Part 1: The Early Years: There are some things that are easy to say yes to like homemade dessert, a ride home, and a chance to hear an elder talk about the things that matter most. It’s especially easy when that elder is Frank Butler, board member emeritus with the Faith and Money Network. For years I’ve been hearing that Frank is a living, breathing saint, but to be honest I thought that was   [Read More …]

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.”                                     Marcus Tullius Cicero Gratitude is a gift from God that we seldom recognize as such. It is also a learned virtue that can serve us well all the days of our lives, and I don’t mean just gratitude for our financial resources. I’m talking about gratitude for all those things you take   [Read More …]

“Give them something to eat yourselves.”                                                                                                       Mark 6:37, The Jerusalem Bible The story of the Loaves and Fishes is the only story about Jesus that appears in all four of the New Testament Gospels.  That, in itself, emphasizes its importance. Whether you believe that Jesus literally fed 5,000   [Read More …]

Clearly, the purpose of wealth is not security. The purpose of wealth is reckless generosity.                           Joan Chittister, OSB and Archbishop Rowan Williams What would you be willing to give away or go without so that those with less could have enough? In their thought providing book, Uncommon Gratitude, Joan Chittister, OSB and Archbishop Rowan Williams note that “Wealth may   [Read More …]

“Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.” Wendell Berry What are your children worth? How about your spouse, your partner, or your parents? For most of us, the answer to all those questions is: ”Priceless”. But to this administration, it would seem that   [Read More …]

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves”   Rainer Maria Rilke   Do you know, really know, how many different things have influenced your attitude about money and your financial decisions?  Would it make a difference in your life if you did? It can, and that can be both good and very helpful. One way to understand is to write a Money   [Read More …]

“Giving is a joy if we do it in the right spirit. It all depends on whether we think of it as ‘What can I spare? – or as ‘What can I share?”                                                               Esther York Burkholder Sometimes you just can’t predict who is going to be generous. For 30+ years Father Gregory Boyle has worked with gang members in Los Angeles at Homeboy Industries, the   [Read More …]

Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person.”   Proverbs 3:27 – The Message When disaster strikes, who responds? The volcano named Fuego (fire) is visible from much of the area in and around San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala where my husband and I have worked for many years, but it is too far away to pose a danger to the town itself. A large majority of   [Read More …]

“Some of our people took extra jobs, others went without legitimate expenditures, and many arranged for loans which could be paid back over a one-or two-year period.”                                                                       Elizabeth O’Connor, Call to Commitment Some people can point to events they experienced that changed their lives forever. That happened to my husband and I when   [Read More …]