by Katie Ostgren,
director of development and stewardship, Diocese of Lincoln
Thanks to my dad, who was born in the 50s, I was raised on a healthy regimen of AMC classic movies. There’s no time of year I appreciate that more than around the Christmas season.
For me, one of the most relaxing activities during the hustle and bustle of December is to curl up in front of the fire with my favorite blanket, a cup of hot tea or a glass of whiskey, and watch an old black-and-white flick. Some, like White Christmas and Holiday Inn, I enjoy for pure entertainment and nostalgia (and to watch my husband cringe a little—old movies aren’t so much his thing.) Others, though, I make a point to watch because their aspirational virtues remind me of the kind of person I want to be during every season of the year, not just at Christmas. “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Going My Way” are two favorites.
Many of us are familiar with “It’s a Wonderful Life” and the story of George Bailey, the dutiful, every-man hero of Bedford Falls, who sacrifices his personal dreams to serve the people of his little community as the head of his family’s Building and Loan. His career is marked by his father’s guiding principle, “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away,” as he runs his business with more concern for the people he serves than the money he makes or the power he wields.
His story culminates when a crisis at work leads to a personal crisis of meaning, and the goofy angel, Clarence, shows him how his sacrifices have impacted the lives of his many friends. Though his financial situation is bleak on paper, he is heralded the “richest man in town” because of the way he has cared for everyone, especially those who have needed the most help along the way.
Fewer know the story of Father O’Malley, portrayed by Bing Crosby in “Going My Way.” As a young priest in the 1940s, he is sent to St. Dominic’s Church in a working class neighborhood in New York City to help revive a struggling parish, but is instructed to do so without stepping on the toes of the older, dedicated, and tired senior pastor.
The plot follows Father O’Malley as he seeks to re-engage the hearts of the parishioners, from the merciless banker who holds the mortgage on the church to the group of young hooligans who can’t seem to stay out of trouble with the local police, and even the old senior pastor himself. Father O’Malley’s inviting joy reminds everyone that they have a place in God’s family and in the Catholic Church, that their Eternal Father loves and cares for them through one another, and that they can participate in this work through their own generosity.
Since I began working in Development & Stewardship for the Diocese of Lincoln a couple of months ago, I have had the pleasure of meeting many real-life George Baileys and Father O’Malleys right here in southern Nebraska. The personal sacrifice and heroic generosity of the thousands of priests, religious, and lay people who have prayed for, served, and donated to our parishes, schools, and diocese is truly inspiring. What God has built and sustained over the years through the faithful stewardship of so many of you (and those who have gone before us) is something to be celebrated and acknowledged.
As a mom of three young children who will, God-willing, be formed into intentional disciples of Jesus by their experience of the Church in the Lincoln Diocese over the next 20 years, I cannot state emphatically enough how grateful I am for your gifts of self that have allowed me, my husband, and hundreds of other parents to partner with the larger Church here to form the next generation of Catholics.
It’s no secret that our Church, though, is at a point of transition. Many of our institutions are sadly at risk as our culture eschews religion and a larger percentage of the population no longer even believes in God. Yes, even right here in Nebraska. Now, more than ever, we must ensure that our light is shining brightly as we offer the truth to the world and invite everyone to encounter their heart’s desire—Jesus Christ Himself.
There are urgent needs everywhere in the Church—from our care of the poor to upkeep in our local parishes. I pray you know these needs and are prepared to give sacrificially as the year comes to an end. Currently, our major fundraising initiative as a diocese is the Good Shepherd Scholarship, which carries an annual need of $2.5 million. As you may know, this diocesan-wide scholarship was established in 2019 to ensure that, as the cost of education rises across the board in our country, our local Catholic schools would always remain affordable for any family who wants to choose a high-quality, whole-person education for their children, regardless of their income.
A central mission of the Church is education, and the Catholic schools of southern Nebraska are absolutely second to none when it comes to teaching, catechizing, and evangelizing. Because of the impact of Catholic education on the entire diocese (Did you know that 75% of our seminarians attended Catholic school?), there is an urgency to support them with a renewed sense of vigor, whether our nearest Catholic school is 100 feet or 100 miles away. To learn about the many ways you can give, please visit goodshepherdscholarship.com, or give me a call!
I love the image of the Good Shepherd because it calls to mind George Bailey, Father O’Malley, and most especially Jesus, who gives His very life that not one of His friends may be forgotten. In 1979, John Paul II wrote, “The solicitude of every good shepherd is that all people may have life and have it to the full, so that none of them may be lost, but should have eternal life. Let us endeavor to make this solicitude penetrate deeply into our souls; let us strive to live it. May it characterize our personality, and be at the foundation of our … identity.”
I pray that sacrificial generosity and concern for those most in need may characterize the personality of all of us who strive to follow Jesus. Through our stewardship in the Church, I pray that we will see hearts softened along the way like Father O’Malley, and that we will build up treasure in Heaven through our care for others, like George Bailey.
May God, who is never outdone in generosity, and proves that by the incarnation of His Son, make your Christmas Merry and your New Year the most joyous yet. Thank you for your continued gifts of self that others may know Christ. I look forward to working with friends, old and new, from across the diocese as we collaborate to build upon the good work of generations past and prepare our Church to meet the needs of generations to come.
