center. The faith was the center of my mother's life. And so I learned that from the time that I was old enough to remember her saying, why don't you come to church?

Mm-hmm.

With me, I began getting really involved in parish ministry and, as a result, growing in my own faith. As a teenager, I was invited in 8th grade to join Music Ministry in our parish and ended up being asked to coordinate the music, liturgy, or Music Ministry at the primary liturgy for this parish. I did that all through high school. Then, as I transitioned to college, I turned that over to my brother, and we both ended up ministering in the church for almost all of our adult lives. As I think back on those moments in different stages of life and how we end up growing in faith.

Wow.
 
 

In part, in response to the circumstances we were meeting, the moment that set me on the course where I am now was as a middle-aged adult. I was a high school counselor in a Catholic High School, directing liturgy and things akin to campus ministry before campus ministry in high schools became common. I ended up getting involved in a parish at a very low point in its life. The parish was deeply in debt, and the people were at odds with each other. The church building had never been fully finished and was considered the ugliest church in the archdiocese. The priest, who was chaplain at the high school where I worked, became pastor of this parish.

Ouch.

A couple of weeks after he arrived, he called and said, "Can we have lunch?" That lunch literally changed my life because he said, "What we've been doing at the high school, we need to do at the parish." In those early months at the parish, someone gave Father Dan Schmidt a copy of the Bishop's pastoral letter on stewardship, Stewardship: A Disciple's Response.

Mhm.

He immediately ordered copies, gave them to the Pastoral Council, gave me one, and said, "We need to study these together." Things began to shift, very slightly at first, with some pain because there was a lot that needed to be addressed. The following year, I was invited to join the parish staff, and I served there for 12 years.

Mm-hmm.

As the parish was transformed, so was I. Stewardship is about gratitude, recognizing the gifts and abundance of God's grace in our lives, and it completely changed my perspective. Instead of focusing on everything wrong, I began focusing on grace and gifts. I found myself saying to my husband, "Let’s flip this for a minute," or, "Maybe we just need to remember—where’s the blessing in this?"

Hmm.

Over time, without ever explicitly talking about stewardship, that perspective shaped our family’s life. In the parish, I saw people begin to view one another through the lens of gifts and abundance. We found ways to draw out each other's gifts and talents, inviting people more deeply into the life of the community. Everyone has something to give, and everyone needs to give. That changed everything.

Right. That’s remarkable because it’s not like your parish was just coasting or lukewarm—it was a place with a lot of negativity and division.

Yeah, and in fact, the church building at the time was very dark. It was a concrete cinder block structure, and the light didn’t cast well. That became a metaphor for what was happening in the parish.

Hmm.

As we began to share stewardship with one another, we developed a small group process that we brought to all the ministries and committees. Our pastor started weaving stewardship into his homilies, and eventually, we invited stewardship speakers to the parish. It was all about deepening spirituality and integrating faith into daily life, which is what so many parish leaders aim for.

OK. And this experience became a springboard for you, right? Tips and practical strategies you’ve now shared far and wide?

Yeah, exactly.

I’m curious—you said the change started gradually. Now, I’m presuming the parish is a completely different place. Is the church still a dark cinder block building?

No, the church building transformed along with the mood and spirit of the community.

Yeah?

We retired the debt in about three years, and then we started thinking forward. We conducted a full parish census and survey. One key takeaway was that for the community to grow, the facilities needed to support that work. This led to a complete campus renovation, including a dramatic church makeover.

Hmm.

When the church was rededicated, the Archbishop used the dedication for a new building because the transformation was so significant. That, too, felt like a metaphor for what was happening with the parish community.

Right.

The parish was no longer considered the ugliest church in the diocese. It had grown significantly—Mass attendance increased, the number of registered parishioners rose, and children and youth participation in faith formation expanded. There was a real outpouring of life.

Mm-hmm.

And you mentioned the reflection you and your husband had about shifting your own attitude to gratitude. That’s such a powerful pivot, especially now as we approach Thanksgiving. Gratitude is so central to stewardship, isn’t it?

Yes, and that was the pivotal switch for us. We chose to be grateful and then saw how much that changed everything. Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all the others.” Gratitude isn’t just a feeling or emotion; it’s an act of the will—a virtue. You can develop a habit of being grateful, or you can fall into a habit of ingratitude, dissatisfaction, and frustration.

Right.

In this parish, helping the community embrace stewardship meant encouraging a shift in perspective, just as we had experienced—a shift toward gratitude as a way of life.

Yes, we did that, and we also helped people center their lives around Christ and His presence, especially in the Eucharist.

Which means Thanksgiving.

One of the most important ways to bring stewardship to life in parishes is through prayer. It’s rooted in the Eucharist, which is not only a celebration of Thanksgiving but also a call to be sacrificial people. In the Mass, we celebrate Christ’s sacrifice, and we’re invited to live out of a sense of abundance, grace, and blessing rather than focusing on scarcity or entitlement.

Hmm.

Stewardship asks us to give without counting the cost, as one of our bishops wrote in a pastoral letter. This resonates especially with younger people, who seek depth and meaning and want to move beyond the noise of consumerism. They’re looking for a life of abundance, purpose, and generosity—not one focused on shiny objects.

Right.

Earlier, you mentioned our fundamental need to give. As beings created Imago Dei, in the image of God, we reflect the Trinity—a perpetual exchange of gift and love. We’re created to be givers, and stewardship invites people into a life of generosity. This not only benefits others but also enriches our own lives.

Yes.

I’ve seen this transformation in that parish and in others I’ve worked with over the last 15 years. When we engage in conversations about stewardship through homilies, bulletins, websites, small faith groups, parish meetings, or simply talking after Sunday liturgy, we create space for authenticity. We give each other permission to be real, to admit struggles, and to let others be the face of God for us. This fosters community and strengthens faith.

Hmm.

You’ve authored numerous articles, newsletters, and books, including Grateful Disciples, which inspired the title of this episode. Can you share what led to this book and how your writing evolved?

Sure. My first books emerged from my experience at the parish where I served. As word spread about the transformation happening there, I shared our story at conferences and workshops. Eventually, I was invited to write about catechesis, evangelization, and stewardship in a broader sense.

OK.

Stewardship leaders understand that it’s a process, not a program. It has a beginning and even a middle, but the middle lasts forever—you’re never finished. Stewardship revolves around one central message: all good gifts come from God. We’re entrusted with these gifts, called to grow and nurture them, and to give them back in gratitude.

Right.

About six or seven years ago, a diocesan leader approached me with a challenge: “We know stewardship isn’t a program, but we need something programmatic to help parish leaders start or sustain stewardship in their parishes.” That challenge really made me stop and think.

Hmm.

I understood the common steps, but I hadn’t thought of them in that way before.

When you were working in the parish we just discussed, the pastor said, “Hey, we need to do something here like what we’ve done at the high school.” Something was clearly working there. Did the two of you already know the next steps, or did you have a plan?

Neither, really. At the high school, the focus was on the liturgy. We had developed a way to invite young people into music and liturgical ministry. That was the initial hook. But when the parish began its transformation, it really wasn’t us—it was the pastor, the Pastoral Council, and a development director who became the first stewardship director. They formed a Stewardship Commission, and it was this group of parishioners who took the initial steps.

The International Catholic Stewardship Council’s annual conference was crucial in those early years. Parishioners and the pastor attended, learning through workshops and discussions. The stewardship community is very generous—people share resources freely, often saying, “Take this, adapt it, and make it yours.” Those early years involved tentative steps, figuring out what worked, and building on that. There wasn’t a defined process at the time, which is how Grateful Disciples began to take shape.

Got it. People were looking for something programmatic but not a rigid program, right?

Exactly. I drafted what I believed based on my experience working with others in this field. I sent it to trusted colleagues, asking them to be critical readers. They gave feedback like, “Have you considered this?” or “This part isn’t clear enough.” Their input helped refine the content.

I eventually self-published a workbook with worksheets and resources. The accompanying website includes worksheet templates, examples from other parishes, and videos introducing the themes in the book. This way, parishioners and staff leaders can work through the material and create a plan for stewardship, tailored to where they are in their journey.

So Grateful Disciples is a culmination of all your earlier work, pulling the big picture together?

Yes, exactly. I’ve also had the blessing of guiding groups through the process, both in person and virtually. The steps are broad enough to provide a roadmap but flexible enough to adapt to each parish’s needs.

For instance, I worked with parish leaders in Toronto, including one group without a church building. They were worshiping in a rented space in a shopping center, so they focused on hospitality. They recognized the need to make people feel welcome in a temporary space. Over time, they adapted the process, identifying what they could do immediately while working toward their ultimate goal of building a church.

That’s inspiring. It reminds me of Pope Francis’s reflection on the healing of the ten lepers. Only one returned to thank Jesus. The Pope said, “Let us not forget to thank. If we are bearers of gratitude, the world becomes better, even if only a little. But that is enough to transmit hope.”

Absolutely. Gratitude helps us recognize gifts, generates joy, and spreads hope. It’s all interconnected. I can’t imagine an authentic disciple who isn’t grateful.

And it's hard for me to imagine going through life at my stage of life. I'm in my late 60s. I can't imagine having navigated the last 15-20 years, especially what it would have been like without gratitude, you know, because it really does change everything.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

I think our world needs help. We’re called to be Christ’s presence in the world, and our world needs hope right now.

Desperately. Well, Lisa, I’d like to take a brief break here. When we return, I’d love to hear more about what’s happening in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, especially how they’re working to share hope, spread gratitude, and radiate Christ. So please don’t go anywhere. I’m speaking with Lisa Anslinger about Grateful Disciples. We’ll be right back.

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Thanks for staying with us. I’m talking with Lisa Anslinger. Before the break, we discussed sharing hope and joy in a world that so desperately needs both. Lisa, you’re deeply involved with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on Disciples Radiate Christ. Gratitude, as you mentioned earlier, is contagious—a grateful disciple inspires others to become grateful disciples. And you said it all begins with prayer, encountering Christ in prayer.

So, is Disciples Radiate Christ a program, or is it something else entirely?

Exactly—it’s not just a program. Let me give you some background before describing how it developed.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is undergoing a significant pastoral planning process called Beacons of Light. This initiative is guided by six principles aimed at fostering vibrant, vital parish communities that live out Christ’s mission. One of those principles is stewardship.

The stewardship principle emphasizes that families of parishes, or groups of parishes, are communities of Grateful Disciples. Recognizing God’s gifts, they use their talents, skills, and resources to build up the Church and live as Christ’s body in the world.

Interestingly, I didn’t write that description—it came from a group of priests guiding the development of these principles. As we’ve moved through the early stages of Beacons of Light, the stewardship focus has been central to the process.

OK.

With those principles, including stewardship, we realized that parish leaders—staff, councils, ministry leads, and others involved in ministry—often focus on their particular areas, whether it's evangelization, worship, outreach, or something else. However, they might not be as familiar with other aspects of parish life.

Our leadership team began to consider what makes a parish shift to being a more vibrant, mission-driven community. We discussed how to provide everyone with a foundation in these essential aspects of parish life. This led to the creation of Disciples Radiate Christ.

The resource isn’t branded specifically for Cincinnati. We deliberately made it accessible to anyone, anywhere, because we recognized the universal need. It’s designed for use in small faith groups, parish meetings, staff groups, or councils. There are four main sessions, plus a shorter final one. The first session focuses on discipleship—what it means, why it’s essential, and its importance for leaders. The other sessions cover stewardship, evangelization, and love in action. The final session ties everything together.

When we were designing the stewardship session, David Kissel, the Director of Stewardship and Development for the archdiocese, recommended a video by Father Mike Schmitz from Ascension Press. In about seven minutes, he beautifully explains the spirituality of stewardship. Ascension allowed us to embed the video into the session, and it’s a powerful addition.

The program emphasizes the spirituality of stewardship as a way to bring our faith to life. It deepens our connection to Christ, helps us recognize His desire for us, and fosters the drive to share Him with others.

That’s beautiful. How is the Archdiocese responding to this initiative?

 Disciples Radiate Christ is still new, but the initial response has been very positive. Parish leaders, who can sometimes feel overwhelmed, have expressed gratitude for this resource. They’ve noted that it feels both manageable and meaningful.

The larger Beacons of Light initiative, which includes Disciples Radiate Christ, is progressing well. It’s a significant reorganization of parishes and parish life. We’re almost halfway through the five-year process, which will reach its midpoint in January 2025. We’re already seeing glimmers of renewal and new life in wonderful ways. It’s truly inspiring.

That's great to hear. It seems like many dioceses are being intentional about restructuring. Is Cincinnati grouping parishes into families? How does that work?

Yes. Currently, parishes are being grouped into what we call families, with the ultimate goal of those families becoming a single parish over time.

A parish with multiple worship sites?

Exactly. Much of this work is handled at the local level. While the guiding principles are important to provide a framework, each family of parishes addresses them differently based on their unique circumstances.

As we’ve talked with planners in other dioceses, we’ve noticed that, while local contexts may vary, the challenges are often similar. Populations shift, even within small areas. Communities that were once densely Catholic might now be sparsely populated. Some areas are aging, while others are younger and growing. On a larger scale, people are migrating north to south, east to west, and we’re also seeing younger generations stepping away from the church.

At the same time, we’re navigating declining numbers of priests, lay staff, and volunteers. These realities are driving the need for pastoral planning processes across the United States and globally.

Yes, I recently spoke with Steve Homiak from the Archdiocese of Seattle, and they’re undergoing a significant reorganization, grouping parishes into families. It’s an act of stewardship—assessing resources, being financially responsible, and, most importantly, focusing on people. Strategic planning is essential, and, like anything alive, there are seasons of growth and pruning. Pruning, though difficult, is often a step toward renewal.

Absolutely. It also challenges us to expand our imagination. We only know what we know, and that can feel limiting—especially when resources feel scarce. At the parish we discussed earlier, we often felt like we didn’t have enough people, money, or facilities. But to grow, we had to shift our focus from scarcity to abundance.

By widening our perspective, we began to see the opportunities in front of us and build toward the future. That requires dreaming, being realistic, and recognizing the abundance of God’s gifts.

It’s about cultivating a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity.

Exactly. That’s the heart of stewardship—the decision to see and be grateful for the gifts we have rather than focusing on what we lack. Growth starts with gratitude.

Yes, if you want to grow, you begin by appreciating what you have, not dwelling on what’s missing.

Thank you for sharing your insights. It’s inspiring how the experiences in your life led you to this work. You and your husband made a simple decision to live with gratitude, and now you’re encouraging others to do the same. You’ve created tools and resources to help communities embrace prayer, gratitude, and joy, and that continues to spread like fire. Thank you for the incredible work you do and for the joy you bring to it.

Thank you for the opportunity to share. It’s been a blessing.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Thank you—you too!

I hope you enjoyed today’s conversation with Lisa Anslinger, exploring the transformative power of gratitude. As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, let’s reflect on all we have to be grateful for.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Twelve Wicker Baskets and share it with your friends and colleagues. Our next episode falls on Christmas Day and will feature a brief reflection on stewarding the greatest gift of all: God’s own Son among us.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful and blessed Thanksgiving. See you next month!