This special Thanksgiving edition of Twelve Wicker Baskets features voices from across the Steier Group expressing gratitude for the partnerships and communities we've served in campaigns. Opening with a reading of the first Thanksgiving Proclamation by President George Washington, host Christopher Beaudet sets the tone for the following expressions of gratitude. Team members share heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to work with parishes, schools, and volunteers, highlighting meaningful campaigns, personal growth, and the deep sense of community and faith encountered in their work. With a message of appreciation for all partners and listeners, this episode emphasizes the transformative impact of stewardship. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Katherine Coolidge from the Catherine of Siena Institute enjoys a conversation on Twelve Wicker Baskets on the importance of intentional discipleship and stewardship in parish communities. Katherine shares her experience in parish ministry and her work with the Institute, highlighting programs like Ananias Training and the Called and Gifted Discernment Process. These initiatives help parishioners identify and share their spiritual gifts, fostering a culture where generosity and mission are rooted in a personal relationship with God. She emphasizes that stewardship should move beyond transactional giving, encouraging parish leaders to inspire deeper engagement through prayerful discernment, storytelling, and communal responsibility. As Katherine explains, “For us to be able to take care of that, we have to cast a broader and deeper vision for our people and call them into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Because it’s when they’re walking with Jesus that they can begin to grasp John Paul II’s vision…ultimately we are called to bear fruit and it’s not just taking care of those things that are closest to us, but it’s also being there for the sake of the world.”

Katherine also addresses practical challenges in fundraising and parish leadership, advocating for transparency and a clear sense of mission to build trust and support. Sharing examples of parishes that have successfully cultivated stewardship, she includes stories of sacrificial giving and community impact. Storytelling is highlighted as a powerful tool for connecting parishioners to the transformative work of the church.

Guest: Katherine Coolidge
Title: Director, Parish and Diocesan Services, Catherine of Siena Institute

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Father James Burns, President of St. Mary's University of Minnesota, discusses the mission of Catholic higher education, emphasizing the integration of psychology and theology in priestly formation and the importance of donor relationships in sustaining Catholic educational institutions. He highlights the centrality of faith, human formation, and virtue development to the university’s mission, and how storytelling and authentic engagement inspire philanthropic support. Fr. Burns advocates for a faithful engagement with Church teachings while encouraging sincere inquiry and dialogue grounded in the truth of Christ as the way, the truth and the life.

Addressing contemporary challenges with students and society, Fr. Burns underscores the inseparability of fundraising from the mission of Catholic education, stating, "The ultimate purpose of fundraising is to support student flourishing, virtue formation, and the mission of the Church." He emphasizes the importance of authentic, ongoing relationships with donors, deep listening, trust-building and understanding individual motivations, which foster a cycle of human flourishing for both giver and recipient.

Guest: Fr. James Burns
Title: President, St. Mary's University of Minnesota

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To contact the podcast, email twb@steiergroup.com.